In hopes of boosting the industry after the pandemic, Germany is handing out culture passes to 750,000 of its youths

Under a scheme launched by the government, young Germans are being offered culture passes valued at €200 each to be spent on cultural goods and experiences. Officially called the Kulturpass, the initiative encourages young adults to get out of their homes after the pandemic, experience culture, and give a boost to the local art scene. As the pass will be available to roughly 750,000 young adults who will turn 18 in 2023, Germany’s culture minister, Claudia Roth, has described the Kulturpass as something of a birthday present.

The voucher will be distributed on an app and will offer access to goods and services such as music, concerts, theater, and books. The app will highlight local, small businesses such as independent bookshops and cinemas over large organizations. Online platforms such as Amazon and Spotify, for instance, have been excluded from the scheme. If the project turns out to be a success, the scheme could be rolled out to other age groups like 15 years and above.

Germany isn’t the first country to do this. The nation actually joins three others in the EU who have introduced similar schemes: Spain, France, and Italy. In the past year, Spain offered young adults €400 culture vouchers, and nearly 60% of all those who turned 18 in 2022 registered for the program. In France, a similar €300 voucher was offered to young people to spend on classes, art supplies, and French media platforms. Italy, on the other hand, rolled out its “culture bonus” back before the pandemic in 2016, offering €500 to 18-year-olds to spend on things like books, music, and concert tickets.