French Public Embraces Contemporary Art Despite Concerns Over Cultural Policy

A recent Ipsos BVA survey featured in Beaux Arts Magazine's 500th issue reveals a significant shift in French attitudes toward contemporary art, with 64% of the population now appreciating it more than traditional art forms such as Renaissance and Impressionism. This marks a "revolution" in cultural appreciation over the past 25 years, according to Fabrice Bousteau, the magazine's editor. Despite this growing enthusiasm, 59% of respondents feel that public policies do not sufficiently support art and artists, highlighting a paradox between interest in art and trust in cultural governance.

Furthermore, 82% of French people want to see more art in public spaces irrespective of ongoing budget cuts in the cultural sector. The Biennales Internationales du Spectacle (BIS) in Nantes recently underscored this issue, emphasizing the urgent need for increased funding, particularly for the Fonpeps fund supporting live performance employment. Victorien Bornéat, a political advisor, explains that the cultural crisis is a reflection of broader deficiencies in cultural policy where political parties are largely viewed as ineffective, with 28% of citizens not trusting any party to lead cultural policy. Notably, the Rassemblement National currently enjoys the highest confidence on cultural matters at 18%.

The cultural domain in France has become more politicized, described as an ideological battleground rather than focusing on public policy needs. Calls for a restructuring of cultural policies aim at preventing further deterioration in support for the arts, responding to a public desire for stronger and more consistent cultural investment.