Six months after the last general assembly which revealed the financial difficulties of the Yes We Can Can association, support of Radio Balistiq, Éric Defaix, its president, takes stock of the return of Châteauroux associative radio.
“We did not receive the specific subsidy usually paid by the FSER (Radio Expression Support Fund), recalls Éric Defaixa sum of more than €8,000, which represents approximately 15% of our budget. »
A hard blow for the associative structure. But, thanks to good management by its treasurer, Pascal Bonamy, since 2004, Yes We Can Can has resources. “We had a year’s reserve, around €100,000 placed in the bank. »
Investments for an envelope of around €15,000
This allowed Radio Balistiq to overcome the obstacle without reducing its activity too much. The fact remains that the 2023 accounts showed a deficit of €4,000. And that this type of association is always on the razor’s edge.
“We have taken countermeasures, assures the president. We obtained a grant of €1,500 via the DVA (association life development fund). A company should also help us with €2,000 and a generous donor gave us €500. »
Gil Avérous, mayor of Châteauroux, had also written to the Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati, about the FSER. Now Minister of Sports, Youth and Community Life, Gil Avérous will perhaps remember this association in his city. Who knows?
In the meantime, the FSER grant request for the year 2025 has been sent and a response should be received by the end of 2024. “We highlighted our approach to educational issues, inclusion and equality between men and women”underlines Éric Defaix.
Four new shows
Radio activity has resumed its course since the end of the summer with a program schedule which has evolved somewhat: four new events are listed. Above all, two young presenters have launched themselves on the airwaves.
We thus find “Tim speaks of rap” every Wednesday, at 2 p.m., and “Urban music”, on Saturday, from 5 p.m. Other new features, two labels entitled “Words of volunteers”, and “Dare to create”, an economic program.
If Benoît Tissier, a permanent employee of the radio, notably provides radio production workshops in the neighborhoods, the radio has extended the apprenticeship contract of Martin Boigeaud, who is completing a bachelor’s degree in sound engineering at Eicar (Lyon).
Partnership with Le Bruit qui tourne
Radio Balistiq is also building the future and will equip itself with a new sound console for its studio, located at 93, rue Ampère, as well as a new relocated studio to provide live broadcasts. “It’s an envelope of around €15,000 for which we requested 50% coverage from the FSER. The Centre-Val de Loire Region should also help us on this issue. »
The radio will also participate in or initiate numerous meetings. Balistiq will be at Fire Master Connection, in Issoudun, Friday October 25 and Saturday October 26. Saturday November 8, an electro-pop concert is organized at 9Cube with Thelmaa and Lucie Antunes.
Saturday November 30, the mobile studio will move to Place de la République as part of the gender equality village organized by the CCAS of Châteauroux.
Further on, Saturday March 22, 2025, the traditional metal evening will take place at 9Cube with the Geneva group Versatile Metal Band as headliner. Then in May, in partnership with the record bar Le Bruit qui tourne, Radio Balistiq will offer two days of concerts in Châteauroux with national groups. We’ll come back to that.
