The importance of cultural activity in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes by Floriska POTTIER

European integration is not only a matter for the member states at state level, but also for the regions that make up the EU. Since their creation in 2015, the new regions of France (much larger than the regions they replaced) have seized the opportunity to create new identities and acquire greater European-wide visibility. The “Régions” have thus been working hard on their policy regarding cultural issues…

I consider that the cultural policy of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (AURA) “Région”, for one, will bring it positive notoriety within Europe. In this article, I will describe a cultural project that could be beneficial to all the geographical areas of this great and beautiful part of Europe…

The former regions

Auvergne, mostly rural, is part of the Massif Central and has four “Départements”: Allier, Cantal, Haute-Loire and Puy-de-Dôme. Auvergne's gross domestic product (GDP) was €34 billion in 2015. The main city is Clermont-Ferrand.^⑨

Rhône-Alpes, in the south-east, is made up of: Ain, Ardèche, Drôme, Isère, Loire, Rhône, Savoie and Haute-Savoie. The gross domestic product (GDP) of Rhône-Alpes was €200 billion euros in 2015. The main city is Lyon.^⑪

AURA

The new Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (AURA) region was created by territorial reform in 2015. It combines the former regions of Auvergne and Rhône-Alpes. It is thus made up of 12 “Départements”. It covers 69,711 km² and has a population of 7,757,595. The capital is Lyon. With a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of €240 billion, AURA is the second most powerful economic region of France (Ile-de-France is first), and the 8^th European economic region. It contributes 11.4% of national wealth. The economy of AURA is dynamic but it is also diversified: although it is above all tertiary, it is one of the most industrialized regions in France (18% of the region’s jobs), with some fifteen competitiveness clusters (there are a further twenty regional competitiveness clusters, but they need to be modernized).^⑩⑫

Culture in AURA

Music, cinema, literature, digital arts... The "Région" supports creators, regardless of their areas of performance. Particularly active is the 7th Art: film. The “Région” subsidizes the Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival, the Annecy Animated Film Festival and the Lyon Light Festival. Thanks to centers of excellence (documentary, animated film, etc.), cutting edge infrastructures (Pixel, the Zeniths of Cournon-d'Auvergne and Lyon, the Halle Tony Garnier, among others), and its varied landscapes and cultural heritage sites, AURA is the dream place for many directors. The “Région” also supports numerous festivals, concert and exhibition venues, etc., all over its territory.^⑬⑭

Cultural events in Auvergne

Of the 308 cultural events identified in 2011, 159 (58%) received financial support from the Auvergne regional council. The festivals, of very high quality, encompassed a wide variety of themes, places and territories and were at the heart of cultural exchanges at national, European and international levels. Seven festivals were (and are still) considered emblematic: the Festival of World Cultures of Gannat, the International Street Theatre Festival in Aurillac, the Festival of La Chaise-Dieu, the Country Festival in Craponne-sur-Arzon, the Renaissance Festival in Puy-en-Velay, the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, and Europavox in Clermont-Ferrand. In 2011, music was the most popular genre in the region with 108 festivals, 35% of all cultural events. 41 of the 108 music festivals were for Classical music. A large number of music festivals were in the Clermont-Ferrand area (27% of all festivals) and the Pays du Velay (10%). The Haute-Loire department had the largest number of music festivals with 22 festivals in all. Many festivals also took place in rural and mountain areas. Most of these cultural events still exist in 2017.^①

Cultural events in Rhône-Alpes

The Rhône-Alpes area (formally the second largest French “Région”) has a rich and diversified cultural heritage. Cinema was invented in Lyon in the 19th century; there are major exhibitions, museums, internationally renowned festivals, sporting events, and World Heritage sites to explore. There are 200 museums, 300 MJC (leisure and cultural centers), 500 cinemas, five national drama centers, five national theatres, a theater for young audiences unique in Europe, nearly two hundred professional companies, more than two hundred festivals and the first national opera of France. Rhône-Alpes is the best equipped area in France. It has a quarter of the live shows, and attracts more than 13 million spectators each year. There are events throughout the year: the Critérium du Dauphiné in April, the Nuits sonores in Lyon in May, the Jazz Festival in Vienne at the start of the summer, the Biennale of dance and contemporary art of Lyon in the autumn, the Lyon Festival of Lights in early December, etc.^⑮

What next for culture in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes?

In January 2016, Auvergne and Rhône-Alpes merged into one large region. The cultural domain is now a shared responsibility of the local authorities and the State. This is good for the arts, because regional politicians will be able to act more on cultural policy, which is a major factor for the development and notoriety of the region.

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes has, as seen, a great variety and number of artistic creations and cultural projects that contribute to its development and promotion. AURA attracts visitors from all over France and abroad thanks to the high quality of its cultural events. It will be necessary, however, to federate, cooperate and mutualize efforts. The new Region has decided that the main thrust of its cultural policy will be to foster creation and to ensure territorial equity with a special focus on artistic teams, contemporary dance, circus and digital arts. In these times of economic gloom, culture is a real factor in stimulating attractiveness and employment. An ambitious cultural policy is therefore also a collegial way of encouraging all forms of initiatives and ambitions carried by artistic and cultural enterprises. To this end, the AURA “Région” has set up funds for culture, such as the SCAN Fund (Support Fund for Digital Artistic Creation).^⑯

An idea for a cultural project: a travelling festival

My idea is a travelling multi-arts festival. It is a project that is feasible (and affordable for all involved) and would please the public. Artists (actors, magicians, comics, comedians, singers, dancers, etc.) would go on the road to perform for both urban and rural populations of all ages, all over AURA. The use of new (digital) technologies must be at the heart of the project because they have so much creative potential. The festival has to be eco-friendly too, so the artists would travel in electric cars or by train and they would use equipment provided in situ (each town or village would contribute according to its means). Promotion would be via the social networks, TV, newspaper adverts, etc.

The citizens of AURA would enjoy a region-wide festival, and by sharing in a common cultural event, a stronger sense of belonging to the same “Région” would be encouraged.

Conclusion

Cultural activity in AURA is important because it can help us transform gently, enriching us intellectually; it shows us that it is possible to reinvent oneself, that there are different paths to happiness. Also, through encouraging cultural activity, the AURA regional council will encourage a sense of belonging and its population to open up to the world. Moreover, cultural activity attracts visitors and therefore boosts the regional economy and creates jobs. A strong region (economically speaking, with a united population) will become competitive at a European level and so contribute to keeping the EU a viable proposition...

Sources

①http://www.letransfo.fr/uploads/2015/04/atlas-culturel-AUVERGNE-COMPLET.pdf

②http://acteursdeleconomie.latribune.fr/territoire/attractivite/2015-02-27/rhone-alpes-auvergne-quelles-consequences-sur-la-culture.html

③http://www.syndeac.org/action-syndicale/communiques/politique-publique-de-culture/

④https://cultureveille.fr/

⑤https://www.entreprendre-culture-auvergnerhonealpes.fr/

⑥http://www.la-nacre.org/

⑦http://www.lesinrocks.com/2011/07/22/livres/billet-pourquoi-la-culture-est-indispensable-1112062/

⑧http://www.petit-bulletin.fr/grenoble/infos-article-55292-Politique+culturelle+++la+region+cultive+le+flou.html

⑨http://www.webtimemedias.com/article/une-nouvelle-carte-de-france-13-grandes-regions-20141218-55700

⑩https://www.ambition-eco2021.auvergnerhonealpes.eu/sites/default/files/chiffres_cles_auvergne_rhone-alpes_2016_-_lpft.pdf

⑪http://www.lyon-metropole.cci.fr/upload/docs/application/pdf/2015-01/chiffres_cles_rhone-alpes_2014-2015.pdf

⑫http://www.auvergnerhonealpes.fr/45-le-panorama-economique.htm

⑬https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auvergne-Rh%C3%B4ne-Alpes

⑭http://www.auvergnerhonealpes.fr/26-temps-libre-loisirs.htm

⑮http://www.objectif-culture.com/spip.php?page=rubrique&id_rubrique=123

⑯http://www.plateforme-spectacle-vivant.com/