A few days after the announcement of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region to lower part of the subsidies granted to cultural institutions, the shock wave has still not subsided. In particular in Lyon, where emblematic places like the Opera or the Villa Gillet will be very largely impacted by this decision.
“Where I’m angry is about the brutality of the declines. Villa Gillet loses 100% of its grants from the region. This amounts to condemning it, ”reacts Nathalie Perrin-Gilbert, deputy to the city of Lyon in charge of culture. The elected official does not understand either the arguments put forward by Sophie Rotkopf, vice-president of the region delegated to culture, in the columns of the Progress when she declares that the establishment mentioned is “a very Lyonnaise structure”. “It doesn’t hold up. The Villa’s next project is in collaboration with 40 high schools, more than half of which are not from metropolitan France, ”recalls the assistant.
“Wauquiez has delusions of grandeur”
For Nathalie Perrin-Gilbert the reason is quite different. “Laurent Wauquiez does not want a culture that teaches how to think, which trains citizens”, she analyzes, denouncing his “delusions of grandeur”. “He prefers to establish himself alone in Auvergne with a museum of Gallic civilization which will cost hundreds of millions of euros, a project which he is alone in piloting, where he can proudly display a large blue and white panel and his photo. He is drunk on himself, ”she retorts bluntly.
But on the side of the region, which specifies that the 2022 culture budget “has remained identical to that of 2021 (62 million euros)”, the controversy has no reason to be. “There are no judgments made on the actions carried out by these structures, simply the concern to conduct regional cultural action throughout the territory”, she replies to 20 minutes. And to recall that “festivals whose subsidy is less than 4,000 euros, the cinema, books and plastic arts sectors will not be affected by the reductions”.
As for the City of Gillet, “its funding goes to the local authorities concerned” decides the region. Something to irritate Nathalie Perrin-Gilbert once again: “It doesn’t make sense, the region is a local authority in the same way as the city and the metropolis”.
It remains to know the new distribution of subsidies which has not yet been communicated. Nathalie Perrin-Gilbert is already planning a crisis meeting by requesting the services of the State. Then, “the city will roll up its sleeves but we cannot do the work of the region”, concludes the elected official.