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German teens hitting their 18th birthday this year will get the gift of culture from their government.
The German government this week started giving young people just over $200 to spend on arts and entertainment as a sort of reparation for the pandemic years.
Participants must register on an app called “KulturPass.” Then, they will receive 200 euros — about $219 — from the government.
The pass can be spent on museum visits, films, theater, concerts and even records, books, and instruments, the German news site DW reported.
There are some stipulations — the cash must be spent locally. Amazon and non-German streaming services like Sweden’s Spotify, for example, are excluded.
The goal of the program is to help revive the country’s culture sector, which is still struggling since the pandemic. It’s also aimed at getting young people out of the house.
The plan is expected to reach 750,000 teens who turn 18 in 2023 and cost the government over $100 million.
Germany’s Culture Minister Claudia Roth called the cultural passport the “equivalent of a birthday present,” Euronews reported.
If it is a success, the program could be expanded and offered to those over 15 years old.
Spain, Italy and France also have schemes to entice young people to soak up their cultures. Concert tickets are reportedly among the most popular offerings.
In New York City, a Culture Pass allows library cardholders to visit cultural institutions for free.