Press Release
NO to Performance Art
Polysonneries, an internationally recognised festival of living
art supported by the European Commission will not take place
(has to be cancelled).
The Lyon local authority and the DRAC don't want it !
The Lyon based "Festival Polysonneries" obtained
a grant from the European Commission for 2003 of 59,176 euros.
Alas, despite this success, the local finance (a condition for
the payment of the European grant) necessary for the production
is still missing. The thousand and one reminders addressed to
the local contacts have achieved nothing.
The town of Lyon, which up to now has been the principal partner
of the Polysonneries refuses to support the 2003 edition. Worse
still, the cultural adjoint, M. Beghain has refused the "Convention
AFAA/Ville de Lyon" which the Festival benefited from in
2001, considering that the cultural year of China in France :
an "event" which the Polysonneries has not wait to
include Chinese artists in their program.
The DRAC following the opinion of only one of its artistic advisors,
Alain Reyrat (although Benoit Guillemont and Odile Nublat were
in favour of the event), still maintains the same sanction as
in 2001 and for the 2nd time its ex-directeur M. Bengio has refused
categorically its support.
From the Rhone-Alpes regional administration, we have received
the same sum as the previous event, that's to say 3050 euros,
20 times less than the European grant.
The "Centre National du Livre" in Paris continues to
support the "Sound Poetry" part of the Festival with
6000euros.
As for Guy Walter whom we met during the spring to request access
to the Villa Gillet for the Sound Poetry section, armed with
an agreement in principal, his response will never reach us
The Polysonneries is a proven event which is unique in France
and enjoys, among critics, an undeniable reputation on an international
scale.
It is with a certain bitterness that the Festival Polysonneries,
considering the state of the financial commitments of its various
partners, is obliged by regulation to return the European grant.
This despite the fact that the total sum gathered (119,288 euros
including grants and own resources) represents half the budget
requested. It is worth while to underline that the local support
is obligatory for an European grant, which itself represents
25% of the total Festival budget. And that the amount for the
organisation abroad by the finish and belgium partners are included
in this previous budget.
What an incredible waste, without even taking into account the
work already done, to prepare the 2003 edition, at a pure loss
! Which, among other things, foresaw close collaboration with
the Academy of Fine Arts in Helsinki, in Finland, in conjunction
with FRAME (Finish Fund for Art Exchange) and with the Echevinat
of Ixelles in Brussels. The Festival should also have taken
place in these 2 countries.
The result is afflicting !
How does one resolve without bitterness the loss of one of the
rare places of discovery and confrontation dedicated to Performance
and the authentic creativity it engenders ? How does one envisage
the activity of the organisers of such events linked to similar
domains if they can, from one year to another, be completely
questioned, which bars any long term strategy as well all risk
taken as research and audacity which are necessary in such cases
?
Is it necessary to remember that in 1979 the Symposium of Performance
Art formed the basis for the current Polysonneries.
Why, here in Lyon, is there no wish to support independent structures,
who work in the multidisciplinary sector to which official speeches
today pay continual lip service. Why, with each change of local
government, is the future of such manifestations questioned ?
Are we eternally condemned to precarity, subject to the tantrums
or the incomprehension of one or other official or politician?
More generally : should we resign ourselves to the fact that
the end of the Polysonneries signifies regression and at the
same time, an acceleration of the process that brings us closer
to the unsharing reign of commercial and spectacular culture
: catholic tradition, institution and show business apparently
welded together and reacting in unison to liquidate liberal
space essential to life.
The situation is grave, we must react !
Sylvie Ferré, director
|
|