German culture pass extended – but funding halved

Germany’s youth culture pass is to be extended for a second year, but funding for the scheme is being halved.

Since June 2023, teenagers living in the country have been able to access the federal government scheme, which has provided them with €200 to spend on event tickets, books and audio media when they turn 18 in an effort to strengthen cultural participation.

The scheme generated more than €3.2 million in revenue in its first two months, with the majority of funds used to buy books (49%), followed by cinema tickets (36%) and concert and theatre tickets (14%). Of the first 136,000 teenagers who had activated their vouchers, 27,417 used them on live music and the theatre.

However, due to funding cuts prompted by Germany’s “budget crisis“, the value of the vouchers for citizens born in 2006 will be worth only €100 this year.

“It’s good news that the KulturPass will continue to exist in 2024 despite the tight budget situation,” Peter Kraus vom Cleff, GM & CEO of Germany’s publishers and booksellers association, tells Publishing Perspectives. “At the same time, we’re disappointed that financial resources have been significantly reduced.”

“The culture pass is a valuable instrument for strengthening the cultural participation of young people, especially if they have not previously been given access to culture”

Germany’s Music Industry Forum, which comprises the BDKV, venue body LiveKomm, music publishers’ organisation DMV, Association of Independent Music Companies (VUT), Society of Music Merchants (SOMM) and recording industry body BVMI, called for an extension to the culture pass last October after more than half a million young people downloaded the app in its first four months.

“The culture pass is a valuable instrument for strengthening the cultural participation of young people, especially if they have not previously been given access to culture,” said a statement from the group. “The culture pass not only provides a low-threshold entry and a wide range of offerings, but also supports social interaction and thus social cohesion. Cultural participation plays an important role in actively committing to our pluralistic society and its democratic values.

“Bookstores, cinemas, concert organisers, theatres, orchestras, museums, record stores and music retailers have been extremely committed to supporting the project right from the start.”

Similar initiatives have also been rolled out in Spain, France and Italy with the aim of generating new consumption habits, post-pandemic.

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