Happy New Year. I don’t know if it will be good for everyone but
In any case, it will be interesting for all of us.
The exercise that brings us together at noon is unique. Deadlines
I hope that the culture and the
communication can have their full place in debates that
are coming.
As you probably know, I’ve just published a book called
Desire and luck. I wanted to pay tribute to all those with whom
I have the pleasure of working, the departmental teams, elected officials, artists,
all the actors of culture who make this country a special land in
Europe and the world, where public authorities are present to
support artists, heritage professions, industries
cultural diversity, a country where cultural diversity is not
that it needs to be preserved and stimulated. I also wanted
share with the French a look at a great institution, unique in
its genre, which has now existed for a little over fifty years, if
to our fellow citizens that sometimes, finally, we
know little. I wanted to describe the major projects that motivate my
action, the convictions that drive me, and wring my neck, by the way,
some preconceived and nevertheless tenacious ideas.
The figures which have recently been made public on the
record cinema attendance, with the increase in
spectators and recipes, as well as international recognition
films such as The Artist, the attendance of
show, museums and exhibitions come to contradict
those who want to believe in a “cultural depression,” including
of course, a lack of interest on the part of the government and a
disengagement of the State. There are also sectors that suffer most in a
crisis context – like bookstores or the music industry – and I
will return.
I do not wish today to make a comprehensive inventory of this
that we have achieved since 2009. I would like to come back to a few
I would like to ask the Commission to consider the following points:
and the main projects I intend to carry in the
coming months.
A word, first of all, on the budget for Culture and
Communication. I mean by the supporters of this mythical
“cultural depression” that there is no more money for culture. The truth
the budget of my department has been preserved, even though
we are going through a first-rate economic and financial crisis
importance. I fought to defend it, and in this I received full
support of the Prime Minister and the President of the Republic. My
Department participates, like all others, in the budgetary effort that we
imposes a constrained situation, but without questioning its
fundamental missions. Culture in France has not served as a variable
adjustment, as may be the case, and I regret this because we
responsibility for the European cultural landscape, for
some of our Union partners; this is a sign of a commitment
very strong of a government for which culture is a dimension
essential to our values and our democracy, our cohesion
our economic development and the attractiveness of our
our international reach.
All the Ministry’s areas of action are to varying degrees within the
crossing of these different dimensions, and I wanted to make sure, to
the actions we take, that every perspective can be taken in
accounts in a synthetic way and not in isolation. The vast field of
This is particularly well illustrated by heritage.
With the implementation of the Areas of enhancement of the architecture and
heritage (AVAP), we now have the tools to
landscape policy, which is both protective and innovative
intelligence, taking into account, in an integrated way, the protection of
our commitments to protect the environment, to
historical and visual continuity of what history has bequeathed to us. To my
regional wind schemes will now be submitted
Regional Heritage and Sites Commissions, which will measure
visual impact. I know that there is still a step to be taken: that
to be followed by mandatory notification. I’m working on that.
Our ranking policies now extend to more than
new fields of protection and development, which
now lighthouses, planes, for example, social housing, or
heritage of the 20th century. I also wanted to relaunch the
Cultural Meeting Centres, which make it possible to cross the
presentation of an exceptional heritage, in the image of the emblematic
Abbey of Royaumont, with contemporary creation.
When I fully support the restructuring of the National Museum
Picasso, whose cost is largely offset by the
recipes of an intelligent policy of international exhibitions of the work
of the master, it will soon be accused of favouring Paris in my ministry…
Even as for our museums, I have ensured that we develop
an ambitious policy to strengthen the territorial supply chain
Just inaugurated in May 2010 by the President of the Republic,
the Centre Pompidou-Metz meets with a French public
which goes well beyond the initial forecasts. The Centre Pompidou
Mobile, which offers a unique encounter with a selection of masterpieces
one of the world’s largest collections of modern art
in a nomadic museum, has just successfully completed its inaugural stage
in Chaumont, with 35,000 visitors in three months, before taking the road
for Cambrai. The ambitious Louvre-Lens project is on track to
the end of 2012, as well as the MuCEM in Marseille. The territorial network,
is also the Plan Musées en région, or the label «Maisons des
illustrious” who works towards networking and greater visibility
more than a hundred homes giving us a light on the
artistic, political and scientific memory of our common heritage. Our
museum policy, it is also a generous pricing policy
since 2009, with about four out of ten visits being free.
In the field of intangible heritage, we have succeeded in integrating the
World Heritage gourmet meal. This is a great opportunity
to better showcase all the trades that contribute to a
tradition in which everyone can find themselves, and I will ensure that
we can identify the most suitable place for the City of the
gastronomy. Le Cadre noir de Saumur, symbol of French riding,
has also been inscribed as a World Heritage Site.
As for the archives, I am not afraid to say: never a government
has done so much for the archives.
Let’s talk about the next few months.
For the archives, the delivery of the magnificent building of Pierrefitte-sur-
Seine signed Massimiliano Fuksas will enable the
relocation of funds to integrate a participating Centre
the cultural equipment of Greater Paris, adapted to the
researchers and the public. The State has demonstrated a commitment without
in terms of financial resources by committing 125
million euros, to defend the idea of an open memory.
In this regard, the Maison de l'histoire de France offers a new
network model, based on partnerships. The
exhibition of the reliefs that we will inaugurate at the Grand Palais Est
precisely the first illustration of what will be possible with
such a structure. Let us remember the debates on which the
design, the Musée du Quai Branly, which many had already
stigmatize as «useless and uncertain», as Pascal said of
Descartes. The Quai Branly Museum is now fully integrated
the French cultural landscape, and is experiencing increases in attendance
spectacular. I am convinced that the same will be the case for the
history of France: when she is there, we will soon forget the
controversies related to his birth.
In Marseille, I will ensure that the Museum of European Civilizations and
of the Mediterranean (MuCEM), signed by architect Rudy Ricciotti,
finalize its project in the best conditions, so that its
Inauguration as part of Marseille 2013 – European Capital of the
Culture can respond fully to its ambition. Also in terms of
of intercultural dialogue, I also accompany the finalization of the
Department of Islamic Arts, the Louvre, which is now ready, and
enters the final phase of its realization. As for the Louvre Abu Dhabi,
I would like to emphasize my constant attention to the progress of the project, and
I will go there in February.
In the field of arts and cultural education, I have worked on numerous projects, in
taking care to rely on brief missions conducted by
whose competence and recognition make it possible to
take into account the variety of views and federate around
shared priorities. I am thinking, for example, of the teaching mission
led by Didier Lockwood, who has just given me his
report: I see this as a very important step forward for communities and
the State, which will enable conservatories and schools to better integrate
collective practices, intuitive learning and teaching tools
in the teaching of music.
At a time when art history is now mandatory in
primary and secondary education, I wanted to give a new
a discipline that is sometimes too little known by the general public, and where
yet France excels, especially since its bases have been
consolidated by André Chastel, whose
centenary. I created the Festival d'Histoire de l'Art, whose second
will be held in Fontainebleau next June, and will allow
to bring together knowledge producers and the general public.
Higher education Culture, with its remarkable network
institutions, take full advantage of the momentum created by the
restructuring of higher education and research. Good
number of establishments, while keeping their specificities are now
integrated into research clusters and laboratories of excellence, and
established with the Ministry of Higher Education and
Seeks the basis for close collaboration, including gains in
visibility, funding opportunities and cross-disciplinary
will be considerable.
In the field of live entertainment, I would like to come back to a construction site
emblematic. I relaunched the Philharmonie project, for which it was necessary
show clear political will to break the deadlock
which threatened him. The “water hole” in La Villette Park is
now again a major project that is now moving at a pace
calendar. Soon, the capital will be able to
have an unparalleled equipment, so that France can
to catch up in this area, to welcome as it should the most
major training institutions in the world, in an institution that will play a
key for music in France, in terms of broadcasting, education and
transmission, in particular by associating conservatories and orchestras
regional.
The Action Plan for the Performing Arts, with 3.5 million measures
news for 2012, will allow us to develop some networks
labeled - I am thinking in particular of the national centres of street arts and
National Circus Arts Centres-to better support companies
and independent ensembles, and strengthen the
international. Added to this is the fact that State interventions have been
with the establishment of a floor for intervention of my
ministry for national scenes and rate clarification
State intervention for national drama centres and
national choreographic centres, following a consultation
in depth with local authorities.
In the coming months, the mission on new financing for the
will give me his report. We will have a series of
proposals to give new means to public and private theatre,
to strengthen artistic budgets and promote the dissemination of
created shows. In the long term, we must be able to reach a law
The Head of State has accepted the principle.
In the field of visual arts and contemporary creation, two
major events await us in the coming months: the
donation Lambert, and the inauguration of the new spaces of the Palace of
Tokyo.
In Avignon, the Lambert Foundation is one of the most important
collections of contemporary art in France. The principle of his donation is
now acquired. With nearly 700 coins for a value of approximately 100
million euros, this is the largest donation to the State since that of
Picasso. I wish that we could very quickly end up in this beautiful
project.
On April 12, I will inaugurate the new spaces of the Palais de Tokyo. The
works conducted by Lacaton & Vassal, winners of the silver square, are
on the verge of completion. It is a set of more than 20,000 m², under the
management of Jean de Loisy, whose exceptional
Monumenta of Anish Kapoor last year at the Grand Palace, which will be
dedicated to emerging and confirmed contemporary creation, in a
factory which will also be a place of life, thanks to the
public-private partnerships that have been its trademark since its inception
of the establishment ten years ago.
In a field which is dear to me and which concerns several areas of
of my department, I also gave back its place to the
photography, by creating a mission in the department responsible for
conservation of the photographic heritage, the strengthening of aid to the
photojournalism and professional training. With the portal Arago,
with renewed attention to donors, collections in
deherence, building on the dynamics of the Pole of Arles, with soon
a new exhibition center in Paris, at the hotel in Nevers, I launched
major projects whose completion will be essential during the
coming weeks.
As regards an area which concerns you directly, that of the
I would like to recall that the State has given support to the sector
exceptional since 2009, in the continuity of the States General of the
press. This effort over three years has helped the sector, which
is in a phase of economic and technological transition
key to its future, by encouraging the development of
new distribution channels such as port help, by installing
more effective regulation of the sector with the reform last year,
of the Conseil Supérieur des Messageries de Presse, and the creation of
Press Distribution Regulatory Authority, which oversees the
preserving the balance of press messaging.
I would also like to mention the success of the operation Mon journal
more than 600,000 registrants have benefited from this
reconquest of young readership.
I also developed with five regional business directorates
specific assistance to neighbourhood media, with the means
to promote the professionalisation of stakeholders through
training and use of emerging media. Experimentation
begins to bear fruit.
In the coming months, I will continue to be very vigilant on
changes in the distribution sector. I call on the
responsibility of industry players and publishers, in order to maintain
principles of solidarity that have prevailed in recent decades.
I will continue to accompany the most fragile situations, which
At present, some headlines in the national daily press.
I had a conversation a little while ago with the executive director of La Tribune, and
I can say that there is always a future for this title. There is support
from the State to the pluralism of information. This support from the State
also by the attention that the State must pay to the devices of return to
employment and training measures.
In general, I would like to reaffirm before you all my support
for the future of your professions. They are at the heart of the
democracy, and often reflect courage and commitment
for freedom of information. A year ago, Lucas Dolega was
killed in Tunis. I was recently struck by the intolerable
Carole Sinsz, journalist from France 3, in Cairo; also by the death of
Gilles Jacquier in Homs, and I renew all my support to his family, to
family and colleagues.
French audiovisual has just turned an important page in its history,
with the completion of the transition to all-digital television, which
a major financial effort on the part of the State. The national supply
increased from 6 to 19 channels, with image quality and
significantly improved, a diversified supply of
on-demand and catch-up programs, the launch of a
local channels. I am proud to have been able to accompany this
major transition of the French audiovisual landscape.
We also renewed the Contracts of objectives and means
public service audiovisual companies, giving ARTE the
means of a reconquest of its public, and by strengthening the
Frances Télévisions in investment in original creation.
ARTE as France Télévisions will also increase their
development on the internet, in order to give themselves the means to confirm
their role as a reference prescriber. I am thinking, for example, of the
France Télévisions' internet platform, dedicated to the
Live performance, which will be launched at the end of the year.
I also wanted us to adapt the support account of the
National Center for Cinema and Animated Image, so that the new
operators, including telecommunications operators, contribute
creation. In the long term, it will also be necessary to involve the actors
of the net. In the same logic, we also
reformed the Television Services Tax (TST), by expanding
tax base on distributors, in particular to put an end to
tax evasion. These reforms are the hallmark of my
commitment and proactive government policy to defend
the resources of the CNC and a French model for cinema
the previous year’s national and international successes, as well as
by record cinema attendance.
I also wanted to strengthen the State support for the
video game, particularly as regards the structuring of the
compensation of the various trades working in this sector
excellence for France. I also believe that we have shown,
with the beautiful Game Stories exhibition at the Grand Palais, which
met with great success, and soon the Cité du Jeu Vidéo
Universcience at the Cité des Sciences, which video game now has all
its place within the scope of action of the Ministry and its institutions.
In the coming months, there will be no shortage of projects. Concerning the
I am thinking in particular of support for industries
techniques of cinema, which are experiencing the difficulties known in
this phase of technological transition, to which I will give the most
great attention. For the audiovisual, important appointments we
wait: the contract finalization of objectives and means of
France’s External Audiovisual, and the upcoming award of six
new channels to be selected by the Board of
the audiovisual sector in March, on the basis of the 34 dossiers presented.
Our cultural industries, in general, are changing
on which it was essential to mobilize. I want to
the establishment of the High Authority for the dissemination of
works and protection of Internet rights (HADOPI) and approach
in terms of a graduated response to combat piracy. The
start to make itself felt: piracy decreases more in France
This is the result of a mobilization that goes hand in hand with support
that we bring to the structuring and diversity of legal offers.
This model has also generated increasing international interest:
rights holders and internet service providers have agreed to
USA to develop a similar device, as well as the
South Korea, or legislative arrangements put in place in Spain, the
United Kingdom and New Zealand. The demonization of Hadopi in
repressive device is perfectly unfair.
In the field of books, the law on the single price of digital books has
constituted a major advance, with its extraterritorial scope, that it us
will have to defend at European level – as well as reduced VAT
on e-books. Through these provisions, we have laid the foundation
to support a favorable digital book development that
places at its heart the diversity of supply and remuneration of creators.
Faced with those who think that the French approach is not adapted to the
new digital game, I believe on the contrary that we have written
a new page in the history of a French model that appears less and less
less exotic to our community partners.
Hadopi is currently developing expertise on the impact of streaming
and enforceable protections. The results will be ready
by February. We are now taking action to
make the intermediaries who trade with the
illegal streaming, which are often commercial businesses
prosperity, which is not acceptable, as the President of
the Republic in Avignon last November.
Among the major projects that will occupy us in the months that
I will also mention the reflection on the musical sector, and the
foundation for the future National Music Centre. The
prefiguration mission led by Didier Selles is currently working
all professionals. I make an appointment with
you at MIDEM so we can take stock of his progress,
for which I wish we could go as far as possible. He
is a historic moment for support to the sector in its
ensemble.
I would also like to come back to the situation of bookstores. On this point, the
parallel with cinema operators makes sense: it is a matter of ensuring that
that technical developments do not undermine the principles that govern
cultural development of our territories, by defining, in
the case of bookshops, a French response so as not to be totally
dependent on global internet players. This is the meaning of the network of
reference bookshops and independent reference bookshops, established
in 2009, and which I continue to strengthen; this is the main meaning of the mission
on the future of the bookstore, which I have entrusted to six personalities whose
notoriety will advance fast enough to deliver their
proposals at the end of the first quarter of 2012, to identify
innovative ways to access finance, preserve margins
booksellers in the context of increasing the reduced VAT rate, and
a more efficient allocation of public aid.
On all these points, it is clear that the situation has
developed. The defense of the rights of creators, who could in many
case that appeared threatened three years ago, was the subject of our mobilization
constant. We have not yielded, and it is clear that our
relationship with global players like Google is no longer the same
today. Mass digitization projects without compensation and
partnerships that do not take into account the legal acquis that we
I would like to thank the Commission and the
that we have put in place with Google.
These mobilizations take time, they require commitment and
a desire for dialogue that we must strengthen at the European level. I
I welcome the convergence of views with the European Commission on
VAT at a reduced rate on e-books; it is the fruit of the work of
led by Jacques Toubon. We still have to continue this work
persuasion with Member States.
In order to support and frame this approach, I wanted to propose to
my European counterparts a “decalogue” for Europe of Culture,
which received the accession of twenty-two Member States, with the support of
Commissioner Vassiliou. It constitutes a roadmap
for our common commitments. At a time when the European project is
led to a renewal, it was essential that we
put cultural policies on its new agenda. This
made public in the coming days.
During my many trips abroad, I wanted to renew or
in collaboration with the Department of Foreign Affairs and
French Institute, cultural cooperation agreements that contribute to the
our cultural policies and institutions. I
think of the Louvre Abu Dhabi; I also think of the
film co-production that we have set up with
Ukraine, South Africa, to the Franco-Russian film academy project
which is under consideration, the Franco-German film agreement, or
the Franco-Iltaien agreement on music that I recently signed in Rome.
I also wanted to help increase the attractiveness of the
France for the visibility of world cultures, by getting involved in the
success of the cultural seasons, with Russia, Estonia, Croatia;
develop solidarity actions, with Haiti, with Japan, with the
Cambodia, and to support the cultural policies of the
transition.
Among the actions that will mobilize us in the coming months, I would like to
the Plaisirs de France exhibition, which will feature a selection of
masterpieces from our national collections, from our great
institutions and our museums in the region, in Baku next March,
Almaty. Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are now part of the
partners that matter more and more to our country: giving
cultural dimension to our cooperation, beyond relations
I am convinced that economic and commercial
important contribution to intercultural dialogue.
Another project that is dear to me is the transformation of the South Fund into a
support to the cinemas of the world. I organized a few months ago a
important meeting at the Maison de la culture d'Amiens between filmmakers,
producers, distributors and funders, so that we can
launch the basis for a coherent implementation of the various aid schemes
existing in Europe. I will be particularly attentive to
that we can consolidate the achievements of this unprecedented consultation.
To conclude, I would like to come back to a few projects that are
of cultural diversity and democratization. These are:
as you know, with a social and territorial ambition that is
since its creation. I will mention three points that
In my view, this is an essential boost to the
the action of my ministry:
I relaunched the agreements with the local authorities. These are more
60 agreements signed with the
diverse communities, from large cities to rural territories, to
to provide States and local authorities with a common framework for action. Action
culture in France depends more than ever on a collaboration
close possible between the State and the local authorities, and this is all the meaning of
the special attention I pay to the dialogue that is taking place within the
Council of Local and Regional Authorities for Cultural Development
to strengthen the irrigation of the cultural offer in all our
territories, including rural areas in a renewed partnership with
the Ministry of Agriculture to identify, with the communities, with the
Regional Cultural Affairs Directorates, the
initiatives in the area of “shared culture”. On
this last point, the contribution of patronage seems to me also essential:
are finalizing an endowment fund for democratization
The European Union’s cultural policy, which will strengthen the
work and their continuity over time.
This renewed social and territorial ambition for my ministry is
Greater Paris – a major long-term project, including the
the cultural dimension is now fully taken into account, not
only through the work of architects in the Atelier du Grand Paris,
but also in terms of cultural democratization and networking
territorial. I hope that in the coming weeks, we can
strengthen the Medici Tower project in order to strengthen its
hosting the strongest projects, building on the local fabric of
institutions and associations, with a view to enhancing the
practices. I want this project to be the sign of a
major shift in our cultural policy to take
fully appreciate the untapped potential of these territories.
Another “blind spot”, so far, of our cultural policies: the Outremer.
I took advantage of the opportunity offered to us with the Year of the Ultramarine
to relaunch our cultural action in the overseas territories.
By their invaluable cultural contribution, by the diversity of their heritage, the
Overseas represent an opportunity for French culture. I have strengthened
for this the means of the directions of the cultural affairs of the Overseas,
and I’ve launched iconic projects, like the House of Memories and
culture, or the Mayotte Museum. I made sure to relaunch
in the French Overseas Territories the action plan for books and reading, the
library renovation, territory-reading contracts or the
translation into Creole of French classics; I relaunched the
renovation of several ultramarine museums, with a
classification and enhancement of built heritage and heritage
intangible. In this capacity, I will travel next month to Martinique and
Guadeloupe to monitor the progress of these projects. In the field of
languages, the States General of Multilingualism in the Overseas Territories, which I have
had the pleasure of closing in Cayenne last December, have constituted, I
believe, a major turning point for the recognition of some 50 languages
of France, which are the mother tongues of nearly three million
French: we go in the coming weeks, with directions
Overseas Cultural Affairs, establish an action plan that will take
counts the proposals resulting from these meetings. In future
also weeks, we will launch with the Ministry of Overseas
an agency dedicated to ultramarine cultures, which will play a role
key especially for their promotion in metropolis.
On all these projects, I intend to invest fully to the end, in order to
that our department can continue to be a force for proposal.
The approach of the presidential elections also gives me the opportunity to
visible our action, to stimulate debate, not to be afraid of
controversies. They can only reinforce a cause that I am proud to
serve.
Thank you.