IN BRIEF – Around twenty people gathered on rue Félix-Poulat in Grenoble, in response to a call for the mobilization of cultural actors. Objective ? Denounce the (possible) budgetary orientations of the government, from which culture could suffer. But also denounce, from now on, the reductions in community subsidies, which weigh heavily on the activity of artists.
« We didn’t expect the crowd », told us the director and CGT unionist Michel Szempruch ahead of the demonstration. However, cultural stakeholders were called to gather on Thursday, December 19, rue Félix-Poulat in Grenoble, faced with fears of an austerity policy that would directly affect their sector. A movement part of a national mobilization, to which several cities such as Montpellier, Bordeaux, Lyon, Orléans and Paris responded.
The demonstrators displayed banners on rue Félix-Poulat to convey the concerns of the world of culture. © Florent Mathieu – Place Gre’net
In Grenoble, around twenty people participated in the movement, Michel Szempruch recognized that the mobilization was not in full swing. The rain and the cold probably did nothing to motivate the troops. The fact remains that the organizers wanted to mark their presence by deploying banners, speaking on a megaphone to make themselves better heard, and distributing leaflets that most passers-by accepted with good grace.
“In our environment, everyone is exhausted”
In line of sight? Michel Szempruch returned to the announcements of the former Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire, who had announced several billion savings in the state budget. Savings, recalled the trade unionist, which also concerned the field of culture. If, since then, two successive governments have fallen, the activist has few illusions about the directions that Prime Minister François Bayrou could take.
Michel Szempruch, from the CGT Spectacle, on the megaphone and in the rain during the rally. © Florent Mathieu – Place Gre’net
But even beyond possible budgetary choices, communities are already cutting cultural aid, underlined Michel Szempruch. Result ? Artists who find themselves in “ survie professionnelle », forced to work even harder to make ends meet. “ In our industry, everyone is exhausted, burned out because we work like hammers », he describes. This not without fearing the renunciations of one and the other and, in the end, “ an invisible social plan ». « People will abandon their activity even though they have talent and things to say », alerts the trade unionist.
The local situation obviously carries its share of concerns. Concerning, for example, the announcement of a reduction of 40,000 euros in cultural subsidies from the Metropolis. Or the fate of La Bobine, Grenoble’s flagship cultural venue, in great financial difficulties. “ They were supposed to go to commercial court. They have a small deadline: it will be in January, but they are not sure they will survive the winter », explains Michel Szempruch, ensuring the structure of support from the trade union organizations.
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