After its closure, Mix’art Myrys will sue Toulouse Métropole (and is considering a move)
Through Gabriel Kenedi
Published on
Almost one after the administrative closure of Mix’art Myrys, the dialogue is more than ever broken between Toulouse Metropolis and the members of this alternative artistic venue emblematic of the Pink City, which can therefore no longer carry out any activity in its premises until further notice.
A place closed since January
Reminder of the dispute: owner of the premises located at 12, rue Ferdinand Lassalle since 2018 (2.1 million euros had been spent at the time, note), Toulouse Métropole decided to close the premises of Mix’art Myrys in January 2021 for “security reasons”, and more precisely for “breaches of the regulations in force for the safety of establishments open to the public (ERP)”.
On the bottom, a deep disagreement exists between the two parties on the amount of work necessary to bring this vast warehouse of more than 6,000 m up to standard2 occupied since 2005 by Mix’art Myrys. The metropolis offers 3 million euros. An amount deemed insufficient by the association, which is based on the studies carried out which budgeted a minimum of 7 million euros to validate the places.
Towards legal action
“We tried to come back to the Toulouse Métropole table and the City of Toulouse. But despite all our efforts and our willingness to reconcile, we did not get any response, ”says Joel Lecussan, the coordinator of the Mix’art Myrys association.
He continues: “This led us to give Toulouse Métropole formal notice at the beginning of the summer to ask them to do the future work they themselves had committed in 2018, during the vote to purchase the place. We will therefore assign Toulouse Métropole to court“. This summons should take place shortly and will be carried out by the association’s lawyer, Mr.e Claire Dujardin.
Joël Lécussan specifies: “We do not dispute the fact that the building is not up to standard. Everyone was aware of it, including the mayor of Toulouse. However, we consider that this is not our responsibility, but that of Toulouse Métropole. The idea is to force them to do the work and take into account the situation in which they put us. Because since the closure, we have been constrained in our activities, including economic ones ”.
It is therefore in a long legal standoff, which will undoubtedly last several years before reaching term, that Mix’art Myrys launches.
Artists on the floor
The coordinator of Mix’Art Myrys also considers that the current “far-fetched” blocking penalizes in the first place the artists who were hosted by the structure:
“What is dramatic is that the artists have been deprived of this place in terms of production tool. Or, on knows very well the shortage that there is on the city of Toulouse. They have dealt a fatal blow at this level, whether for plastic artists or for performing arts. We were one of the rare places in Toulouse that had a large working area for live shows. It’s a whole ecosystem that’s screwed up! », Enraged Joël Lécussan.
“Some have found refuge in Terreblanque, in Saint-Lys (a long-standing partner of Mix’art Myrys), while others have embarked on shared rental adventures. But others remain unresolved for the moment, ”he adds.
“A rehousing solution” under study
While waiting for the end of the legal standoff, Mix’art Myrys – who has already known several resorts in 26 years of existence – is therefore looking for a new home.
“We are waiting to see what justice will tell us. But we’re not just going to wait. During the time that the procedure will last, we must be able to redeploy the project elsewhere ”. And the Ramonvilloise trail seems to be holding the rope.
“We are studying a sustainable temporary rehousing solution with the town of Ramonville. Nothing is being done, because things are not simple. The town of Ramonville does not have the same shoulders as a metropolis like Toulouse, but there are a real desire on the part of the city and the department. As for the Region, which always has its renewed support for Mix’art Myrys, there is no doubt that they will be there at the right time “.
“We do not forbid anything! “
For the moment, Mix’art Myrys wishes to keep the secret place, as long as things are not completely tied up. “But it has real potential and in terms of safety, it is better equipped than the one made available to us by Toulouse Métropole,” explains Joël Lécussan.
If appropriate, could the temporary solution materialize in a permanent move? ” We do not forbid anything! If the court decision opens up possibilities for us in the city of Toulouse, that will be very good, because we have forged a network of relationships that we hold dear. But if we have to develop an adventure elsewhere, we are obviously ready for it too ”.
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