At noon, very precisely, Metz will know whether or not it becomes “French Capital of Culture” in 2022. The Ministry of Culture plans to announce its decision on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn) .
On February 8, nine applications, including his own, had been selected from among 29 applicants for the first edition of this label, created to distinguish, every two years, the cultural project of a municipality or a group of 20 municipalities. 000 to 200,000 inhabitants. This distinction is accompanied by an envelope of one million euros financed equally by the Ministry of Culture and the Caisse des Dépôts.
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Metz competing with six other cities and two communities
Last week, hearings were held with a national jury appointed by the minister and chaired by the former president of the Avignon Festival, Bernard Faivre d’Arcier, well known in Metz for having chaired Metz en Scènes for a time, this public cultural cooperation establishment created to bring together the Arsenal, the Trinitarians and the Music Box (BAM) in Metz-Borny.
In this final straight line, Metz finds itself competing alongside six other cities, including Brest, Laval, Le Mans, Saint-Paul de La Réunion, Sète and Villeurbanne, but also two local authorities, the Agglomeration Community Grand’Angoulême and the Community of communes of Val Briard. If she won, she would join, just 60 km away, another winner, Esch-sur-Alzette, selected, “European Capital of Culture”.
François Grosdidier pessimistic
This proximity would be precisely the weak point of the Metz candidacy. The mayor of Metz, François Grosdidier, let it be understood this Tuesday morning, during his press conference devoted to the Hôtel de Burtaigne: “From what I know, of the few leaks that have come up to us, we will not have not the title of French Capital of Culture due to its proximity to Esch-Belval ”. It would therefore not be a flaw in the Metz candidacy, but an unfortunate coincidence. From a tourist point of view, two labels a few kilometers apart would apparently not be of great interest.
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