Despite a difficult national context, Radio Larzac celebrates the airwaves with “Faites de la radio”

The country’s community radio stations fear the months to come. And Radio Larzac is no exception to the rule. After deciding to cut 10 million euros which weakened the community radio ecosystem, the government reversed course.

The Minister of the Budget, Laurent Saint-Martin, finally announced the adoption in the 2025 finance bill of an amendment restoring the initial envelope. “Positive signals”notes Sofia, coordinator at Radio Larzac. “However, this relief could be short-lived”warns Alex, a local radio employee, on the lookout for what the Senate will decide. “We are still in uncertainty”she admits.

Continue to celebrate the waves

Despite this difficult context, Radio Larzac intends to celebrate its 21st birthday by inviting its listeners to “Faites de la Radio”. A well-known event in South Aveyron, the event will also celebrate its 21st edition.

“This year it’s a “Make Radio” around artists who use Occitan as a language in their worksintroduces Sofia. A theme that seemed important to us because these are shapes that we are not used to seeing.” And to put this local patois in the spotlight, the organizers have planned numerous meetings.

Starting with the one on Friday November 29, at the Millau cinema. “We called on the Dètz collective (means “ten”, Editor’s note) which reinvents the Occitan imagination to project the last two episodes of La Seria”. A 100% Occitan road movie (French subtitles) directed by Amic Bedel in which two young people wish to produce a series… in Occitan. “We will be there to put the first three episodes into context”reassures Sofia about the pre-screening.

A day of festivities

And if “Faites de la radio” brought together nearly 200 people during the previous edition, this year it wants to do just as many (or even more!) during the day of Saturday, November 30. The date already announces a rich day at the René-Rieux room.

From 4 p.m., hostilities will be launched with a round table broadcast live on Radio Larzac. “The goal will be to question creations in Occitan, unfolds the community radio coordinator. With artists from different worlds: cinema, illustration…”

Two other meetings are planned for this day. And not the least! The Millavine room will welcome quiz fans, also broadcast live on the airwaves, on the themes of cinema and radio. A time hosted by volunteers and employees followed by a costume and slogan competition.

“The idea is to have new jingles for Radio Larzacexplains Alex. And to do it with this festive aspect.” So, with their own disguises or those made on site, the participants will be asked to “present with their costume behind the microphone to proclaim their slogan”. Notice to competitors: rewards for winners (quizzes and competitions) are up for grabs.

Two concerts on Saturday evening

And to close it all, two concerts will complete the “Faites de la Radio”. The first, with the local group Talweg & Cisba, will offer “music from several universes. Modern trap on trip-hop, describes Maxime, a member of the local radio station. It’s a concert that will surely be improvised with a voice that comes close to poetic experimentation.”.

The second, also with a local group, from Saint-Affrique. Enlòc (means nowhere, Editor’s note) will present a punk rock universe in Occitan, and sometimes in English. With this evening, supported by the Drac (regional directorate of cultural affairs), the choice of local artists who make the Occitan language a priority became obvious.

For this new edition, the “Faites de la radio” is placed under the aegis of perseverance in the face of government measures that are not very reassuring about the future, but also of the conviviality between the forty volunteers mobilized on the date.