Festivals, works, projects… The great balance of culture in Nice with the elected official Robert Roux [interview]

the guest of Nice-Press – Robert Roux is the deputy mayor of Nice Christian Estrosi, responsible for Culture.

What are the main cultural events of the summer?

Robert Roux: Obviously we have the Biennial of the Arts. For me, this is the most successful edition since its creation. (in 2013, editor’s note). The 11 participating establishments have set up some interesting floral-themed objects.

Also read: Biennale des Arts 2022: here’s why flowers have contributed to the influence of Nice

We also have the Nice Jazz Festival, with the return of its two scenes. There will be great artists: Marcus Miller, Melody Gardot, Clara Luciani…

the good classic live will always be present too.

This year there will also be something new and unique: the live cinema box. See you at the Studios de la Victorine on July 9th.

The movie rocky by John G. Avildsen will be screened outdoors. There will even be boxing demonstrations and a professional fight.

How are these Victorine Studios evolving?

The numbers are there. They were able to host 33 film and audiovisual productions in 2019, 28 the following year despite Covid-19, and 49 in 2021!

We can mention the films by Olivier Baroux and Nicolas Bedos, the series The meeting and an advertisement for the luxury brand Céline.

The last council voted for the Public Service Delegation (DSP). There will be investments over the years. In the medium term, a new studio will be built, instead of the swimming pool.

Also read: Nice: training for young screenwriters arrives at Victorine!

The educational aspect is also very important, with the École nationale supérieure Louis-Lumière but also the Cours Florent.

Not forgetting the entrepreneurial side. A dozen companies specializing in digital have asked to come and settle.

What about the 109?

Also read: Culture in Nice: (yet) a new stage for the 109

It has never worked so well. Soon, the entrance to 109 will no longer go through the car park but through a kind of street, with a restaurant on the right and workshops on the left.

There are more and more exhibitions with, for example, flower power. It’s great, they really had a great imagination. This place is moving forward in a very positive way. After that, of course, he still has to evolve, he’s still young. A third place takes a long time to get its bearings.

We currently have 29 artist studios.

There is Noël Dolla, a big name. Ernest Pignon-Ernest also asked us for one (will also work on the decoration of the reception room of the Hôtel de Ville, editor’s note). It is very rewarding for young people to work alongside such talents.

What do you think of Nice’s bid to become the European Capital of Culture in 2028?

Working with other territories (Monaco, Menton, Italian provinces, editor’s note) will make us stronger. But the essential strike force is with us.

There may be clichés about Nice, it is inevitable when you are surrounded by Cannes and Monaco. We are neither a convention hall nor a casino. We are a land of excellence, of creation, with a long and beautiful history.

Theme ‘connect the unexpected’ it is very well chosen because we are already in this digital vanguard.

For example, consider the exposure “Roses from my garden” by Nick Knight at the Museum of Photography. Usually he works with a team of twenty-five people, but this time he captured the flowers in his garden with his smartphone.

On the other hand, at the Matisse museum, we have the 84-year-old artist Hockney, who made his paintings on iPad! Bonito is already coming out the classic, the expected one.

How are our museums?

They are doing very well. We have some pretty extraordinary healers. I retain the exposure Noël Dolla, visit to the workshop at the Matisse Museum, something that really shook things up.

Also read: IN PICTURES. Nice: discover the future metamorphosis of the contemporary art museum MAMAC

The Naive Art Museum has been modernized.

Not to mention the Museum of Photography that must break all attendance records. With the following: Sebastião Salgado, Yann Arthus-Bertrand, Studios Harcourt and Nick Knight. What programming!

As for the renovations, the MAMAC will soon be reborn. Eventually, it will have been entitled to an extension of 600 m2.

In the Museum of Fine Arts it is being renovated, there is still something left for a while since it was very degraded. For Matisse, everything is over. The splendid terrace of it will become a place of life, with new events.

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