Arts funding in time of culture war
Opposing the far right has become the cultural world's defining cause. But the battle for culture won't be won in the op-ed pages alone: it will mean confronting deep-rooted political and economic forces. - 2026/09 / article
The cultural world has declared an existential threat as it faces mounting attacks on its funding and freedom. In France, politicians are deprogramming events and cutting budgets for public cultural institutions. The culture ministry has part-frozen funding for 28 top cultural organizations. The concentration of ownership in publishing, press, and broadcast media has sparked outrage, with calls to 'switch off Bolloré' to prevent a 'fascist takeover of the collective imagination'.
Private patronage's growing influence is less concerning, but public-funded arts cuts are viewed as evidence of democratic backsliding. Fear permeates the cultural sector, affecting not only working conditions but also citizens' rights. A new coalition of 'leftwing sympathies' is forming to combat the culture war, replacing the term 'hegemony' with 'culture war'.
Written by urgent.news from Le Monde diplomatique (English)'s reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
