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The Gaîté Lyrique on the brink of closure after the "abandon" by the City of Paris

undefined undefined 16 mai 2025 undefined 09h30

The Editor

© Shutterstock - Spech

In a statement, the Gaîté Lyrique regrets the decision of the City of Paris, which ultimately will not participate in its economic recovery. The losses related to the site's closure for five months are estimated at nearly 3 million euros. 

« Today, it's a cold shower » for the 80 employees of the Gaîté Lyrique. Just as the City has returned the keys of the institution to its teams after a five-month closure, which included 100 days of occupation by young unaccompanied migrants, it has also announced that it will not participate in its economic recovery. This decision was condemned this Thursday, May 15, in a statement, while noting that « the operating loss related to this closure [...] is nearly 3 million euros », writes management. 


« An incomprehensible turnaround » 

A cold shower, since the survival of the Gaîté Lyrique depends on the « exceptional support » requested from the City, which has since been declined. While its members are already working to « compensate and absorb a significant part of the losses » with their own revenue, as specified in the statement, the financial mobilization of the municipality, which owns the venue and usually funds 30% of it, was greatly anticipated. 

The « turnaround » is all the more « incomprehensible » given that during the last two Municipal Councils, in February and April, « the executive of the Paris City Hall took care to formulate and have adopted by the elected officials wishes indicating clearly the determination of the City of Paris to  support the Gaîté Lyrique, its team, and its governance », it says. Additionally, on March 18, the day of the site's evacuation - during which law enforcement was particularly violent - « the mayor of Paris reminded on France Inter of the « exceptional » nature of the Gaîté Lyrique and its project », the management recalls. Some words can age poorly. 


The City on Notice by La Gaîté Lyrique 

But La Gaîté Lyrique, certainly in « great danger », won’t be closing its doors without playing all its cards. Its most beautiful asset: putting the city on notice, «to continue discussions about compensation ». The City, contacted by Le Parisien, stated that it had paid its usual subsidies  « in extremely short timeframes » to La Gaîté Lyrique, but without unlocking any additional funds. It assures « to maintain dialogue with the management and the establishment's administration ». 

Several initiatives are expected to be taken.is supported by La Gaîté Lyrique and its associated partners (Arty Farty, Arte, makesense, SINGA, and Actes Sud) to keep everyone's head above water. Juliette Donadieu, the director of La Gaîté Lyrique, also mentions to the daily Francilien that they are looking to the Ministry of Culture in hopes of preserving jobs and, along with them, the political, social, and cultural mission that the venue upholds.