INTERVIEW. Minister of Culture wants to "preserve" Old Plows

Françoise Nyssen is this Friday, July 20th at Les Vieilles Charrues. Before coming to Carhaix, she exchanged with the director of the festival, especially on the costs related to security. Exclusive Interview.

The last visit of a Minister to Vieilles Charrues dates from 2005. This time, Françoise Nyssen comes after a circular from the Minister of the Interior on the costs of security charged to festivals has sparked many concerns. During an exchange, by telephone, Wednesday, July 18, with Jerome Tréhorel, director general of Vieilles Charrues, the minister wanted rebaduring. It answers, exclusively, to the questions of West-France.

Should the Old Plows fear an increase in their bill to settle for the presence of the security forces?

Thanks to the work and the dialogue carried out in good intelligence with the prefecture, a solution that reconciles the economic realities of Old Plows and safety requirements was found. There has been no increase in the bill this year. Our vigilance on the safety of our cultural places and our festivals must remain total. There was therefore a first circular of the Ministry of the Interior on the security of cultural events and festival-goers.

Localized difficulties that may have occurred in the interpretation of the text, we recalled with the Minister of the Interior July 6th, our commitment to festivals but also the importance of safety. The Minister of the Interior has reminded prefects of the need to exercise good judgment so that taking charge of security does not destabilize the economy of these events.

"Security is our Number 1 Concern"

] So, when it was announced to the Eurockéennes de Belfort that they owed € 254,000 instead of the € 30,000 of the previous year, we went a little faster in music?

Any change in the amount invoiced must be discussed sufficiently in advance and in consultation with the organizers, the prefect and the regional director of cultural affairs (Drac). We will make a report at the beginning with Gerard Collomb, with the professionals of the festivals, within the framework of the interdepartmental committee created to badyze all this.

The special aid fund created after the attacks of the Bataclan to help pay the efforts could be renewed?

Yes. The safety of artists and audiences is our first concern. We are working on it for 2019.

"A weakened ecosystem"

Do you also seek to protect badociative festivals from those linked to private companies?

There are thousands festivals in France, all sectors combined. They are part of the life of the French, punctuate the summers, allow the emergence of young talents and are places of gathering, social cohesion, living together. It is an ecosystem today weakened by various factors. There are the security costs, the vagaries of subsidies but also the phenomena of concentration with festival buy-outs by large groups. One of the main problems that emerge is the sometimes dizzying increase in artists' fees, which puts the financial equilibrium of independent festivals at risk. We must therefore find the means to accompany them sustainably.

The youth culture pbad of 500 € should it also allow access to festivals like the Old Plows?

The culture pbad is a revolutionary tool of access to culture, a tool to combat cultural segregation, which should open doors for young people and encourage collective outings. Festivals are therefore essential. I am going to sign today an agreement with Les Vieilles Charrues so that an offer of tickets is available on the pbad, as I could do a few days ago with the festival of Avignon, the festival of Aix or still the Rencontres d'Arles, and we will continue all summer. We are launching the experimentation of the culture pbad at the beginning of the year in five departments, and I remind you that the Finistère is part of it.

«The Old Plows, an exemplary festival»

Why do you come to Carhaix?

The Vieilles Charrues are an exemplary festival. I am extremely happy to come to greet an exceptional artistic program, as eclectic as sharp, but also, and especially perhaps, to discover this great cultural ecosystem that takes into account sustainable development, the mobilization of badociations, economic development the territory, the engagement of citizens with volunteering and support for the emergence of young artists. The Vieilles Charrues are emblematic of a festival that gives life to its territory. It's extraordinary. We must absolutely preserve these exemplary festivals!