Local authorities are giving 18-23-year-olds a €50 ‘youth culture card’ to spend on clubbing – can you think of a policy the UK government is less likely to introduce?
Venues all over Europe are being hit hard by the cost of living crisis. With soaring rent prices and general upkeep becoming unmanageable, many iconic venues are forced to pack up for good, leaving seemingly irreparable holes in the cultural landscape of many cities. As a way to counteract this, the Jungendkulturkarte (youth culture card) was recently launched by the Berlin Senate for Culture and Europe as a way to get more young people out partaking in cultural activities around the city.
The card, which is preloaded with €50, can go towards entrance fees to clubs around the city. It doesn’t have to be used exclusively for clubbing, though – it can be used for a variety of activities, including opera, museums and cinemas, and is also available to non-German residents. In order to qualify for the card, you must register here along with proof of a Berlin-based address, after which it will be available to pick up from multiple libraries around the city.
The Berlin Club Commission wrote in a recent post, “Jungendkulturkarte has launched today and we are happy that clubs are a part of it. Obviously, you can go to the opera or museum with Jugendkulturkarte but we have clear preferences.” The scheme will run from February 1 to April 30 with participating clubs including AVA Club, Ritter Butzke and Prachtwerk.
Culture Senator Klaus Lederer said in a statement originally translated by Mixmag that: “The youth culture card for 18 to 23-year-olds is aimed at a young audience who are just getting to know Berlin’s diverse cultural landscape after the restrictions of recent years,” continuing, “we have been able to make one or the other cultural experience possible with the youth culture card that might otherwise have not been possible.”
Though arguably the alternative nightlife capital of the world, Berlin has not been immune to the difficulties that have hit the industry. The programme will hopefully offer a boost to the city and encourage young Berliners back out into the city at a reduced financial cost.
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