Interview with Jean-Luc Soulé,
General Secretary of the Foundation

        
What motivated you to become involved with the Fondation Culturespaces?
In the course of my professional career, I have had the good fortune to live and work at some exceptional heritage sites, including for example the Villa Medici in Rome. I have always been aware of the fact that some remarkable sites endeavor to offer programs of artistic quality and make an effort to welcome the public in the best possible conditions. My involvement with the Fondation Culturespaces should therefore be viewed against this background, because the aim of the Foundation, after contributing to the restoration and protection of important sites, is to bring them to life by offering high-quality cultural events to the greatest possible number of people.

                                                           
What can the general public and the organizers of projects expect from the creation of this Foundation?
Our aim is to contribute to the expenses linked to the restoration of buildings and collections. One of our main focuses is also on supporting projects that aim to provide greater accessibility to the general public. The emphasis here is most particularly on welcoming children and on educational and cultural programs for children. In this regard, we have just set up a close collaboration with the Fondation du Patrimoine, entitled the Prix Culturespaces, an annual prize to reward a grass-roots body involved in an exceptional campaign to attract and build a loyal audience of young people to the sites and monuments that constitute our heritage. We believe it is vital to raise the awareness of young people about the history of our culture, and about the issues involved in ensuring that heritage continues to be appreciated in future.

                                  
Can you tell us about the link that exists between the Culturespaces company and the Culturespaces Foundation?
Over the past twenty years, with an ethical and professional approach, the Culturespaces company has been managing and presenting the prestigious monuments, museums and historical sites entrusted to its care by local communities and public institutions. Armed with this experience, Bruno Monnier wanted to place his knowledge at the service of an exceptional foundation that would help sites that receive the public to maintain their cultural assets. To guarantee total transparency of the activities carried out by the Foundation vis-à-vis its donors, the intention from the beginning was to create a Foundation placed under the aegis of the Fondation du Patrimoine.
                                  

In your opinion, what is the main priority as regards heritage in France today?
There is an urgent need to make heritage sites accessible to all. This is a requirement that can be restrictive. I am thinking mainly of people with disabilities who require specially adapted equipment for their visits (access ramps, tactile tables, elevators, etc.). The lack of accessibility also applies to people who are remote from sources of culture, both in rural areas and on the outskirts of urban areas. In collaboration with the public authorities, associations and project organizers, the Fondation Culturespaces must act, both in its everyday activities and across the whole of the country, as a leading player in the process of cultural democratization.