During a session of the departmental assembly, Nathalie Barrouillet, Vice-President in charge of culture, detailed the Department's actions. Nearly €815,000 are allocated to subsidies for cultural actors. The Astrada de Marciac will receive €200,000, the ADDA €164,000, and music schools over €136,000. Additionally, more than €216,000 are dedicated to the restoration of historical monuments, as well as actions for archives, public reading, and artistic and cultural education.
The aid scheme for music schools is evolving with the revaluation of per-student rates and simplification of attribution criteria. The removal of the 10,000-inhabitant threshold and continued strong support for small structures aim to foster music education in all municipalities, without opposing rural areas and urban centers. The Department also intends to provide visibility and continuity to associations, artists, and cultural structures, asserting that access to creation, knowledge, and artistic practices should not depend on where one lives.
The Department's cultural policy also includes the restoration and enhancement of heritage, considered essential for transmitting local history, identity, and the attractiveness of Gers. The arrival of Natacha Roehrig to lead heritage conservation, the Flaran Abbey, and the Gers museums aligns with this dynamic, aiming to bring these places and their collections to life for future generations.
“"In a period where public funding is under strong pressure, we know how much cultural actors, associations, and artists need visibility and continuity. In the Gers, everyone must be able to access creation, knowledge, and our heritage, regardless of their place of residence. We therefore choose to stand by artists, associations, and cultural actors. Defending culture means defending the vitality of our territories and what brings us together."
