On Monday 29 June 2015, Fleur Pellerin, Minister of Culture and Communication, convened the Ministerial Committee for the Equality of Women and Men in the Cultural and Communication Sectors.
About forty1 artists, elected representatives, directors of cultural institutions, educational institutions and public broadcasting presidents were present to discuss the place of women in the artistic field, culture and media and take action to advance equality.
The Committee supports its reflections in particular on the Equality Observatory, which collects and makes available a set of data on the place of women. Published every year since 2013, it makes it possible to measure imbalances and their evolution, both in terms of access to positions of responsibility, pay gaps, and artistic recognition.
During this committee, the Minister highlighted the major advance that constitutes the implementation of the law of 4 August 2014 that gives the CSA a decisive competence in the fight against stereotypes, sexist prejudices, degrading images and violence against women. She praised the mobilization of all and in particular of public broadcasting to ensure a fair representation of women in the programmes.
While significant progress has been made since 2012, the Observatory shows that some sectors remain unequal. On the eve of the summer festivals, Fleur Pellerin has decided to carry the exchanges of the 3th The Committee on the Status of Women in the Performing Arts and proposed a series of measures. Indeed, despite the considerable efforts made over the past three years, imbalances remain both in the management of schools financed by the State and local authorities, and in the programming and access to the means of production.
This is why Fleur Pellerin proposed the creation of a specific observatory for live entertainment, the establishment of monitoring indicators with national structures and subsidized institutions, labels and networks and a number of actions to promote equality in specialised and higher education.
Figures indicating that the visibility of women is particularly low in music, a sector which will be the subject of specific initiatives: creation of assistant leadership positions in subsidized orchestras, organising joint public hearings and setting up a targeted monitoring.
The Minister is convinced that these proposals, which will have to be the subject of consultations with local authorities, will have an impact on the careers of all artists, from the conservatory to the stage, and will significantly advance equality between women and men.
MEMBERS OF THE MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE FOR EQUALITY
IN CULTURE AND COMMUNICATION
President: Fleur PELLERIN, Minister of Culture and Communication
Qualified personalities: artists and experts
Sophie Calle, visual artist
Caroline Champetier, director, chief operator
Marie Darrieusecq, writer
Laurence Equilbey, Conductor
Caroline Fourest, journalist
Anne-Marie Garat, writer
Brigitte Grésy, Secretary General of the Higher Council for Equal Opportunities for Women and Men, expert
Sophie Pène, academic, member of the National Digital Council
Sylvie Pierre-Brossolette, CSA member, head of the women’s rights group
Danièle Sallenave, writer, member of the French Academy
Marjane Satrapi, director
Pascale Thumerelle, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility, Vivendi
Elect
Catherine Coutelle, MP, Chair of the Delegation for Women’s Rights and Equal Opportunities at the National Assembly
Brigitte Gonthier Maurin, Senator, President of the Delegation for Human Rights
Women and equal opportunities in the Senate
Philippe Laurent, President of the FNCC
Cultural institutions and educational institutions
Laurent Bayle, Director General of the Cité de la Musique
Catherine Blondeau, director of the Grand T theatre, Nantes
Mercedes Erra, President of the Golden Gate Palace,
Bénédicte Froidure, Director of the SMAC of Magny le Hongre
Ariane James-Sarrazin, Director of the Angers Museums
Bruno Macquart, President of Universcience
Marc Nicolas, Executive Director of La Fémis
Nasrine Seraji, Director of ENSA Paris-Malaquais
Caroline Sonrier, Lille opera director
Media / Public Service Broadcasting
Véronique Cayla, President of Arte France
Rémy Pfimlin, President of France Télévisions
Marie-Christine Saragosse, President of France Médias Monde
Representative of professional bodies
Sophie Deschamps, SACD
Claire Guillemain, President of the Fédération des Entreprises du Spectacle vivant, de la Musique, de l'Audiovisuel et du Cinéma, FESAC
Catherine Guyot, architect, director of ARVHA
Emmanuel Latreille, President of CIPAC
Sonia Leplat, H/F Collective Representative
Madeleine Louarn, President of the Syndeac
Thierry Teboul, Director of AFDAS
Ministry of Culture and Communication
Martin Ajdari, Director General of Media and Cultural Industries
Ann-José Arlot, Head of the General Inspection of Cultural Affairs
Vincent Berjot, Director General of Heritage
Frédérique Bredin, President of the CNC
Marie-Christiane de la Conté, Nord-Pas de Calais Regional Director of Cultural Affairs
Loïc Depecker, Delegate General for French and French Languages
Muriel Genthon, Inspector General of Cultural Affairs, Senior Equality Officer
Christopher Miles, Corporate Secretary
Michel Orier, Director General of Artistic Creation