Toulouse. After a loss of 352,000 euros in subsidies, this festival stops definitively

Times are hard for the world of culture. Faced with decreases of unpublished subsidies from all sides, many cultural projects are found in red, everywhere in France. And Toulouse is no exception. In recent weeks, cultural actors have also demonstrated several times in order to alert about subsidies – acted, announced or feared. A few days ago, the boss of the theater of the city, Galin Stoev, chose to resignjustifying his departure by a budgetary situation which has become untenable. And now the Biennale, a multidisciplinary festival carried by many Toulouse cultural actors, announces its final stop.

352,000 euros in fled subsidies

Created in 2019 and initiated by the Théâtre de la Cité, the International Festival of Living Arts Toulouse Occitanie announced its disappearance in a statement sent on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. He announced “Let you festival” Following “the non-renewal of financial support from all local authorities”.

Concretely, according to the figures collected by Toulouse newsthe festival – the third and therefore last edition of which took place in the fall of 2024 – was amputated 100 % of its public subsidies! The state, via DRAC, abolished its subsidy of 90,000 euros. Toulouse Métropole, which had paid 152,000 euros in 2024 did the same. The Occitanie region will no longer pay the 50,000 euros paid in 2024 and the Haute-Garonne Departmental Council also canceled its subsidy, which amounted to 60,000 euros. It therefore represents Dry loss of 352,000 eurosof public subsidies for the festival. Under its conditions, the Biennale prefers to stop the costs.

“We lose an ambition!” »»

“With the cessation of the Biennale, we lose an ambition and a beautiful element in a territory which is however super dynamic. We don’t deny budgetary difficultieswe are well aware of it. Are the answers provided? It can be discussed! “, estimated Serge Borras
the director of Grainerie, who is one of the festival spokespersons.

According to Serge Borras, it was during a follow -up committee that the city theater teams were informed of the end of the biennial financing by local authorities. “The state, noting that there was the last co -financer, preferred to withdraw. The logic of all this is that the urgency is to save operators and their actions year-round, rather than that of an event … “, he says.

“In three editions, the biennial co -financing were regularly increasing, until representing a third of the event budget. But the majority of funding was led to our own budgets. The existence of the biennial also allowed us extraordinary fundraising among partners, especially internationally”

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A festival “which will disappear in full swing”

In their press release, the Toulouse Biennial team deplores: “Since 2019, the Biennale has been able to consolidate its identity and assert Strong artistic choices By offering an international programming that is both demanding, offset and accessible. This event with remarkable development, recognized reputation and growing attendance will disappear in full swing. ”

The festival had gathered 38 different cultural actorsIn the fall of 2024 (including La Grainerie, Sorano, the Théâtre de la Cité, La Cinémathèque, the Garonne Theater, or many cultural centers in neighborhoods).

“During three editions, public subsidies financed the reduced coordination team and a shared fund used for production, dissemination aid, artistic and cultural action, professional days and festival communication. The public is therefore deprived of a multidisciplinary and original festival, an easy and joyful entrance door to living arts and an invitation to circulate between the cultural structures of territory”

“Daily withdrawal period”

“It is therefore all the inhabitants of the metropolis and beyond who see a window over the world, in a Dangerous period of withdrawal», Encloses the Biennale team. Adding:

“The Biennale is first of all a public service. More than a festival, it is a state of mind, an ambition for a territory and values: cooperation, cohesion, mutualisation, to do together, diversity and openness to the other. The judgment of the biennial cuts to crucial issues in these periods of multiple crises. The partners of the Biennial deplore this judgment and share with you, spectators, artists, artists France and internationally, its sadness to see disappear an ambitious space, time and collective energy for Toulouse and its metropolis “.

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