Chapter 16 Street Performance, The unintended consequences of festivals

Abstract

Many describe France as ‘the Mecca ’ for street performance and, worldwide, artists and festival organisers can only dream of the 10 million euros granted by the Ministry of Culture to street companies and festivals; and of the 1000 groups and 250 festivals (or events) dedicated to street performance. Unfortunately, all earthly paradise includes its version of hell, and after 40 years of existence, street performers and organisers in the French context are still struggling to win acknowledgement from the wider cultural sector and public authorities. This chapter will address the issues that have contributed to this difficult situation, one in which some festivals, as ‘one shot big events’, play a perverse role, albeit perhaps, unwillingly and unwittingly. The first festival in France that was entirely dedicated to street performance was that held in Aix-en-Provence in 1973. It was called Aix, ville ouverte aux saltimbanques (Aix, city open to street acrobats). It presented a mixed programme that ranged from traditional buskers through to young artists who aspired to work in venues/places other than theatres, galleries, museums, cultural centres and their middle class audiences. These were artists who wanted to perform for people who never or rarely attended formal cultural activities; to provide them with artistic experiences that were part of the ‘rhythm of their daily lives’, not as part of a more formal arts experience as may be enjoyed in a theatre or gallery.