Culture is resistant to budget cuts

Could it be the end of an enchanted parenthesis? The year 2025 could well sound the death of the long period born from the reconstruction of France after 1945, in which equal access to culture and decentralization of the arts were proudly defended.

On December 20, 2024, the artistic structures of the Pays de la Loire, from the small dance collective to the imposing musical house, were amazed. Without consultation, Christelle Morançais, the president of the region, has saved 82 million euros in the annual regional budget, with a loss of 4.7 million euros for the associative, sporting and cultural fabric. Festivals closings, lightened programming … The repercussions were not long in coming. More than 2,400 cultural jobs are today threatened locally and a third of organizations have difficulty creating, producing and disseminating their works*.

“This is an unprecedented situation,” analyzes Emmanuel Négrier, director of research in political science at the CNRS. The researcher observes a spectacular “ideological reversal” and would like to recall that culture is the affair of the State, because “it is a lever of attractiveness for our territories and a vector of socialization for the public”.

If the cultural actors of the Pays de la Loire had to deal with a 62 % drop in their regional aid, they are not the only ones. Île-de-France has decreased its credits for the 20 % culture for 2025 and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes again fell the amount of its aid by 3.5 %. For the 2026 finance bill, the government provides 50 billion euros in economy in the territories. Does the situation in the Pays de la Loire prefigure a more general reality to come?

In reverse of bad winds, actors from the region refuse to give up. On their scale, they adapt, associate and sometimes reinvent themselves. To defend what drives them: to bring a local culture to life accessible to all.

* Survey carried out by the six independent cultural centers in the region.

“An oath of loyalty binds us to the rural public”

Émilien Diard-Detœuffounding member and co -director of the new popular theater:

A dozen actors on stage, playing in the open air in front of the church of Fontaine-Guérin, in Maine-et-Loire. This is an idyllic painting which unfortunately darkened in December 2024. The 21 members of the troop of the new popular theater (NTP), founded in 2009, lost their historic ally: the region withdrew its annual aid of 14,000 euros.

Through these budget cuts, Émilien Diard-Detœuf, founding member of the collective, perceives “a hostage of the rural public” which is again away from the arts. “When we settled here, this public did not expect us,” he says, “but he immediately welcomed us with a lot of warmth. Today, we swore loyalty. »»

“In this misfortune, we were able to count on the small surrounding municipalities”, salutes the actor. Les Bois d’Anjou, Mazé-Milon… They invested 19,000 euros to preserve, in extremis, the theater festival to be held from August 12 to 28. Five rooms will be presented, including The Snow Queen And The naked king. This generosity reflects the benefits of culture in the territories: “Our festival allows repercussions of 150,000 euros per year thanks to our 10,000 visitors. We also make local merchants live, ”insists Émilien Diard-Detœuf.

The collective has since found a smile. Especially since he benefited from a timely reward: the Charles Defforey Foundation, sheltered by the Institut de France, awarded him the Grand Prix for access to culture, with 100,000 euros. “It is the recognition of the work accomplished, but it was unexpected,” admits Émilien Diard-Detœuf. He can’t help thinking about cultural actors who have not been so lucky.

“Let’s continue to preserve beauty”

Alain Surransdirector of Angers Nantes Opera:

A simple phone call, and her world rocks. In less than a minute, warned by a regional elected official at the end of December 2024, Alain Surrans learned of the abolition of two of his subsidies. The first, in the region, valued at 350,000 euros. The second, from the Loire-Atlantique department, encrypted at 100,000 euros.

“It was a shock,” recalls the director of Angers Nantes Opéra, who will pass his hand to his successor at the end of the season. These political actors seem to have forgotten that culture is also of the general interest. »Result: the institution had to review its programming. The season has 60 curtain levers, compared to 72 last year. The director confides: “I have a thought for artists, intermittents and technicians that I will not be able to renew. They are the victims. »»

“The opera house”, as he calls it, remains faithful to its values. It programs creations and works rarely represented. Among them, Solaris from Othman Louati and The Calistoa dramma per musica from Francesco Cavalli. “We offer fewer works, but we will never sacrifice quality,” says Alain Surrans.

The director also wanted to keep parts of hope, like the oratorio Mass for a fragile planet by Guillaume Hazebrouck. An initiative that combines the professional opera choir and 90 children from Nantes districts, in a reflection on our future. Alain Surrans wishes to preserve any form of beauty.

“Watch out for the standardization of shows”

Maël Grenierdirector of the square, national scene and contemporary art center:

Within the former Ursuline convent, located in Château-Gontier, in Mayenne, the time is accountable for the national scene and the center of contemporary art. The institution also had the right to “a penknty” brought into its budget: the region abolished 137,000 euros in grants.

Same observation as for Angers Nantes Opéra: “Unfortunately the programming that knits, regrets the director, Maël Grenier. It remains the only lever after we have paid wages and maintenance and security costs. »»

For the season which opens in October, ten shows have already been deleted. Among them, a traveling circus project under a marquee and an important puppet show. “I had to make painful choices and abandon the shows where the artistic risk is the most important,” says the director. The Region obliges us, insidiously, to choose consensual works, likely to attract a large audience. We run towards a standardization of culture. »»

In this climate, the director pays particular attention to the vulnerable public, and in particular to the elderly and immobile. “We are very attentive to transgenerational links. For years, we have been involved as much as possible in nursing homes and hospitals to set up residences of contemporary art, explains Maël Grenier. It is fundamental to preserving the creation and for the well-being of all. These cultural and social initiatives are the last thing he will sacrifice.

“We know why we are fighting”

Bernard and Brigitte Martinfounding couple of the Writers’ Festival by the sea, in La Baule:

“At the end of May 2025, we resigned ourselves,” confide, with a heavy heart, Bernard and Brigitte Martin. After twenty-eight years of existence, the writers’ festival by the sea, organized each summer in La Baule, in Loire-Atlantique, ended. Dedicated to contemporary literature, this highlight which welcomed 4,000 people did not resist the withdrawal of its subsidy.

“We lose 32,000 euros in regional aid, regrets the couple. This corresponds to around 30 % of our budget. “Sentenceing the festival to the closure, this decision was all the harder to accept since” the whole program had been completed, “he said. Bernard and Brigitte had made sure to receive, among other guests, the writers Tanguy Viel and Julia Deck, as well as actor Louis Garrel.

Beyond their own disappointment, the couple has a thought for the young audience, particularly present during the festival editions. For twelve years, Bernard and Brigitte also organized the literary prize for high school students on behalf of the region. Through writing and reading workshops, a dozen authors transmitted to students their knowledge and experiences. With budget cuts, the price and these workshops have also disappeared.

However, the couple did not give up. If his means have decreased, he intends to recreate a literature festival on the island of Noirmoutier (Vendée), where an antenna of the late festival had been created two years ago. “We know why we are fighting,” conclude Bernard and Brigitte. Through their work, they want to promote contemporary literature and arouse vocations among young people.

“The theater makes us happy”

Claudie Douetdancer and artistic director of the Les Les Theater Dance Troupes Les Theater:

“We inspire, and we expire,” says Claudie Douet. This Saturday in June 2025, the choreographer pushed the actors who are preparing to go on stage, for the last of the year, to refocus their energy. They are eleven: three women and eight men, all with disabilities. Since 2013, they have been the Les Theater troop Les Les Theater Les Voluates, installed in Le Mans, in Sarthe.

If the excitement is in order, this representation has a particular flavor. “How much will they still be able to play?” »Asked Claudie Douet and the director, FroDe Bjornstad. For good reason, it was not spared by the regional budget cuts. She lost 10,000 euros in aid, a third of her budget. “These initiatives, with few means but strong commitments, are not considered,” regrets Claudie Douet.

With her troop, she defends the vision of a social culture. “Beyond artistic, these actors find a space of expression and freedom. Culture makes them feel good, ”she insists. Having become “a family”, the troop evolves in harmony. A couple even formed: Mickaël and Lindsay left their home to live together. “Thanks to the theater, we found stability. We are much happier than before. »»

At the end of the room, relating to the disappearance of aquatic species, the emotion is read on the public’s face. Originally from Le Mans, Patricia, tears in the eyes, confides: “It is a singular and strong initiative. It must be preserved. “Today, everyone keep hope for the future:” That’s the key. »»