Shock in the cultural sector in France, particularly among performing arts professionals: cultural establishments subsidized by the State must suspend all collaboration with Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.
5 mins
A massive blow for Malian, Nigerien and Burkinabe artists. In an incomplete letter from the General Directorate of Cultural Affairs (Drac), the management of cultural organizations subsidized by the French State are ordered to “ suspend, until further notice, all cooperation with the following countries: Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso. »
Already since August 7, France has no longer issued any new visas to Malian, Nigerien and Burkinabe nationals. No exceptions will be made for artists. The instructions, dictated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, are categorical: “ All cooperation projects that are carried out by your establishments or your services with institutions or nationals of these three countries must be suspended, without delay, and without any exception. “, we read in the message. “ All financial support must also be suspended, including via French structures, such as associations for example. Likewise, no invitation from any national of these countries should be issued. As of today, France no longer issues visas to nationals of these three countries without any exception, until further notice. »
A “break with the philosophy of French culture abroad”
National drama and choreographic centers and national stages are therefore all concerned. This unprecedented measure is causing a wave of panic on the cultural scene. “ Everyone seems a little embarrassed about it “, says Bruno Lobé, vice-president of the National Union of Artistic and Cultural Enterprises (Syndeac) and director of the Manège, the national stage of Reims. “ The message was sent to all ministries, including the Ministry of Culture, which sent it back to the cultural structures without explanation. If it is maintained, there will be great opposition to it, since it would put artists from these three countries in an unacceptable situation. »
The union chokes on it in a press release, criticizing the tone “ comminatory » of this instruction, as well as a “ policy of banning the circulation of artists and their works, which has never prevailed in any other international crisis. » Denouncing a major political error, the Syndeac recalls that France has, in the past, always continued to invite artists from countries with which it had differences. “ We continued to invite Russian artists, most of whom do not agree with what is happening in Ukraine. Obviously, it was necessary to continue to give spaces of speech and freedom to artists », insists Bruno Lobé. A decision that he describes as “ incomprehensible » and which would constitute “ a break with the philosophy of French culture abroad. »
Since then, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been keen to clarify its directives. “ No deprogramming of artists, of any nationality, is requested », Indicates its press release. If public artistic collaboration is effectively suspended, only artists who have not yet received visas are affected. In the three countries, “ for security reasons, France has suspended the issuance of visas since August 7 “.
Disrupted programming
However, certain seasonal programming of theaters and festivals are already being disrupted by the ministry’s instructions. Quentin Carrissimo-Bertola, secretary general of festival of Francophoniesaccuses the blow: “ There are performers in the casts of some of our shows for whom we have already been fighting for several days to try to obtain visas. And there, the injunction that was received specified that yes, it would be very problematic to welcome these artists for these creations. We are directly impacted in the programming, we will miss people and we are very saddened. »
Due to lack of visa, Burkinabè artist Odile Sankara, interprets for the show Isis – Antigone or the tragedy of scattered bodies, will not be able to go to the Francophonies festival. Even if the Ministry of Culture specifies that it has not required any deprogramming, Quentin Carrissimo-Bertola denounces a “ indirect deprogramming “. He pursues : ” At the Francophonies, the creations that we welcome are companies and artists that we support over 12 months, 24 months, sometimes three years. That certain shows find themselves missing part of the team in the form of a press release a few days before the festival is brutal and very destabilizing. We need answers. What is the meaning of the work that we have been carrying out for 40 years in Limoges of cooperation and friendship between artists from all continents? »
On the side of international theater festival Sens Interditsthe ninth edition of which will be held from October 14 to 28 in Lyon, the artists managed to obtain a visa in extremis, before their delivery stopped two weeks ago. Before the ministry’s clarification, Patrick Penot, director of the festival, feared that artists who had already obtained their visa would be prohibited from entering French territory. “ The Malian company Anw Jigi Art is sending eight artists who will present five performances at the festival. If visas are not accepted, it impacts three theaters, meetings that we have to make… », Patrick Penot was already alarmed. Although he is now more reassured, the director of the Lyon festival believes that the Quai d’Orsay measure remains a decision ” scandalous “. “ We need this diversity », he slips.