While the date of December 15 had been announced for a return to cinemas, theaters, and museums, Jean Castex announced last week that this would ultimately not be possible. The appointment is postponed to a date to be defined based on the evolution of the health situation. January 7 next? Not very likely…
In an attempt to compensate for this lack of culture and to assist local artists, the Alpes-Maritimes department is launching two online initiatives. “We need to invent things. This is what we wanted to uphold because the cancellation of shows, concerts,… are things that do not suit us, any more than theatrical, musical troupes, and orchestras. So, like last June, we wanted to support the associative environment by saying, we’ll help you financially,” promises the President of the Departmental Council, Charles-Ange Ginésy.
From December 21 to March 24, 2021, “Sur les ondes 06” will offer concerts by local artists to be found on local radio stations and on a podcast site: lascene06.departement06.fr. Twenty-four local groups will have the opportunity to play for the enjoyment of Azuréens’ ears. Among them are Seb Machado, Jonh Wadies, Ma Saisaira, and Janysett Mc Pherson and the Benty Brothers.
In total, there will be eight 50-minute music shows to be broadcast on community radio stations such as Radio As, Radio Vallée, Agora FM, and five others (Clin d’œil, Chalom Nitsan, Grimaldi FM, Fréquence K, and Oxygène).
From Music to Theater
Additionally, from December 21 to March 14, the department will put online the recording of ten theatrical plays. These plays will be available for free to help make culture accessible to all on the website: lascene06.departement06.fr. Moreover, the department plans to provide a dedicated digital support to nursing homes so these plays can be broadcasted in the establishments that wish so.
Among the plays that will be available on the platform, we will notably find “Edmond” by the Théâtre Russa Lux company, “Le Bal des Couillons” by Untel Productions, “Demain, je me marie!” by NDH Production, and “Nous ne sommes pas du même monde” by the Théâtre du Phoenix.
“This sector was the first to stop, it will be the last to restart”
The entertainment world in the Alpes-Maritimes involves no less than 30,000 professionals. An economic sector undergoing an unprecedented crisis from which it cannot see the end of the tunnel. “This sector was the first to stop, it will be the last to restart. We have companies that have lost 90% of their revenue. Many jobs are threatened, one in two companies is at risk of disappearing next year. So when we came to see you and asked for help from the department, it responded very quickly,” rejoices producer Gil Marssala. The regional delegate of the Prodiss union remains nonetheless very cautious about the resumption of activities in the entertainment world: “On January 7, let’s not fool ourselves. There will not be a resumption of entertainment on January 20 either. The only window we have today is outdoors for next summer. Today the sector is composed of two entities, subsidized theater which represents 25% of the activity in France and the private culture for the rest. Today we are completely at a standstill because our insurance no longer covers us. If we decide to incur costs by paying artists, technicians and at the last moment we have to cancel, there is no more security.”
A very delicate situation indeed in this exceptional period which will leave indelible marks in the long term in this very close-knit milieu. In this context, every support counts.
