Overview

• The Pass Culture program, offering €300 for cultural activities to 18-year-olds, has cost €244 million in 2024, a 2.6-fold increase since 2021.
• A report by the Cour des Comptes finds the initiative has failed to reach many from working-class backgrounds, with only 68% of eligible youth from these groups activating the pass.
• Critics note that the program primarily reinforces existing cultural habits, with 42–55% of spending on books and limited engagement with live performances like theater or dance.
• Concerns over governance and financial oversight include €16 million spent on escape games, a category now excluded following a ministry directive.
• Proposed reforms include targeting funds based on socioeconomic criteria, introducing mandatory questionnaires, and transitioning the managing entity to a state-operated model.