Musical and / or visual, they were to animate the summer of 2020 in Chartres. But these events were canceled due to the coronavirus epidemic. Not trivial when the organizers have been preparing them for months….
Chartres in lights
The 2020 season, scheduled from April 4 to October 10, was finally canceled, as was the Festival of Light scheduled for September. The City of Chartres devotes nearly € 330,000 to this event each year, but the coronavirus will not make it lose money, as Laurent Lhuillery, municipal councilor responsible for highlighting heritage explains:
“We are project managers and project owners. The equipment belongs to us so we have not incurred any costs. And for the Festival of Light, we only took options. “
All summer and fall activities in Chartres are canceled
The City had ordered a new scenography for Saint-Pierre church. Spectators will finally discover it next year.
Chartrestivales
The association chaired by Lucien Roger had completed its programming for the summer: forty-eight free shows from July 3 to August 29, with a large place reserved for tribute bands, preceded, on June 26 and 27, by two wanderings in the center -city. Everything has been canceled. Financial costs are nevertheless limited.
“All the contracts were signed but we had not paid a deposit except one or two on large contracts,” says Lucien Roger. By way of solidarity with the artists, all contracts will be renewed in 2021. ”
The association received a € 200,000 grant from the City of Chartres, paid at the start of the year. “We are waiting to know if we have to return it or if it can be kept for the 2021 edition. We also usually benefit from aid of € 5,000 from the Departmental Council, voted in May-June, and that we therefore will not touch this year. “
Chartrestivales unveils part of its 2020 program
Lucien Roger is especially disappointed for ChartrEstivales partners, in particular restaurateurs: “It will be a big shortfall in an already difficult context. But we hadn’t printed the programs yet so they haven’t participated financially. We decided to relay their offers on our Facebook page, to support them. “
Last year, more than 40,000 people attended the shows organized by ChartrEstivales. The cancellation of the 2020 season also affects the volunteers of the association: “It is morally difficult because they worked for a white season. We are looking forward to 2021. “
Lazuli Festival
The first edition of the electronic music festival organized at the Grands-Prés stadium was to feature ten artists on June 27 and 28. “We will wait until next year,” said Simon Gauthier, president of the organizing association, Splitzer.
Lazuli electronic music festival in Chartres is canceled
An association obviously disappointed: all the programming had been stalled. “We have advanced some costs, specifies Simon Gauthier, but the subsidy paid by the City of Chartres (€ 3,000) will allow us to absorb the financial losses and keep Splitzer afloat. A budget of € 20,000 had been set for the festival. 90% of the planned artists are ready to return next year.
L’Paille à sons Festival
Les Wampas, Arnaud Rebotini, Chartrain pianist Gautier Toux… the poster for L’Paille à sons was beautiful on June 5 and 6 at Parc André-Gagnon. “We would have liked to party, but there are times when it is simply not possible”, laments Léo Brou, the president of the association organizing the festival, Les Sons du sous-sol, who is preparing the 2021 edition.
The headliner of the 2020 edition of the L’Paille à sons festival in Chartres, finally revealed
The association leaves a few feathers there, but “its survival is not in danger,” she said on its website. The artistic budget had been tripled for this 6th edition and nearly 3,000 spectators per day were expected.
Laurence Franceschina
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