《TAIPEI TIMES》 Culture ministry expands ‘culture points’ program

REACHING OUT: Premier Chen Chieh-jen said that he hopes the program would spur an appreciation among young people for Taiwanese-made films

By Tsai Ya-hua and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writer

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The government is to expand eligibility for its Young Adult Culture Vouchers to people aged 16 to 22, Premier Chen Chien-jen （陳建仁） announced yesterday.

The Ministry of Culture initiative, which issues “culture points,” was launched on June 6 for people aged 18 to 21 to encourage young people to engage in the arts, attend cultural events, exhibitions and performances, and visit cinemas, on the condition that the art, performances and films are produced locally.

A “locally produced film” is defined as one in which at least of the cast are Taiwanese citizens, the ministry said.

Minister of Culture Shih Che （史哲） said that expanding eligibility from the original range of 18-to-21-year-olds would offer more young people a way to experience culture in places such as Dihua Street （迪化街） in Taipei’s Datong District （大同）.

The street became a bustling trade hub primarily dealing in traditional Chinese medicine and tea in the Taipei area after it was built in the 1850s, and in the modern era it is being revitalized as a new hub for the cultural industry.

The ministry said that 668,000 people have obtained the points, while 322,000 points, or the equivalent of NT$286 million （US$9.15 million）, have been spent.

Chen said he hopes hope the program spurs an appreciation of locally produced movies and even make the filming locations for them tourist hot spots.

To encourage participation in the program, the ministry said it was offering additional benefits, such as donating one point for every two spent at bookstores, offering a 50 percent discount when using points to attend performances and limited discounts when watching Taiwanese films at local theaters.

People spending 200 points are eligible to enter a raffle to win more, while using them to purchase a seat at performances would award the user with an additional 100 points, it added.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES