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 Hôtel
de la Marine
Sponsorship
Renovation
works
Media
centre |
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| The Bouygues group
has undertaken to finance renovation work on the Hôtel
de la Marine building for €6.2 million. |
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Novel
sponsorship
The legal form of the contract is novel: it is what is called
a mécénat de compétences, or "skill
sponsorship".
In addition to its know-how and expertise in renovation projects,
Bouygues is contributing not only financial resources but
also the capability of a major construction contractor to
carry out complex projects within the agreed timeframe.
The legal framework governing sponsorship was
revised in August 2003.
The law allows tax advantages on donations
for works or organisations of general interest that are
of a philanthropic, educational, scientific, social, or
humanitarian nature or that contribute to the promotion
of France's cultural or artistic heritage.
The Hôtel de la Marine building
was listed as a historic monument in 1923: it comprises
a succession of rooms whose décor (sculpted plasterwork,
painted or gilded woodwork, wooden parquet flooring, etc.)
traces the history of ornamental decoration from the end
of the 18th century to the end of the 19th
century. The rooms constitute a coherent whole in a decorative
style marked by naval symbolism. The peristyle at the front
of the building is embellished with particularly outstanding
sculptures.
But the Hôtel
de la Marine is not a public building like the Louvre or the
Château of Versailles which are more accustomed to establishing
partnerships with private enterprise and managing the works
themselves. The easiest way to envisage sponsorship in this
case was to approach it from the angle of a skill sponsorship;
the sponsor provides their professional know-how and manages
the work and tradesmen approved by the Historic Monuments
Trust.
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Three
partners
In this case, the skills sponsorship arrangement is characterised
by constant exchanges between the French Ministries of Culture
and Defence and the Bouygues group. "An outstanding
feature of this project is the amplitude and innovative
nature of the resources used. It is the first time the State
itself has entered into such an agreement", declared
the former French Minister of Defence, Michèle Alliot-Marie,
when the agreement was signed in April 2006.
The State imposes its requirements for compliance with
the rules specific to the restoration of historic monuments,
for gilt work or painting, for example. And the Admiralty
makes sure that the working conditions of its personnel
are not affected by the works in progress.
For its part, the Bouygues group stakes its name and reputation
on its professional abilities. It provides personnel for the
renovation.
The sponsor is thus engaged in an operation that goes beyond
a simple financial commitment regarding costs, time, and the
quality of the work. The restoration of the Hôtel de
la Marine is a component of the Group's cultural sponsorship
policy, previously illustrated by sponsorship of exhibitions
such as that of painter Nattier at the Château of Versailles
in 1999 and "20 centuries of cathedrals" in Rheims
in 2001.
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Legal
features
The sponsorship agreement between the French Ministry of
Defence, the French Ministry of Culture and Communication,
and Bouygues SA was signed at the Admiralty on Wednesday
26 April 2006.
Until then, the State had never called on a private donor
for restoration of one of its buildings. Sponsorship usually
applies only to buildings that can be opened to the public,
while the Hôtel de la Marine is a military building
serving as the Admiralty. An administrative building, however,
is in principle dependent upon the law on public contracts,
and therefore cannot benefit from sponsorship.
To benefit from private grants, a building must not only
be of public utility but also be made physically available
to the public, and therefore open a certain number of days
every year. Since it is open to the public on national-heritage
open days, the Hôtel de la Marine was therefore eligible
for a sponsorship operation.
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(Updated: August 2007) 
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