Conspicuous by its absence from any of the debates prior to the presidential elections, culture seems to have become completely disconnected from the political field. Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, artists were politically engaged. Nowadays, artists seem reluctant to take a public stance, whether it be in favour of candidates or against them. Is it out of disillusionment? Or the fear of alienating a section of their fans, or of being unwittingly assimilated into a disconnected “elite”? Either way, this is also symptomatic of the increasing irrelevance of cultural policy: why is culture no longer a cause to rally around? After all, it remains an essential vehicle for diversity, tolerance, new ideas and broad-mindedness.
Other avenues must be considered, such as citizen debates, concerts and education. Certain initiatives, more in tune with the era, do exist. Which ones deserve the attention of our artists and political decision-makers?
