Europe 1 with AFP 12:18 p.m., January 13, 2023
France opens the ball with its brand new system, the "French Capital of Culture" label.
Of the three agglomerations approached, it is that of Montbéliard which has been selected, announced the Minister of Culture Rima Abdul Malak.
On the program, many cultural projects in the 72 municipalities of the Doubs, with a point of honor for climate issues and biodiversity.
The agglomeration of Montbéliard received the label "French Capital of Culture" 2024 on Friday, for its "inventive and singular" project, guaranteeing an "exceptional cultural season" on its territory, announced the Ministry of Culture.
"Pays de Montbéliard Agglomeration", which brings together 72 municipalities in the Doubs department, "has proposed a transdisciplinary program bringing together all the local actors around an exceptional cultural season generating a long-term dynamic for the territory", indicated the jury.
With an "inventive and singular" project, this industrial and border territory thus becomes the second "French Capital of Culture" after Villeurbanne (Rhône) in 2022, whose programming has given rise to nearly 700 cultural events.
The Minister of Culture @RimaAbdulMalak announces the awarding of the French Capital of Culture label for the year 2024 to "Pays de Montbéliard Agglomeration".
Press release https://t.co/BsYXeFTvO3@caissedesdepots@BanqueDesTerr@Prefet25@paysmontbeliardpic.twitter.com/BEOcXGC0m7
– Ministry of Culture (@MinistereCC) January 13, 2023
Climate issues in the spotlight
The agglomeration of Montbéliard would compete alongside two other finalists, the agglomerations of Alès (Gard) and Bourg-en-Bresse (Ain), and will benefit in 2024 from funding of up to 1 million euros. euros, contributed equally by the Ministry of Culture and the Banque des Territoires (Caisse des Dépôts group).
The Ministry of Culture specified that a "prime place will be given to popular song" in the programming, also welcoming the consideration of "the challenges of climate regulation and biodiversity" of the project.
In addition to its famous Montbéliard sausage, the Pays de Montbéliard is a former production bastion of Peugeot, in Sochaux, a city which also hosts one of the historic teams of French football, FC Sochaux.
The "French Capital of Culture" label distinguishes, every two years since 2022, the cultural project of a municipality or a group of municipalities of 20,000 to 200,000 inhabitants, in line with the European Capitals of Culture.