Isabel Rodríguez encourages the exhibition halls of the province to join the Senior Film Program, with which more than 97,000 Lucenses over 65 years old can go to the cinema for 2€

The Ministry of Culture, with the collaboration of the exhibition sector, carries out this program endowed with € 10M with which it grants direct aid to the cinemas to cover part of the price of the tickets. As a measure it will allow one day a week the cinema tickets to cost € 2 for those over 65 years old, 30% of the population of the province. Cinemas interested in joining the program can do so until tomorrow on the web This initiative of the Government protects the viability of the exhibition halls with the recovery of the attendance of a wide sector of the citizenship, while contributing to an active and healthy aging of the said population Isabel Rodríguez recalled that 2,186 young Lucenses can already apply for the Xove Cultural Voucher, with 400 euros destined to the acquisition and enjoyment of products, services and cultural activities

The subdelegate of the Government in Lugo, Isabel Rodríguez, today in Lugo encouraged the cinemas of the province to join the Senior Program carried out by the Ministry of Culture and Sport, with the collaboration of the main associations of the exhibition sector, aims to promote access to the cinema to people over 65 years of age. Specifically, this initiative of the Government of Spain, endowed with 10 million euros, grants direct aid to the exhibition halls to cover part of the price of the tickets that are issued, in such a way that one day a week at cinema entrance only costs 2 euros for this age group.

Isabel Rodríguez visited this morning the Yelmo cinemas of the Lucense capital, adhering to the state program, and highlighted the incidence of this cultural program in the province, reaching more than 97,000 neighbors over 65 years old, 30% of the population of the Lugo province. There, he exchanged with the representative of the company, Cristina Risueño, and with the director of the Las Termas shopping center, Esteban Patiño, the impressions of this first edition of the state program that protects the economic viability of the cinematographic exhibition rooms by recovering the assistance of a wide sector of the citizens, generating a habit of consumption, while contributing to an active and healthy aging of the said population.

In this regard, the subdelegate explained that people over 65 years of age are the ones who are most slow to return to the cinema attendance habits prior to the pandemic. Thus, there are noticeable differences between age groups: if 49.3% of 20-24 year-olds went to cinemas at least once a year between 2021 and 2022, that percentage falls to 6% in the older population.

The participating cinemas will have to communicate the common price of the entry day, and the Ministry of Culture will pay the difference between that price and the 2 euros that will be paid by those over 65 years of age, up to a maximum of three euros per ticket sold. Cinemas interested in joining the Senior Programme can apply for membership through the European Commission. web page. The deadline ends this Friday, June 23.

Key sector for the economy
Of all the cultural sectors, the cinema is one of the most affected, even today, by the pandemic. The health measures taken because of COVID-19 caused a significant decrease in the average attendance at movie theaters in the Spanish public, an attendance that does not stop recovering. Despite the rebounds experienced in 2022, the sector still has approximately 40% fewer viewers than the average of the years 2017 to 2019.

With a measure of this nature, the Government wants to continue promoting access to the audiovisual culture of the Spanish population as a whole, an engine of transformation and social and economic development, capable of generating wealth and employment.

Xove Cultural Bonus
Isabel Rodríguez took advantage of the event to remember that Portuguese children born in 2005 can already apply for the Xove Cultural Voucher, with 400 euros intended for the acquisition and enjoyment of cultural products, services and #activity. In the second edition of this program, which is also promoted by the Ministry of Culture, it is estimated that 2,186 people turn 18 in Lugo. To request it, they must register and perform the application procedure on the website. www.bonoculturajoven.gob.es until next September 30th.