A Dramatic Pause

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Every summer, culture vultures from all over the world come to France to enjoy its arts festivals. This year they may be out of luck. Protests by thousands of performing-arts workers forced cancellation of concerts and other events last week — and may scuttle France's entire festival season. The protests, meant to shout down changes in the French unemployment system, follow on the heels of strikes that brought the nation to a halt in May and June.

The new disruption caused the renowned Aix-en-Provence festival to cancel at least its first three days of musical performances, and cast doubt on the July 8 opening of Avignon's theater program. Organizers of Les Tombées de la Nuit music gala in Rennes, a dance jubilee in Montpellier and a drama program in Pau all called off multiday schedules, and scores of one-night performances — including Don Giovanni at the Paris Opera — were deep-sixed.

The musicians, actors, dancers, stagehands and other workers oppose reform of special unemployment laws designed to help them cope with the periodic nature of their work. To qualify for assistance under the new arrangement, they would have to log 507 hours of work in 10 months rather than in a year, and they'd receive payments for eight months instead of 12. Strikers complain the reform undermines the arts, but their protests may hurt the profession more.

France's 650 festivals are moneymakers and tourist draws at a time when France desperately wants to attract visitors. The Avignon festival alone generates €14.8 million a year. "As long as we perform our work, our profession will survive," director Patrice Chéreau warned booing protesters in Avignon. "What may break it is the cancellation of festivals."