Home > Policy > White Paper, Notice, Announcement > White Paper > Japanese Government Policies in Education, Science, Sports and Culture 2000 > Part 1 Chapter 4 Section 3 2

It is said that the French government emphasizes the promotion of creative activities in order to create new forms of culture. Consequently, the French government works to support younger artists, improve artists' living conditions, and assist French artists' activities in the international arena.

More specifically, in the area of performing arts, the French government manages national theatres such as the Paris Opera Ballet, the National Conservatory of Music and Dancing in Paris, the Orchestra, the Comedie Francaise, the Odeon National Theatre, the Chaillot National Theatre, the Theatre de la Colline, and the Strasbourg National Theatre. These national theatres have their own orchestras, ballet companies, and choirs. The French government also provides financial support for local and private theatrical organizations and promotes their activities.

In the area of fine arts, the French government manages national museums and galleries such as the Louvre Museum. The French government also provides financial support for privately owned museums and galleries to defray the cost of facility expenses and administration. Thirty-three national museums, including the Louvre, belong to the Union of National Museums (RMN, Reunion des musees nationaux). Each museum in the RMN pays a portion of its admission fees to the RMN (for example, the Louvre pays 45% of its admission fees), and the RMN allocates these fees to each member museum to cover purchases for the museum's collection. For example, the Louvre recently completed large-scale renovations. In addition, the National Centre for Plastic Arts supports creative activities in plastic arts and trains experts in the field.

In the area of film, the National Center for Film Industry, under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture and Communication, is responsible for promoting the film industry by providing financial support for the production and promotion of films, and collecting and preserving films.

In addition, the French government administers national institutions to train artists such as the Conservatoire, and also makes extensive efforts to promote art education by assisting art education activities and by providing scholarships at every level of education.