LE FIGARO – Why is a Night of museums?
Anne-Solène ROLLAND – This is a way to talk about museums in a positive way. On may 18, will highlight the creative actions implemented by the institutions, that do not wait for the evening to invent of events. The operation will take place in the 1300 museums in France. It allows you to direct the gaze to locations other than the flagships. It is one of the strengths of France: there are museums almost everywhere on the territory, and they create the link. The smaller, working sometimes in the shadow of the great bridge heads, have a major role in the dissemination of the culture of proximity.
the Louvre, The Musée d’orsay or the Centre Pompidou already have a weekly night…
These evenings are usually full, especially with young people. In one year, the proportion of under 26 years old, grew 13 %, to 6.6 million visitors, which proves the interest of these night. Our surveys also show that visitors are increasingly involving the creation of art to museums. One comes to see something other than collections, what is new, and is explained, in part, through operations such as the Night of the museums.
«in place of the escapes games, concerts, artistic performances or to appeal to people helps change the image of museums»
According to the Crédoc, nearly 60% of French over 18 years of age report not having visited a museum in the year. The percentage is huge!
The conquest of new audiences is not done in an evening, it is the fruit of a long-term policy. All institutions have this in their mission of public service, and there are many experiments that are done on the ground. In Rouen or Lens, the directions are in the process of putting in place a participatory approach with the inhabitants – the latter who can give their opinion on the school project. It is necessary to test the formulas, and to forge partnerships with cities or associations. It is a long-term endeavour, which requires a human investment. No one has yet found the miracle solution for those who feel illegitimate in a showroom.
The Louvre, don’t hesitate to come Jay Z and Beyoncé in its walls, or to organize a night for two people, in partnership with Airbnb. This is the future?
The Louvre, which is international, is a case apart, almost unique. But a museum is not a place to be stuck, and it has no meaning without its audience. Put in place of the escapes games, concerts, artistic performances or make an appeal to the «people» allows you to change the image of the museum with those who believe austere. Why not? Everything that contributes to expanding the awareness of a place, in the goal of conquering new audiences, is positive. There are all sorts of ways to get into a museum, which are living entities.
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