Explicating the Youth Culture Bonus process and its hurdles
The cases of young people who cannot claim the Youth Culture Bonus through the Ministry of Culture’s official website have been widely discussed on social networks. A typical sentiment circulating online sums up the frustration: claiming the Youth Culture Bonus seems easier to get off drugs than to complete the application. This perception captures the perceived difficulty and delays that applicants have faced in recent months.
The program’s implementation has been described by the ministry as a personal subsidy that required technical adjustments after its rollout. Officially, the ministry noted that the process began in July and that most issues were resolved, though the main obstacle for many users remains the lack of an electronic certificate or a permanent PIN that some applicants need to proceed with the application through bonoculturajoven.gob.es.
Three young people who spoke with EL PERIÓDICO from the Prensa Ibérica group shared their experiences, highlighting persistent mistakes and the difficulty of correcting them. Their accounts illustrate ongoing friction at various steps of the process and raise questions about user access and clarity in the guidance provided by the system.
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Laura Navarro, an 18-year-old high school student, sent a letter to the Entre Todos section detailing her ongoing attempt to apply for the Youth Culture Bonus since July, with August excluded. She explained that she tried three identification channels for verification and eventually opted for the Permanent Key option. The process proved challenging to secure and understand: she had to consult multiple websites and watch tutorials to navigate the steps. Even after obtaining the Permanent Key, she repeatedly encountered a message at the final stage stating that something went wrong and that she needed to proceed with an advanced enrollment using a certificate or to appear in person, which added further delays.
Another participant, Vignette Roig, a freshman in Physiotherapy, chose electronic identity but found the route to be tedious. It required scheduling an appointment at the Tax Office, obtaining a code, and returning to download the necessary document. This sequence caused frustration and contributed to doubts about obtaining the Youth Culture Bonus in the near term.
Clara Ruiz, a first-year student in Translation and Interpreting, attempted to apply for the Youth Culture Bonus for the first time but encountered a different limitation. The electronic DNI or electronic Certificate path is not available to a minor, so she selected the Permanent Key option. To obtain it, she was asked to arrange an appointment at the Tax Office with a parent present. In the latest phase, she was told that an in-person visit without an appointment would be required, and the option imposed additional time commitments and family coordination. The student expressed that the system is complicated and voiced disappointment that turning eighteen in November would bring even more bureaucracy.
851 cultural companies
The Ministry of Culture extended the application deadline for the Youth Culture Bonus to October 31. Beginning this week, applicants can seek assistance at any of the 2,389 Correos offices across Spain by submitting a form available on bonoculturajoven.gob.es. Applicants must complete, print, and sign the form; only a single printer is needed for this process. The extension aims to accommodate more applicants amid ongoing demand and administrative steps.
Official data show that 378,417 people initiated the application, 227,420 identified themselves digitally, and 166,520 completed the application successfully. The National Institute of Statistics notes that 488,794 individuals born in 2004 are eligible for the Youth Culture Bonus in the 2022 cohort. At present, 851 cultural companies offer their services and products through the Youth Culture Bonus, with 3,500 people applying to participate in the program that provided 400 euros for cultural consumption in 2022.
Future funding for the Youth Culture Bonus for those who turn 18 in 2023 appears in the General Government Budget project recently presented, ensuring continued support for eligible young people and cultural ventures alike.