Germany's KulturPass initiative set for June launch

Following a promising start to 2023 with strong sales growth in January and February, German booksellers are hoping for an additional windfall during the summer thanks to KulturPass, an initiative by the government to support culture and the arts. Starting in June, all German teenagers celebrating their 18th birthday this year will be able to claim a one-time cash gift of €200 to be spent within a two-year period on books, music, theatre and other cultural-related activities of their choice. The scheme is funded by the government to the tune of €100m. 

An estimated 750,000 young people will be eligible for the pass which they can access through an app on their mobile phones. The app, developed for the initiative by German software giant SAP, leads them onto a digital platform that acts as a virtual marketplace where pass-holders can book tickets for cinemas, museums, theatres and concert halls, or buy books and records.

KulturPass aims to connect users with local venues and bookshops. Online platforms and streaming services such as Amazon and Netflix have been excluded.

The app is currently in its trial period. From May onward cultural institutions including bookshops can register for the marketplace. Once eligible teens have installed the app, they will find a list of participating institutions and companies. The app will be also linked to VLB (German Books in Print), helping pass-holders not only in their search for titles but also listing participating bookshops in their area.

The trade association Börsenverein des deutschen Buchhandels is urging booksellers to register on the app and advises them to not only actively promote their support of the scheme both in the store and on social media, but to also have a range of titles especially for young adults available. 

Germany is the latest European country to announce a culture pass for young people coming of age. Culture Minister Claudia Roth and her team have modelled their scheme on the French Pass Culture which was trialled in 2018 and introduced to 18-year-olds countrywide in 2021. Similar initiatives were started — and continue to date — in Italy in 2016 and in Spain in 2021. Statistics in each country show a steady interest from pass-holders in books. In France, for example, approximately half the Pass Culture budget was spent on books.