Macron Reveals Aid Plan for Cultural Sector Over Coronavirus Pandemic

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th May, 2020) French President Emmanuel Macron announced Wednesday a series of supporting measures for companies and workers of the arts and cultural industry, negatively affected by the COVID-19 crisis.

"Cultural venues must be brought back to life, artists must be able to create again and to work together to reach audiences, even if, during this intermediary period, we're going to have to rethink a new sort of relationship with audiences," Macron said during a videoconference with artists from different fields of the cultural sector.

Culture Minister Franck Riester, Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire and Labor Minister Muriel Penicaud were also present.

The president's proposals include a 12-month extension of unemployment insurance benefits for temporary performing arts workers, who suffered job losses due to the pandemic.

Notably, such workers, also known as so-called "intermittents du spectacle," become such only if they meet the necessary threshold of time worked, namely, 507 hours over a one-year period. However, in 2020, due to lockdown measures, many "intermittents" are unable to make up their hours, according to Macron. Thus, the government should consider extension of current unemployment payments from the end of August, he said.

Another supporting measure offered by the president concerns small businesses and independent workers engaged in the cultural industry.

They are eligible for an investment fund of 7 billion euro (over $ 7.5 billion) set up by the government for the period of lockdown and May.

In addition, Macron offered to launch "a large program of public commissions" for various professions of the cultural sector, especially young workers who were put out of work by the coronavirus-related measures since mid-March.

Moreover, the president proposed to set up a compensation fund for series and film shoots which were canceled or postponed due to the health crisis.

Notably, Wednesday morning, left-wing lawmaker Alexis Corbiere had said that the French government should declare a "state of cultural emergency" and allocate a "sum comparable" to the seven billion Euros promised to Air France in order to maintain the French cultural industry hit by the global epidemic.

As France prepares to gradually lift coronavirus-related restrictions from next Monday, such public places as concert halls, cinemas and theaters are to remain closed indefinitely. In addition, public gatherings of more than 5,000 people will not be permitted at least until September, which postpones major cultural events as well.

As of Wednesday, France has confirmed 170,694 COVID-19 infections, with 25,538 deaths and 58,950 recoveries.