The town hall of Bordeaux has posted questions aimed at "calling out" the inhabitants of the city before organizing a cultural forum in recent days.
But several of the slogans retained have struck professionals in a sector particularly affected by the Covid-19 crisis for a year.
INTERVIEW
"Artist, is it a profession?"
or "Culture, does it cost too much?".
Here are the questions plastered on posters in Bordeaux, where the city wanted to give the floor to citizens for its cultural forum.
A campaign that provokes an outcry as the Covid-19 crisis particularly affects the cultural sector, which has been stopped for months.
"It's very serious", comments at the microphone of Europe 1 Muriel Mayette-Holtz, director of the National Theater in Nice.
"This question asked in very approximate French testifies first of all to a great lack of culture, at a time when the entire cultural sector, theaters, opera houses and museums are closed without any prospect of opening."
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A "very insulting" formulation according to industry professionals
“The question asked is not: 'how much would you spend on culture?', 'What are you missing?'
or 'what does culture bring you?' ", continues the former general administrator of the Comédie Française.
"In the question, there is already an answer, which implies: 'is it useful to reopen? Is it not too expensive?'. And today, ask the question like that is a mistake. "
Here is the communication of the city of Bordeaux on Culture at the moment !!
Can there be more disastrous for our trades ???
pic.twitter.com/IVLum0PEDY
- Franck Masquelier (@frmasquelier) April 9, 2021
"It has now been over a year since almost the entire cultural sector has been economically stricken, but much more psychologically", abounds Laurent Petitgirard, composer and conductor interviewed by Europe 1. "It is very insulting to pose the the question of whether dance, theater, or classical music are professions. It is a requirement, with very high-level professionals, mastery and daily work. "
The town hall wanted to "challenge the people of Bordeaux"
Asked by Rue89 Bordeaux, Claire Bouchareissas, director of communication at the city hall of Bordeaux, recalls for her part the "objectives" of the campaign: "to challenge the people of Bordeaux and encourage them to participate".
"On the first point, it is clear that it is successful, but unfortunately not in a good way."