Oust to Brocéliande
Posted May 13, 2023
Jacky Guyon
Is the end of the tunnel in sight for the La Gacilly photo festival? This great Morbihan cultural event is going through a period of turbulence. Its president, Auguste Coudray, has been sounding the alarm for months about the difficulties he is encountering in balancing the budget for the 2024 edition and the following ones. A situation inherent in the general economic crisis which makes companies facing an uncertain future more cautious.
Towards a way out of the crisis?
Auguste Coudray, painted a rather pessimistic picture of the situation a few weeks ago, noting that 200,000 euros were missing to guarantee the renewal of the festival in 2024. Since then, things have settled down. Recently, he paid tribute to the patrons who started to react and brought notable financial support to the festival. Other -very- good financial news is expected which is awaiting official confirmation. Thus, at the present time, the photo festival can reasonably hope to reduce its forecast deficit for 2024 from 200,000 to 60,000 euros. And this thanks to three-year commitments which would therefore give visibility to the festival to project itself into the future… With some effort and the contribution of new sponsors, by the fall, the festival will have to come out of the crisis with its head held high. .
Departures within the team
All is well, one might therefore think. However, if the financial horizon clears up, this zone of turbulence is not without consequences and will mark a turning point in the history of the festival. This episode visibly affected the festival team. Thus, Auguste Coudray announced the departure within the framework of a resignation and a contractual rupture of two pillars of the association, the director Stéphanie Retière-Secret, the director and Flora Gervais, in charge of administration and relations with the public. They will no longer be there to manage the 2024 edition which will open at the beginning of June. Recruitments are underway to replace them, but the psychological impact is noticeable. “They are two extremely competent people. It’s a situation that is not pleasant to live in…”, recognizes Auguste Coudray with perceptible sadness.
Always motivated volunteers
But for all that, “The show must go on” (the show must go on). This Saturday morning, about forty volunteers accompanied by members of the team, agents of the green spaces of La Gacilly, members of the Yves Rocher botanical garden, i.e. 54 people in total, gathered on the Place de la Ferronnerie to prepare the decor for the 2023 edition, as every year, with the same enthusiasm. Drills, brushes, wheelbarrows, shovels, pickaxes, rakes were out. The preparatory work was carried out at full speed with a welcome lunch break offered by the Bar Breton as every year. Originality this year, frames offered by the inhabitants following a call launched by the festival, are integrated into the decor…
The La Gacilly photo festival is preparing for a memorable 20th anniversary
Auguste Coudray leaves the presidency
This event demonstrates that the photo festival is entering a new era, especially since Auguste Coudray confirms that he will leave the presidency of the festival after the 20th anniversary edition. “It’s a decision I had already made 3 years ago and which I postponed due to the COVID crisis. The 20th anniversary edition is an opportunity to put it into practice”, he explains, expressing his confidence in the future of the festival. “I didn’t want to leave our successors with a rotten situation. This is the reason why I got involved with so much rage to find new funding, ”he explains.
2023-05-13 20:21:43
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