France

(See Factsheet about France)

By order of the French Ministry of Culture researcher Olivier Donnat carried out a large-scale research among the French population about the practice of the amateur arts. In 1996 the results were published in the book Les Amateurs. Enquête sur les activités artistiques des Français. Parallel to this research, economist Romuald Ripon carried out the research Le poids é conomique des activités artistiques amateur. Both of these give a good picture of the French amateur arts.

The practice of amateur arts

Almost half (47%) of the French population practises, during their lifetime, one or more forms of amateur arts in his leisure time. 25% has stopped these activities. But 22% of the French population also practised one or more forms of amateur arts in the past 12 months. Of the above mentioned 47%, the number of people who practise instrumental music forms the greatest part (26%), followed by choral singing (13%).

figure: Percentage of Frenchmen of 15 years and older that practised amateur arts per discipline the last 12 months:

music instrumental:	26,8%
music singing:	13,3%
theatre:	8,1%
dance:	11,2%
literature:	15,6%
visual arts	17,9%

The practising of amateur arts has always attracted more young people than adults. Amateur arts is practised most by children of the age category 15-19 years (62%), followed by 20-24 years (61%). After the age of 25 the number of people who practise amateur arts decreases. Many of them stop when work and family demand time and energy. For all disciplines the period of adolescence is the moment to drop out.
The amateurs are organised in disciplines, such as dance, theatre, visual arts, writing, music (and in music, there are choirs, brass bands, electronic music and so on…). Each discipline has its own organisation, its traditions and its own cultural set of values.
Music is the most practised art form in France. It is also the best organised one. There are many societies and federations who unite and represent the musicians and help them. There are many amateur festivals throughout the whole year and in each discipline.

Government

One of the aims of the Ministry of Culture is to give everyone the opportunity to teach and to practise arts as an amateur or a professional artist. In order to achieve that, there are some actions and programmes in the ministry of Jeunesse et Education and the ministry of Culture. The ministry of Culture gives the amateur artist information, education and the opportunity to work with professional artists.
There are no special governmental organisations for amateurs, but the state and the regions have created or granted in each region a few centres for artistic activities. These centres offer training, teachers, information and technical help to professionals and amateurs. This is why the amateur will find a Theatre House, a Centre of Polyphonic Art, a Centre of Folk music and Dance, a Centre of Electronic Music and associations for the development of music and dance in many departments and regions.

There are also a lot of public music, dance and theatre schools which teach these disciplines especially to young people and which prepare them to practise arts as amateurs (98%) or as professional artists (2%). Training young people and amateurs is also one of the artistic and social responsibilities given to professional artists.