France’s 18-year-olds Get €300 Culture Pass

France has started given out what it calls a “culture pass” to 18 year olds to the tune of €300.

The pass can be gotten by downloading an app which allows you access to cinema tickets, museums and theatres, or to buy books, art materials, dance courses and instruments or an online subscription.

The money can also be used to subscribe to digital platforms, as long as they are French. French sites such as Canal Plus as well as Deezer for music buffs.

Once they register, 18-year-olds will have two years to spend the money which was initially run as €500 during its earlier trials, but the government decided that €200 of it will be given to school children from 2022 in chunks of €25 a year for 14- and 15-year-olds and €50 for the final three years of school.

This will be great to kick start social activities in the country as France’s cinemas and museums have been shut for more than six months so, even though the pass has long been planned, the timing will help kick-start a struggling culture sector as the summer approaches.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who made the culture pass one of the promises of his 2017 presidential campaign, announced the move in a 30-second TikTok and Instagram video.

However, not everyone is happy with the new development. Some political opponents see it as a tactic to attract new voters in next year’s presidential election. Mr Macron has faced dissent within his own party in recent months with far-right leader Marine Le Pen challenging him in the opinion polls.