With a cap of 100 euros for digital consumption, Iceta admits that gastronomy, fashion or design will be left out in addition to bullfighting
The cultural bonus for 18-year-olds will allow part of the money to be allocated to newspaper and magazine subscriptions and will be capped at 100 euros for digital consumption. This was stated this Thursday by the Minister of Culture and Sports, Miquel Iceta, during the presentation of the Reading Promotion Plan.
He pointed out that the measure will come into force on January 1 – with the General State Budgets already approved – but he advanced that “it will probably not be effective” until May or June next year. He also clarified that 18-year-olds will have an effective year, as soon as the measure is implemented, to spend the 400 euros of the bonus.
The Minister of Culture acknowledged that many activities will “be left out” of the cultural voucher. «There was some controversy around bullfighting, but gastronomy, fashion or design will also be left out: we have prioritized certain sectors that we believe are the ones that can contribute the most to creating patterns of cultural consumption and reinforcing others that have been been affected by the pandemic, “said the minister.
According to data from the National Institute of Statistics (INE), there are more than 450,000 Spaniards born in 2004, who could therefore benefit from this cultural bonus throughout 2022.
“We must reassure everyone, because young people will be able to have this help and they will have a year to make it effective: the cultural bonus will work well and it has come to stay,” said Iceta. He said that “the design is already very finished” and that it will take the form of a Decree, between the end of January and the middle of February of next year.
In the footsteps of France
Designed in the image and likeness of the cultural vouchers that already operate in France and Italy, the Spanish voucher will include the “more traditional” cultural sectors, among which Iceta cited books, cinema, performing arts, music, shows live, online platforms and subscription to newspapers and magazines.
The minister clarified that “it will not be possible to concentrate all the spending in a single sector” and that there will, therefore, be a ceiling for subscribing to digital platforms such as Netflix, HBO or Spotify, although it has not been decided whether they will meet for months or for money.
Iceta also explained that the possibility of inviting a person to enjoy cultural activities such as concerts is being studied. “Many times there are consumptions that are individual, like that of a book, but in the case of concerts or live culture, we associate the possibility of being able to go as a couple,” he pointed out.
Culture will have the 210 million euros earmarked for this long-awaited cultural initiative from January 1, but from then on it will be necessary to look for companies or institutions in the cultural sector that want to participate -under express request- and, in the event that there is more than one in certain sectors, there will be free competition.
Iceta also announced that collaboration with a transport company is being studied so that young holders of the cultural voucher can have subsidies for trips to these activities. “This is thinking in all of Spain, since not all cities have the same cultural offer and therefore support for mobility,” concluded the minister.
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