Residents aged 13 to 22 would be eligible to claim NT$1,200 (US$38.27) in cash handouts, known as Culture Points, from Thursday to spend on cultural activities or at related venues, the Ministry of Culture said today.
The program, which was launched in 2023 to encourage more young adults to participate in cultural activities and boost Taiwan's cultural and creative sectors, was originally only open to people aged 18 to 21.
Photo: CNA
It was expanded last year to include those aged 16 to 17, and this year began offering NT$600 in Culture Points to children aged 13 to 15 on a trial basis.
At a news conference, Minister of Culture Li Yuan (李遠) said the program would be expanded once again next year by making all Taiwanese residents aged 13 to 22 eligible for NT$1,200 in Culture Points.
From Thursday, citizens of Taiwan and eligible foreign nationals born between Jan. 1, 2004, and Dec. 31, 2013, would be able to claim NT$1,200 in handouts digitally through a ministry app, the ministry said.
The points, each equivalent to NT$1, can be used at designated independent bookstores, record stores, live music events and venues, cultural parks, bazaars and screenings of Taiwanese films.
They must be used during the next calendar year.
This year, foreign nationals with alien permanent resident certificates or spouse-based resident visas who met the age requirements were eligible to claim Culture Points.
The points can be spent using a QR code.
Children without smartphones can contact the ministry's customer service line to apply for a paper-based QR code, the ministry said.
The ministry said that more than 80 percent of those eligible had used their 2025 Culture Points as of today, spending nearly NT$1.5 billion.
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