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The third thematic convention of Christian Estrosi was the one dedicated to culture. But before delving into it, we must acknowledge the good news regarding the appointment of Jean-Jacques Aillagon, former Minister of Culture and President of the Public Establishment of Versailles, but above all, a man of culture, as President of the Steering Committee for the candidature of the Promenade des Anglais to the UNESCO World Heritage.
After the failure of Nice’s candidature for the 2018 Winter Olympics, largely due to the modest quality of the bid, the Mayor of Nice has understood well that, when venturing into the “sometimes difficult” national and international terrains, it is better to abandon overly identity-driven inclinations and entrust experts to amplify one’s chances of success. There will always be time for celebratory gestures, once victory has been achieved.
Additionally, Jean-Jacques Aillagon has already been the general commissioner, in 2013, of the Matisse exhibition which achieved international success with an attendance of almost 300,000 visitors.
His support for candidate Estrosi’s cultural policy was brief but oh so brilliant, a “lectio magistralis”: Culture should allow everyone to appropriate it, it must encourage learning and practice, and creators must be able to express themselves. What more can be said? A whole vision summed up in three sentences!
This highly qualified introduction allowed Christian Estrosi to continue in the same vein: A great city cannot exist on a global level without its cultural action. The Mayor currently dedicates 14% of the municipal budget to culture, and the candidate has assured that this share will be preserved.
While Christian Estrosi expresses a certain satisfaction for the past and present, what will the future of culture in Nice and of Nice be?
For the city leader, there are no possible alternatives: We must go further. And follow three paths: First, ensure broader access for all to all dimensions of heritage and creation, in other words, bring culture out into the streets; second, support creation by all possible means; and finally, strengthen Nice’s position as a cultural capital in France, of course, but also in Europe and the world.
