In Nice, 21 young users of the Culture Pass have been selected to become ambassadors for the program in their city for one year. On September 26, they gathered for their first meeting.
On March 31, the city of Nice signed a partnership with the Culture Pass. Thus, it committed to supporting this government initiative, which was expanded across the entire French territory by the Ministry of Culture in 2021. The aim of this initiative is to “facilitate access to culture for everyone” and “encourage young people in their cultural practices”.
Robert Roux, Deputy to the Mayor of Nice, in charge of Culture, was present to remind why the city wished to partner with this national initiative: “Because culture promotes living together, understanding our history, understanding others; it fosters tolerance, supports individuals in their progress. In my opinion, it is the best way to open minds and stimulate imagination.”
50 establishments in Nice with more than 100 cultural offers
The Culture Pass is intended for young people aged 15 to 20. It allows them, through a mobile and web application, to access the cultural offers of their region for free. Indeed, each year, depending on their age, they are allocated an increasingly significant budget. Thus, at 15, they are entitled to 20 euros, while at 18, they are offered 300 euros.
Those who hold this pass can spend their credit however they wish in nearby establishments listed by the application.
In Nice, more than fifty cultural establishments participate and offer more than one hundred offers. These include books, show tickets, concert tickets, movie sessions, museum visits, art classes, or attending conferences.
21 ambassadors of light
Within the Nice Côte d’Azur metropolis, between 15,000 and 20,000 young people are registered on the Culture Pass. Among them, 21 have been selected to become ambassadors in Nice for one school year. About forty French cities have their ambassadors. They were informed of this project via email or a notification alert. After filling out a form in which they expressed their motivation to be part of this experience, the best applications were selected.
On the evening of September 27, the 2023-2024 cohort gathered at the Francis Gag theater in Old Nice. This was a taste of what lies ahead for them. Their mission: to discover the cultural offers in Nice and promote them among their peers. Jean Luc Gagliogo, Deputy in charge of Education, Culture at schools, Books, and the Fight against illiteracy, even describes them as “ambassadors of light.”
“A young person who discovers culture from a young age is someone who will develop skills in constructive criticism, analysis, and reflection, and that is your challenge, to spread the message,” he insists.
“Super-users of the Culture Pass”
The benefit of this ambassador program is mutual. Young people gain experience, are exposed to environments they might not have approached otherwise, and have the opportunity to engage concretely. Vaiana, a student in a DCG preparation class, and Elyès, a second-year BTS student at the Eucalyptus High School, both 18, and ambassadors of the 2023/2024 cohort, have already been integrated into a cultural project.
Both interested in the performing arts world, thanks to the ambassador program, they have joined the jury of the Creations Festival. Alongside professionals, the pair has committed to attending the twenty performances, after which their input will contribute to selecting the winners.
“They are somewhat our super-users of the Culture Pass,” summarizes Roseline Faliph, in charge of developing the Culture Pass for the PACA and Corsica region. “We also solicit their input on improving the application or on the communication of the projects we undertake,” she adds.
The cultural establishments in Nice, in turn, benefit from engaging with a young audience. They have the opportunity to be exposed to a fresh perspective from a generation they aim to attract. Thus, it’s a way for them to better adapt their offerings to this specific demographic of 15-20-year-olds.
