In a context of concern about festivals, some of which could be canceled or postponed due to the Olympic Games in the summer of 2024 in France, the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur (Paca) Region said it was ready on Friday to mobilize two million euros “to guarantee” their progress.
At the end of October, the French Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin aroused misunderstanding of this sector by evoking the need for cultural or sporting events to be “cancelled or postponed” to the summer of 2024, due to the massive mobilization of forces. order for the Olympic Games, organized from July 26 to August 11.
To seek solutions “on a case-by-case basis”, the Minister of Culture Rima Abdul Malak received on Wednesday the organizers of major festivals and concerts as well as the unions of the branches concerned, but without putting an end to their concerns.
Faced with this situation, the Paca Region, which has one of the most well-known French festivals on its territory, including abroad, such as that of Avignon (theatre) or the Rencontres photo d’Arles, has decided to mobilize two million euros to help hold these cultural events in the year of the Olympic Games.
More than 2.6 million spectators each year
While most of the Olympic events will take place in Paris and Ile-de-France, Marseille will host the sailing events and football matches will take place there, as well as in Nice.
“In 2024, of the 10 million euros committed each year by the Region for security, two million euros will be specifically dedicated to festival organizers and municipalities to enable them to secure their events”, announced the Region in a statement.
This budget is in addition to “the six million euros that the Region commits each year for festivals and the 54 million euros devoted to Culture”, added the Region. Being “alongside festival organizers is not an option, it’s a necessity,” said the president, Renaud Muselier.
The major cultural festivals of this Region in the south of France receive more than 2.6 million spectators each year and “motivate nearly 35% of tourist stays”, according to the Region.