The entertainment industry also showed a delay in terms of feminization. While March is the month of International Women’s Rights Day (the 8th) and female shows are abundant on the city’s stages, three actresses from Nîmes share their testimonies about changing the status quo.
Stephanie Gainet is the head and programmer at the municipal Christian-Liger theater. She focuses on creating a cultural offer that promotes equality. “Yes, I am sensitive to the representation of women in the programming,” she says. “There are some areas where it’s more complicated, especially in jazz. It requires more in-depth research, but we manage.”
For Amélie Casasole, director of the Nîmes Theater, the world of spectacle has been addressing the issue for 20 years. “In 2006, there was a awareness, notably through the reports of Reine Prat, which highlighted an incredible disparity, particularly in terms of funding. Today, as a recognized stage, we are asked to pay attention to parity, not to underestimate female projects. Support for creation and programming: these are the aspects where we put women in the spotlight. In flamenco, for example, there are more and more female creators, at the helm, and not just performers. We support this trend.”
The date of March 8 brings the issue back into the spotlight. Stephanie Gainet is part of this dynamic, in parallel with the actions proposed for International Women’s Rights Day by the City’s Prevention Department. “I always try to program at least one show on these issues, led by women, or at least a show that addresses the place of women in society,” she says. The company Les Rasants, associated with the municipal theater and led by Marion Jouandon and Vanessa Mattioll, will perform on March 13th at Liger with their show “Advice for a Young Wife.” A humorous show about women’s condition in the 1960s.
The question of women’s place also arises behind the scenes. “In recent years, there have been more and more female stage managers,” notes Stephanie Gainet. “Women are more likely to pursue these careers than before, even though they are physically demanding at first glance. Like those on stage, it allows some to identify and say ‘why not me?’.” Amélie Casasole recently welcomed a new permanent stage manager, Marie-Angela, at the Nîmes Theater. “She has joined us, she has a position of responsibility, she is integrated into the technical team and has imposed herself brilliantly.”
The Nîmes Metropolis Scene for Contemporary Music is particularly committed to the issue. “We have been working on the place of women in music for a while,” says Laetitia Jean, deputy director and head of cultural action at Paloma. “A few years ago, with the Federation of Contemporary Music Venues (Fedelima), we conducted a study to understand why women were so underrepresented in rehearsal studios or on stage. Many actions have resulted from this.”
The Girl camps, almost full with each announcement, and the Gxrl Gxrl Gxrls workshops are a concrete response. These free workshops are dedicated to women who want to better understand the music and entertainment industry. They allow participants to meet artists or industry professionals. The next meeting is on Wednesday, March 25 at 6pm. “We wanted to catch up on a certain delay since we could see that there were few women in the so-called classic workshops. Perhaps out of fear of judgment, founded or unfounded. But it’s not an end in itself: the idea is to reclaim mix spaces and make women visible.”
The results speak for themselves: female musicians more frequent Paloma. “50% of artistic residences are projects led by women. Regarding studio attendance, it has almost doubled in 10 years: we went from 12% of female artists in 2022 to 20% today.” To open minds and prompt reflection on these topics, Paloma has plenty of ideas. The day before Sierra Veins’ concert on March 13, the public can attend the screening of “Sisters With Transistors” by Lisa Rovner at Sémaphore, at 8:30 p.m. This documentary highlights the visionaries, heroines, and pioneers of electronic music. “The screening will be followed by a discussion with the collective Les Mixeuses solidaires, to continue the reflection on women’s place in electro music today.”
