Sam Tanson, Luxembourg's Minister of Culture; Credit: SIP

Following a first cooperation between France's Grand Est region and Luxembourg during the 2019 edition of the Off d'Avignon festival, Luxembourg's Ministry of Culture and the Grand Est region signed today a cultural cooperation agreement.

This new agreement primarily concerns the provision of a niche in the La Caserne programme for a Luxembourg performing arts show during the 2021 and 2022 editions of the festival. The Grand Duchy will provide a financial contribution of €30,000 per year.

In a context where the performing arts sector has been severely affected by the effects of the health crisis, the renewal of this cooperation between the Grand Est region and Luxembourg and the signing of a new agreement are considered all the more important. They are accompanied by the deepening of the exchange between Luxembourg and the Grand Est on the prospects of supporting cultural actors in this difficult situation and at the cross-border level in general. The partnership is also symbolic, showing that culture does not lower the curtain at borders.

Luxembourg's Minister of Culture Sam Tanson commented: “The remedy, in times of crisis, against isolation and withdrawal is solidarity and it is in the name of this that we are happy to strengthen cross-border cooperation with our neighbours today. For the artist working on an international scale, the current context is a source of uncertainties, questions and frustrations. These are all reasons for us to open up prospects for the future and work towards a cross-border cultural scene that is once again open and flourishing! With the signing of this new agreement, we want to support and strengthen the exchange between artists from our respective territories within the framework of one of the most important live performance festivals in France. This cooperation also aims to send a clear signal: theater and cultural dialogue beyond borders are essential to deal with crucial questions of society”.

Jean Rottner, President of the Grand Est region, added: “In the difficult times we are experiencing, cooperation between our region and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is more necessary than ever: it is together that we will overcome adversity, together that we will overcome the misfortunes that afflict us. Our cooperation cannot be content to be economic or political, it must be able to be experienced and experienced by each person in their flesh. The arts alone can involve us so viscerally and that is why it is up to us to promote them jointly. This is the whole purpose of the convention that we are signing today, so, Luxembourgish friends, welcome to the stages of our theatres and make them vibrate to the rhythm of your creations”.

The selection of the "Sales Gosses" production, directed by Fabio Godhino and produced by the Théâtre du Centaure, initially scheduled for 2020, will be extended until next year to represent Luxembourg in the programme of La Caserne 2021.