The “Pushkin Map” is expected to help engage young people in the arts
Mikhail Mishustin has announced that the government will allocate almost 4 billion rubles. for the “Pushkinskaya Karta” program. It will enable young people aged 14 to 22 to visit museums, theaters and exhibitions selected by experts at the expense of the state in order to grow up as “harmoniously developed, socially responsible and patriotic personalities”. The program is expected to start on September 1, with 13 million people participating.
The “Pushkinskaya Card” will help introduce young people to “our cultural heritage”. Photo: piqsels
The proclamation of the “Pushkin Charter” became almost the main domestic work for the “Direct Line”, which Vladimir Putin organized on June 30. The president made no secret of the fact that the authorities wanted to kill two birds with one stone – firstly to support a culture that, unlike catering and tourism, has no chance to recover after the blockade, and secondly to acquaint young people with “our cultural heritage”. Young people themselves do not want or do not have the opportunity to spend money on visits to theaters or museums, but now they will have the opportunity to “do it at the expense of the state”: according to Putin, all Russians aged 14 to 22 will be able to issue a card in 2021. 3 thousand rubles. “If there is a desire, it will even be possible to go to the Bolshoi Theater,” VVP promised.
The president liked the idea of Pushkin's map so much that a week after the Direct Line, he tried to speed up its launch, so that the presentation of cultural heritage began during the summer holidays. But it was explained to him that this was not possible. “Theaters and museums must prepare to use the map.” But for the next holiday, we will be able to promise that such a program will be available, “said Mikhail Mishustin. At a meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister on Monday, the head of the cabinet said that the program will start operating on September 1 – for the first stage were allocated from the budget almost 4 billion rubles. The application for registration will have to be submitted through a personal account on the Civil Services portal, the card will be valid throughout the country. “I am sure that this social support measure will not only enable millions of young people to join cultural values, but will also give a new impetus to the whole industry,” the prime minister emphasized.
According to him, in the first phase, more than 800 public and private cultural institutions will be included in the program, but their number will grow from month to month. (In total, there are more than 3,000 museums, 700 theaters and about 400 concert organizations in the country. And this is only a subordination of the state.) However, one desire is not enough to apply for a job with the “Pushkin Charter”. Cultural institutions should, firstly, have content worthy of the younger generation and, secondly, they should be technically advanced – sell tickets online or through a terminal and have a QR code scanner used to mark paper tickets (by the way, for Pushkin's “You will be for have to develop a special design). It is clear that the museologists, in whom the head works both as a guide and an accountant, have never dreamed of such “luxury”.
The website of the operator of the program pro.culture.ru contains criteria for the selection of cultural institutions that apply to work with young people under the “Pushkinskaya Card”. The cornerstone, as expected, is the task of “educating the younger generation in accordance with Russia's traditional spiritual and moral values.” In order for theaters to fulfill this, they must have folk works in their repertoire, as well as works of Russian and foreign classics. Separately, it is stated that the repertoire should contribute to the formation of a “harmoniously developed, socially responsible and patriotic personality”, including “anti-suicide, anti-drug and anti-extremist orientation”. As for museums and exhibition halls, they are obliged “to have collections of objects of the material world, whatever their time of origin, which are of national, Belarusian and world historical, artistic, scientific and cultural significance.” Those worthy will be determined by expert councils at regional administrations. Together with officials, they should include “outstanding figures of culture and art”. In 2021, experts meet every week, from 2022 – monthly.
Strict requirements, of course, initially narrow the number of potential project participants. In the first phase, only flagship cultural institutions located mainly in administrative centers have a chance to join it. Mikhail Mishustin said that 13 million people aged 14 to 22 are potential holders of the Pushkinskaya Card. However, the 4 billion allocated by the government will be enough to issue only 1.3 million cards. Experts believe that this is enough: the habit of going to museums among Russian youth has not developed and it is technically impossible to spend money on something else or make money. It is also worth noting that for famous museums and theaters, 3,000 is a relatively modest amount. The average price of a ticket to the Bolshoi Theater or the Mariinsky Theater is 5,000 rubles. Cheaper, you have to try to find or choose a performance that is not very popular. A visit to the armory costs 500 rubles, a guided tour – 900 rubles. Pupils and students can get to the Hermitage for 300 rubles, but only for certain quota sessions. (Now, for example, discounted tickets are available only from August 14.) Participation in a combined tour of the exhibition in the Pushkin Museum im. Pushkin will cost 700 rubles in the Historical Museum – from 500 to 600 rubles. It is assumed that in the absence of the required amount on the “Pushkin Card” for the ticket, you can pay extra from your pocket. In addition, it is planned to increase the nominal value of the card to 5,000 rubles from next year.