Culture, at the heart of our intimate construction and of our social cohesion, a marker of France’s international influence, has been very hard hit by the health crisis. With 2 billion euros for Culture, the response is massive and global. The stake of the recovery plan in Culture is both to rebuild the cultural sectors and to reform cultural policies, in order to be able to support the resumption of activity and to project oneself into the future.
Recovery Plan Statement
The French government has announced that they will be allocating €2 billion in funds toward a cultural recovery plan due to the severity of the impact Covid-19 has placed on the sector. Earlier this year, €856 million was directed toward the arts and culture sector, which has evidently not been enough in order to recoup losses in the industry.
Across the world the arts and culture industries have been one of the hardest hit sectors due to the nature in which they thrive, which unfortunately is a major concern for the spread of the virus. In general, there has been very little focus from governments in the majority of countries around the world when it comes to providing aid to this sector. The general allocation of funds toward arts and culture has not taken priority, and the hardships the sector has faced due to the maelstrom of events and lack of care has been devastating.
The recovery plan proposed by the French government focuses on five main points, as stated directly on the official website. The funds will be redirected toward “heritage restoration” – for example, France’s famous historical sites, such as the iconic art gallery and museum the Louvre and one of the most historically famous sites the Palace of Versailles.
Furthermore, funds will be allocated towards performing arts venues such as opera houses and theatres, with €200 million budgeted toward similar venues that host concerts, shows and live music. On top of which, funds will be fully directed to artists themselves, working in every discipline within the arts and culture sector.
For more information click the link for the official website.
Feature Image: The Louvre – Paris, France.
