Culture pass will be given as a birthday gift in Germany
A culture pass (Kulturpass) worth 200 euros will be given to all Germans on their 18th birthday by the Ministry of Culture. Its goal is not only to make young people interested in the cultural heritage of the region, but also to force the younger generation to leave their houses more. The pandemic has made the vast majority of teenagers homebodies, now the state is trying to fix the situation.
In 2023, 750 000 people across the country will receive this birthday present. Similar projects are already working in France, Italy, Spain.
The culture pass will be valid for 2 years. You can spend 200 euros on any aspect of life related to culture. Go to a museum, a concert or a theater performance, buy books or music.
It will be possible to spend money through an application integrated with a special cultural marketplace. The initiative focuses on small local organizations, so shopping on Amazon with a culture pass will not work.
The pilot program will cost the German budget 100 million euros. However, this is a relatively small increase for the state’s cultural spending — 2.3 billion euros this year. If the program is successful, it’s planned to expand it. Then cultural passes will be given to teenagers from 15 years old.
There is no such program in Luxembourg yet, but its emergence is possible if both large neighbors — Germany and France — successfully carry out their projects.
