Paris. In May 2023, the reopening of the Gaîté Lyrique, placed under new management and driven by a new project, gave hope for better days for the Parisian cultural establishment after six years shaken by various internal social crises. But also suffering from a poorly defined identity and an attendance that failed to take off.
The occupation of the premises by 250 homeless people from all walks of life, and gathered in the Belleville Park Youth Collective, led the Gaîté Lyrique to close its doors on December 17, 2024 and to suspend its programming of concerts, festivals, events and exhibitions, such as “Pulse” designed in partnership with Tempora. “ Our entire project is hampered by the impossibility of offering the public a place open on a daily basis, with free events: the “Trans*galactic” exhibition, conferences and screenings, food distributions with the associations La Chorba, the Salvation Army, Humanity diaspo… and quite simply a place to meet up”underlines Juliette Donadieu, director of the premises.
An occupation of a “subjugated and sudden” nature
The situation, as of January 14, was at an impasse. The occupants now number 315: “no concrete housing proposal has been proposed by the State or the City of Paris to shelter them”, deplores Gaîté Lyrique in its press release of January 10, recalling “the sudden and sudden nature of this occupation”.
La Gaité Lyrique, Factory of the time.
©DR
The consequences of this occupation are significant for the establishment, particularly on the economic level. “Every day that passes constitutes a financial hemorrhage. The sustainability of the establishment is clearly threatened,” alert Juliette Donadieu. Although management has not yet given any figures, this situation weakens the company responsible for operating the cultural establishment. The City of Paris, owner of the premises, has in fact entrusted their operation, since its reopening in 2011, to a private company through a public service delegation contract (DSP) for a period of six years.
In fourteen years, three DSPs have succeeded one another in this rehabilitated former opera theater. The private company which currently manages it brings together five players: Arty Farty (known for its activities centered on music and the media), Arte France, Makesense (support for projects linked to the social and solidarity economy), Singa (organization involved in the inclusion of refugees or asylum seekers around social, professional and entrepreneurial projects), and Actes Sud as an editorial partner.
“The company is based on a very tight economic model with a subsidy from the City which represents a little more than 30%, explains Juliette Donadieu. For the year 2024, we projected a budget of nearly 9 million euros financed by nearly 70% of our own revenues mainly linked to programming (29%), space rentals (25%), activity bar (8%) and partnerships (4%). » In 2023, the year the site was relaunched, the budget (a little over 7 million euros) was matched by 50% by the City of Paris, and attendance over the first seven months of opening increased. raised to 70,000 people, to which must be added the public of the free events and exhibitions of the place, not counted. Projections for 2024 established an attendance of 180,000 people for 2025.
For now, Gaîté Lyrique “try to continue to bring certain events to life by relying on a network of Parisian places which have expressed their solidarity such as the Center Wallonie-Bruxelles, La Station or the Climate house, which did not hesitate to find a place for us in their programming”, reports its director. Adding: “We are also talking with other structures such as Césure, Point Éphémère or the Maison des canals for future events. »
