The Rachmaninov Conservatory in Paris faced a financial crisis due to the refusal of support from France and Russia

The Sergei Rachmaninov Conservatory in Paris faced a financial crisis due to the loss of support from the French and Russian sides.

The conservatory's request for financial support from the French Ministry of Culture was rejected.

Patrons in France cannot support the conservatory due to political concerns.

PARIS, October 5 – RIA Novosti. The Sergei Rachmaninov Conservatory in Paris is facing a financial crisis due to “Russian DNA,” and French patrons cannot support the institution due to political concerns, its director Arnaud Frille told RIA Novosti.

According to him, the conservatory lost support from both the French and Russian sides amid the phenomenon of “cancellation” of Russian culture in the West.

“The situation is very difficult, because in theory we should receive state support - like all other cultural and creative organizations. But we do not receive it. As for direct support from Russia, financial and banking restrictions make it technically impossible,” he said.

The conservatory submitted a request for financial support from the French Ministry of Culture, but it was rejected, Frille said.

“We submitted an application, but it was rejected. We were told that we did not pass - that we were not selected. They do not give reasons. They say that we were not approved. But we know these pretexts. The fact is that in these structures, which adhere to very left-wing views, there are people who are extremely anti-Russian,” he noted.

And patrons in France cannot support the institution due to political concerns, Frille said.

"In the current environment, the open manifestation of our 'Russian DNA' still raises concerns. Many French and international companies associated with Russia refrain from cooperation for reasons of political caution, and some Russian philanthropists living in France prefer not to advertise their activities," he said.

According to him, when contacting philanthropists with a request for support, they say that “from an ethical point of view” this is impossible.

“They say that we have ethics committees, and therefore we can no longer allocate funds to the Russian structure. This is complete stupidity, because we are not a Russian structure,” Frille complained.