Emmanuel Macron went to Nevers on Friday to mark the reopening of cultural places and launch the Culture Pass for young people – Thibault Camus / AP / SIPA
Emmanuel Macron was this Friday in Nevers in Burgundy, where he offered his first stroll since October in the streets of the city. But the President of the Republic was especially in this city of Nièvre, accompanied by Roselyne Bachelot, to launch the Culture Pass of 300 euros for all 18-year-olds.
With the Minister of Culture, they discussed in a cinema in Nevers with young spectators already beneficiaries of the Culture Pass, stressing that “if what helps me to be myself or to live is essential, art is essential. for sure “.
Youth pickup?
To a journalist who asked him: “What do you say to those who accuse you of flirting with young people for electoral reasons?” “Emmanuel Macron replied that” we are entering a period when people will put this criterion to all the sauces. He then spoke with traders in the cultural sector.
About thirty people, including “yellow vests” who sang “We are there, we are here”, were removed by the police before the arrival of the Head of State.
Already tested by 125,000 young people
Candidate Macron’s campaign promise, a Culture Pass of 500 euros had been tested for two years in 14 departments, including Nièvre. With an average expenditure of 137 euros, some 125,000 young people have already used their Culture Pass for a total of 1.2 million reservations since the launch of the application, according to figures from the Elysée.
Now generalized in the metropolis and overseas, it is reduced to 300 euros, available since this Friday for all 18-year-olds – or 800,000 – via the Pass Culture application, without condition of resources. In 2022, it will be supplemented by annual packages totaling 200 euros for middle and high school students, spread over five years, i.e. 500 euros in the end. Total budget planned this year for this measure: 80 million euros, according to the Elysee.
To go to the movies but not watch Netflix
The beneficiaries will be able to spend it on tickets (cinema, concert, show, museum, etc.), on cultural goods (books, records, instruments, etc.), on artistic disciplines, on fine art equipment or on digital services (video games, online music, some SVOD platforms, online press, ebooks…).
The only restrictions: neither delivered goods, nor Netflix, Amazon Prime or Disney. On the other hand, Canal, OCS, FilmoTV and a few other very French platforms are accessible, including Salto soon. Digital spending is limited to 100 euros. Young people will be able to use it over 24 months.
The book sector: the big winner?
The publishers, via their employers’ organization, welcomed a decision which they believe to be the big winners. “The National Publishing Union is delighted with this initiative, the first reports of which revealed that the books had been acclaimed, representing 66% of purchases made, and this mainly at booksellers”, wrote in a press release the SNE, which brings together 720 publishing houses.
Since March 2020, aid to the culture sector paralyzed by the pandemic has represented more than 11 billion euros, according to the Elysee. A new envelope of 148 million has been announced to accompany the resumption of reduced tonnage cinemas, theaters and live entertainment since Wednesday.