October 11, 2023
|10:30 - 11:30
Élysée Montmartre - Internship
Free Zone
On Tuesday September 12, the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs announced its decision "to suspend all cooperation with the following countries until further notice: Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso" and enjoining cultural players to do likewise, "France no longer [issuing] visas for nationals of these three countries without exception", led to unanimous reactions throughout the cultural sector. Although "clarifications" were given a few days later, they unfortunately did not dispel all concerns about the ability of these artists to circulate freely to share their work and their art with us, and to be paid for it: the problems of visas, but also of financial transfers and travel, remain. Is this situation unique, given the current geopolitical context with these countries, or does it reveal a deeper problem concerning artists' visas? Should French cultural players (programmers, producers, etc.) themselves exclude artists from these countries from their work prospects, or should ad hoc procedures be put in place to ensure the free circulation and remuneration of these artists in a serene professional context, without self-limitation on the part of the players? What about the French producers and other operators whose economies depend on these artists? Note: to date, 53 professional organizations (unions, networks, federations, etc.) from the music, performing arts and culture sectors are calling for the opening of a forum for inter-ministerial dialogue and work with representatives of the cultural players involved in the free circulation of artists, in order to put in place concrete solutions, because they do exist.