In 2022, the French Coalition for Cultural Diversity has decided to honour Françoise Nyssen, publisher, woman of culture and former Minister of Culture, in recognition of her commitment to the protection and promotion of cultural diversity in France and Europe. It also rewards the Enharmonique organisation for its work promoting baroque music and its work with audiences far removed from culture through the L’Échappée project initiated by the Ensemble Masques.
Created in 1997, the French Coalition for Cultural Diversity brings together more than forty professional organisations from all cultural and creative sectors such as cinema, audiovisual, performing arts, publishing, music, graphic and plastic arts. Together, they defend freedom of expression and creation, and the right of each State to define policies to support creation.
Awarded since 2011, the Cultural Diversity Prizes are part of the Coalition’s action, namely to support initiatives, reward professional and artistic careers and encourage good practices that can help promote and defend cultural diversity.
The 2022 winners
Françoise Nyssen
Publisher, woman of culture and former Minister of Culture, Françoise Nyssen joined the architecture department of the Belgian Ministry of the Environment and the Living Environment in 1978, after obtaining a doctorate in biochemistry and a degree in urban planning. In 1980, she changed direction and entered the world of publishing, where she became a partner and CEO of the publishing cooperative du Paradou. In 1987, she became a partner and chair of the board of the publishing house Actes Sud, founded by her father Hubert Nyssen. At the same time, she created the Actes Sud bookshop and was in charge of the ‘Un endroit où aller’ collection, which brings together texts that are both unique and unclassifiable. Under her presidency, the independent publishing house Actes Sud became the ninth largest publishing group in France. In 2017, under the presidency of Emmanuel Macron, Françoise Nyssen was appointed Minister of Culture. In this role, she pursued an active policy in favour of supporting creation in Europe by calling on MEPs to reform copyright and related rights, and to strengthen the responsibility of digital platforms with regard to creation. On the occasion of the adoption of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive, she successfully advocated for an increase in the obligation to broadcast European works on video-on-demand services. At the end of her ministerial term, she took back the reins of her publishing house and also became involved in two very important performing arts festivals, of which she became chair of the board of directors: the Aurillac International Street Theatre Festival, through the association Éclat, and the Festival d’Avignon. Françoise Nyssen is also a symbol of the fight for diversity in publishing, mobilising against forms of concentration in the sector and for the maintenance of an independent network of publishers.
The Enharmonique pour l’Echappée association initiated by the Ensemble Masques
The L’Échappée project, a travelling stage in Burgundy-Franche-Comté, offers performances by a baroque orchestra in a travelling auditorium for all audiences in the region. From 9 September to 10 October 2022, six instrumentalists from Bourgogne-Franche-Comté took turns in a semi-trailer named L’Échappée during a travelling festival to meet various audiences, particularly schoolchildren and those who do not have easy access to culture. After two years of upheaval due to the health crisis, in a period of resumption of cultural events, the L’Échappée project fulfils an essential role: making culture accessible in rural areas. This project is the work of the Ensemble Masques and its artistic director Olivier Fortin, who have joined forces with the Enharmonique association. Created in 2017, the ensemble takes its name from the English Elizabethan ‘masques’, a performance combining poetry, music, dance and theatre, and is renowned for the expressiveness, eloquence and depth of its interpretations. The travelling festival, awarded through the association Enharmonique, is intended to be deployed throughout the country until 2024, in accordance with the values of the Social and Solidarity Economy.
The winners of previous editions of the cultural diversity award:
2021: Nabil Ayouch and the association Principe Actif
2020: Audrey Azoulay, the Les Suds Festival in Arles and the organisation Rualité
2019: Costa Gavras and Clowns Sans Frontières
2018: Pierre Sellal and the Nuits Métis Festival
2017: Véronique Guèvremont, Ivan Bernier and the Sens Interdits Festival
2016: Silvia Costa, Jacques Toubon and the Caravane des Dix Mots
2015: Michaëlle Jean and the association l’Art éclair
2014: Thomas Ostermeier and the Observatoire de la Diversité Culturelle
2013: Cristian Mungiu and the association Voix de Femmes à Bruxelles
2012: Raoul Peck, Louise Beaudoin and the ASPAS
2011: Jack Ralite, Jean Musitelli and the Festival Musiques Métisses