French President Emmanuel Macron has expressed his desire to support his country’s artists during this time of medical and economic turmoil.

Macron announced he will be looking into possible methods to provide financial aid; thus far he has called for a 12-month extension of France’s unemployment benefits for performers and technicians, a program which normally supports them in periods between jobs. The closing of artistic and cultural institutions in France has affected the 1.3 million people who make up the industry.

On his effort to support artists, Macron said, “Cultural venues must be brought back to life, artists must be able to create again and to work together to reach audiences, even if, during this intermediary period, we’re going to have to rethink a new sort of relationship with audiences.”

Currently, the coronavirus has resulted in the death of 25,000 people in France; public events of over 5,000 people will not be held in the country until September at the earliest.