Clo Lestrade, a choreographer from Gers, has been leading a dance-theater company in Auch since the 1980s. In a letter, she issues a warning to the new Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati.
The Auscitaine Company Clo Lestrade (“école du rire”) sent a letter to the Ministry of Culture and to various local institutions, alerting them to the risk of social, political, and cultural relegation of local cultural actors.
In her letter, Clo Lestrade asks the Minister to initiate a national consultation on cultural offerings in rural areas and in popular neighborhoods. She also calls for an end to the expertise and labels promoted by the Ministry of Culture, which she sees as distant from the unique experiences and challenges faced by local artists.
She raises concerns about the state of local authorities that may not have cultural competence but still want to support cultural activities. These authorities are burdened with increasing responsibilities to compensate for the State, jeopardizing the strong associative force in rural areas.
To conclude, Clo Lestrade recalls a quote from the Minister in an interview with Libération on January 23rd (“For those who know me, I will not give up; for those who do not know me yet, I will give up even less!”): “Challenge, Madam Minister, that you can launch a cultural policy for everyone and by everyone at the Ministry of Culture!”
