Patrick Malavieille, vice-president of the Departmental Council, and Olivier Lataste, director of the Crater, have expressed their concern about the mistreatment of culture in the event of the National Rally coming to power in Alès.
“As culture actors, we are not here to give orders to people about who they should vote for,” stated Olivier Lataste, director of the Crater, during a press conference on Wednesday, before elaborating on his thoughts. “However, in the context of my union activities, I want to put pressure on candidates to emphasize that culture remains a public service mission with values of unity, emancipation, and humanism. It is clear that these values are not present with the far right.”
“The identity is not identitarian,” said Patrick Malavieille, vice-president of the departmental council in charge of culture. “My experience at the Department is clear. All subsidies are rejected by the National Rally, including those for the city and communities. Today, the departmental scheme based on cooperation between the state, region, department, agglomerations, and towns is at risk of collapsing, even though the specificity around culture is a consensus.”
He added, “Culture is not just about organizing a nativity festival and setting up creches in the town hall. It is not enough. Even if we must defend traditions. Identity is not identitarian.”
In this 50th anniversary year of André Malraux’s death and the 30th anniversary of his canonization, Olivier Lataste recalls that “cultural decentralization was his creation with the support of General de Gaulle who established the first cultural scene in 1959. We must also remember André Malraux’s involvement in the Spanish Civil War, where he was part of the International Brigades.”
