Assembly of Corsica: “Putting culture at the heart of our social project”
Before his examination of the the Assembly of Corsica, Thursday, January 26, 2023 The executive chairman, Gilles Simeoniand the executive advisor, Antonia Lucianipresented the report devoted to the “new approach to the perspective of autonomy” of the Collectivity’s cultural policy
“Fsocial meaning and place”, “give answers” on key issues, without being limited to one approach “frozen or museum”. There were many reasons that led the executive council to put, “since he took over, culture and heritage have been at the heart of his political action”. “The Collectivity of Corsica is the only one that doubled the budget dedicated to this area, from 8 million euros in 2016 to 14 million euros this year”asserted, Wednesday, January 25, Gilles Simeoni, together with Antonia Luciani, in a press conference organized at the regional hotel, in Ajaccio.
Despite these investments and its initial ambition, the Collectivity is considering the moment “hinge“to give “new energy” in its cultural policy and “to put culture more than ever at the heart of [son] social project”. On the eve of its review in the Assembly of Corsica, scheduled for Thursday, January 26 in the afternoon, the President of the Executive Council and the Executive Advisor in charge of Culture and Heritage will in this sense be held to present the report entitled “Cultural policy of the Community of Corsica, towards a new approach with a vision of autonomy: assessment and prospects”.
“Temporally important political”
A strategy that refers to a very specific method of work, which is detailed during this speech. And who also intervenes in a “important political temporality” and in a particular context, in many ways, so inviting “the cultural policy of the CdC is being re-evaluated to make it stronger, more attractive and brighter, adapted to today’s realities”, as pointed out by Antonia Luciani. Not forgetting to insist “the link to the Corsican language, at the center of political priorities”.
READ ALSO. Aldilà, prehistoric and ancient funeral rites at the Sartène Museum
Among these contextual elements, the executive adviser specifically mentions the health crisis and its impact on the economy, lifestyle, habits, the relationship to places of socialization and cultural expression. “The challenge is to win back the public, including the younger generation, who have been able to switch to digital“, he said. The strong desire to bring the candidacy of Bastia-Corsica as European Capital of Culture in 2028, by registering it in “a Mediterranean and European dynamic”was also remembered.
The elected nationalist also highlighted the issue related to the process “historical” of negotiations started in 2022 between Corsica and the State, with the aim of a law of autonomy for the island. “In the transfers of powers resulting from the law of 2002 related to Corsica, culture represents a key aspect, which now requires a precise analysis that will make it possible to have real legibility in the result of this decentralization and the conclusions that can be drawn from it, he continued. It is a hybrid status, which requires an analytical method to determine its advantages and limitations.
In this concrete point, the executive president and the advisor have, for example, questioned the relationship of “for a Drac to live (regional directory of cultural activities, editor’s note) and CdC’s practices in this area”while emphasizing the need to move towards “budget clarifications”.
“A co-construction approach”
Meanwhile, both therefore insisted on exposing the “way” privilege on this file, as it will now be submitted to the vote of the elected members of the Assembly of Corsica. Defined as “a co-construction approach”it is intended in this sense that “to associate the whole of the Corsican cultural fabric with this work, in the political vision of an institutional evolution”.
READ ALSO. Discover Corsica from the inside in the footsteps of Saint Martin
“Our ambition is to start a new dialogue with all public and private cultural actors, representatives of municipalities, public establishments involved in culture but also those from the connecting world, as well also the inhabitants of the territories, with the aim of creating a common vision of the CdC approach in terms of cultural policy”added by Gilles Simeoni and Antonia Luciani.
Registered “in the methodological continuity of Attelli di a cultura launched in 2016”this procedure involved, in particular, the Economic, Social, Environmental and Cultural Council of Corsica (Cesec), which examined the report concerned on Tuesday (see our edition yesterday)and where “Significant work and exchanges have been carried out for several months, through the report ‘Uparata culturali: for the creation of a tool for the development of culture in Corsica’, adopted on May 18, 2021”.
Within the framework of the chosen method, two stages are divided in this matter. The first, which lasts one year, will consist of the development of a report and analysis of the actions carried out over the past twenty years, by fostering reflection. “with an expert outside the eye”. An interview survey on “a diverse sample of resource persons” will be conducted, as well as the review of documentation, while forming a steering committee. Learning should also be made possible “culturally oriented budget review, sector by sector, by identifying those to be maintained and those to be strengthened”.
The second phase will be specifically devoted to “the development of cooperation and mechanisms of co-construction” between elected officials, institutions and cultural actors. On the basis of a preliminary qualitative survey on the cultural practices of Corsicans – with a focus on youth -, territorial debates, some of which will be covered by the media, will be programmed. A public market for a total amount of 115,000 euros, divided into three lots, will be launched by the CdC to finance this project.
