Celebrate your Sweet 16 with Stuttgart’s Culture Pass

The city is giving everyone who turns 16 this year a 100-euro voucher to be spent on art supplies or cultural events

On 28 March, authorities in Stuttgart, Germany, announced the launch of the Culture Pass (Kulturpass) pilot project. The project will give citizens who turn 16 in 2023 a voucher of 100 euros which they can use to visit local cultural venues or even pick up an artistic activity themselves.

The initiative aims to make culture more accessible by linking local artists with aspiring young people, opening the financial barriers to entry. Alternatively, because the boost will target a whole generation, it could also trigger many people to find ways to develop in the cultural sector, with funds that can support musical instruments, art supplies and more.

A variety of experiences

Whether it’s a visit to a concert or museum, books, a drawing pad or participation in a workshop – future 16-year-olds will have the means to decide how they use the Culture Pass credit themselves. The city has organised a network of over 80 partners which will let young people become active parts of local culture.

The Stuttgart Culture Pass was set up by the Network for Cultural Education Stuttgart (KUBI‐S) and will be sent to everyone who celebrates their 16th birthday between 1 January and 30 June 2023. The first half of the cards will be sent out by the end of March. Those born after June will get the voucher via e-mail instead of a physical card.

The initiative is supposed to have a two-fold effect – on the one hand, allowing youth to experience the local art scene for themselves, without family and schools and on the other, to convince more artists to address this demographic with specific events.

The pass will be valid only within 2023 and considering it is a pilot project, local authorities will have to decide on its continued existence in 2024.