Spanish citizens who turn 18 in 2022 will be given a voucher worth €400 to spend on culture as part of government plans to rebuild the sector.

The Youth Cultural Bonus was approved by ministers this week, with the aim of generating new habits of cultural consumption for young people post-pandemic, with public spending on cultural goods and services falling 15.8% in 2020.

Recipients will have one year to spend the grant, and will be able to spend a maximum of €200 on live art including music concerts and festivals, and up to €100 each on physical cultural products and online or digital consumption. The scheme comes into effect in June.

“In order to counteract the negative effects of the health, economic and social crisis… the government of Spain, through the ministry of culture and sports, has arbitrated a set of measures and actions aimed at guaranteeing the sustainability of the cultural and creative industries in our country, while promoting citizen access to culture,” reads the decree signed by Spanish culture minister Miquel Octavi Iceta Llorens.

“THE YOUTH CULTURAL VOUCHER PROJECT SEEKS TO FACILITATE UNIVERSAL AND DIVERSIFIED ACCESS TO CULTURE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, GENERATE NEW HABITS OF CULTURAL CONSUMPTION AND STRENGTHEN EXISTING ONES”

“The Youth Cultural Voucher project seeks to facilitate universal and diversified access to culture for young people, generate new habits of cultural consumption and strengthen existing ones, create new audiences, stimulate demand and reduce the negative impact caused by the pandemic on various cultural sectors in our country. In short, promote loyalty that generates the habit of consuming cultural products in young people so that, as adults, they continue to consume cultural products regularly.”

According to AP Musicales, almost 500,000 people in Spain will be eligible, with beneficiaries to be granted several virtual prepaid cards for each of the three categories. Spending on bullfighting, fashion, sports, gastronomy or stationery products is not permitted.

The announcement notes that similar schemes have been initiated in nearby countries such as France and Italy.

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