Insider speech - 6th Rencontres SPEDIDAM: Creation, AI and cultural diversity, a future to co-construct
On Tuesday March 25, 2025, at the Maison de la Chimie in Paris, the 6th edition of the Rencontres SPEDIDAM pour la culture et la création was held, marked by a singular musical opening and a committed atmosphere. This annual event brought together artists, members of parliament, media professionals and players in the cultural sector to discuss a burning issue: the impact of artificial intelligence on artistic creation, copyright and cultural diversity.
Creative AI... but for whom? The challenges of remuneration
Right from the introduction by Cécile Rap-Veber, Managing Director of SPEDIDAM, the focus is on valuing performing artists in the face of digital upheaval. The SPEDIDAM generation, which supports young talent, poses the central question: how can the works used to train AIs be remunerated fairly?
Céline Calvez, MP for Hauts-de-Seine and active member of the French National Assembly's Cultural Affairs Committee, reminds us:
"Revaluing works through fair remuneration must be the cornerstone of our cultural model. "
Reflections converge on one point: AI, while powerful, draws inspiration from existing human works without consent or remuneration, creating an imbalance in the value chain.
Spotify, streaming and data: a Wild West to be regulated
Benoît Galopin, Deputy Director General of the Centre National de la Musique (CNM), warns of the lack of a legal framework around works that have been used to feed artificial intelligence.
Emma Rafowicz, Member of Parliament for Paris and specialist in cultural issues, denounces:
"A legitimate fear in the face of large corporations that want to maximize their profits by exploiting works without paying back the rights holders. "
Céline Calvez adds with an enlightening formula:
"Knowing the ingredients is a consumer right, but the recipe belongs to the author. "
Europe is trying to protect creators with an ethical vision of copyright, while the United States is banking on the massive exploitation of data. Emma Rafowicz highlights this divergence, insisting on the need to strengthen the European model.
Jean-Raymond Hugonet, a senator from Essonne and a staunch defender of culture in the Senate, advocates a model modelled on the CNC (Centre National du Cinéma) to regulate productions using AI.
For his part, Guillaume Darnéval, director of the SPRE (Société pour la Perception de la Rémunération Equitable), proposes a tax on streaming, which would make it possible to finance fair remuneration for artists.
Old media, new uses: a necessary cohabitation
Antoine Boilley, Managing Director of Radio France, points out that 58% of French people discover new music via the radio. The digital transition should therefore not erase traditional media, but rather encourage intelligent synergies.
With his usual piquant tone, journalist and media man Michel Field points out the lack of parity at the podium, while praising the quality of the exchanges. Boilley goes on to stress the importance of inter-institutional partnerships to ensure the emergence of an accessible and representative culture.
Guillaume Darnéval concludes that AI management must not exclude the human element, but rather foster a balanced partnership in which technology supports creation, without replacing it.
Regional culture: revitalizing territories
Hélène Segre, director of a regional cultural establishment, warns of the cultural desert in certain rural areas. Summer festivals are a magnet, but in the off-season, the momentum is waning. We need long-term policies tailored to local realities.
Charlotte Ginot-Slacik, musicologist and researcher, highlights the lack of social diversity in orchestras. Jean-Marie Blanchard, president of a cultural organization, calls for measures to facilitate access to events: transport, mediation, reduced rates.
Financing culture: understanding your patrons
M. Thérain, a member of the SPEDIDAM steering committee, points out that patrons only invest in what they know. So you need to target your partners, understand their priorities and build concrete projects. The good news is that there is no minimum budget for submitting a project to SPEDIDAM. Support is possible as soon as the idea is solid.
Deconcentrate for better outreach
In closing, Sonia de la Provôté, Senator for Calvados, spoke out against the concentration of major cultural events in metropolises.
"Big is beautiful doesn't work for diversity. Influence must come from the grassroots, from the regions. "
She advocates a bottom-up model: solid local initiatives that can feed into major national or international events.
And in Africa? Similar challenges, concrete avenues
These observations also resonate with African realities. The continent faces a double challenge: protecting its cultural heritage and structuring its creative industries. It would be pertinent to:
- Develop national legal frameworks for the protection of works used by AI.
- Create national and pan-African support funds for local artistic creation.
- Strengthen regional cultural infrastructures, in liaison with communities.
- Launch AI training courses for artists, to transform the tool into a creative lever rather than a threat.
Conclusion: acting together for a vibrant and equitable culture
SPEDIDAM reaffirms its support for artists, and invites everyone to present their projects, whatever their budget. Through these meetings, a conviction emerges: diversity cannot be reduced to a trend, it must be a structuring pillar of our cultural policies.
And what if artificial intelligence were to become a new instrument in the service of human beings, and not the other way around? In any case, one thing is certain: without artists, there is no soul... even for machines.
Paris (France), April 08, 2025
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