In 2021, at the initiative of the President of Russia, the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation and JSC "Pochta Bank" launched a program to popularize cultural events among young people, the Pushkin Card, which allows free admission to theaters, cinemas, museums, exhibitions, philharmonic societies and other cultural institutions at the expense of the federal budget.

The program is open to Russian citizens aged 14 to 22 inclusive. Money for purchasing tickets is transferred to the Mir card. The card's face value in 2025 is 5,000 rubles. Money from the Pushkin card can only be spent on cultural events. More than 12 thousand cultural organizations participate in the program.

According to an online survey of our university students conducted last December, most of them have applied for the Pushkin Card almost from the moment it was launched. About 31% of students use the card regularly, 36% sometimes. The top three most popular events include performances, museums and excursions.

Third-year student of the Faculty of Architecture Aleksandra Mineeva learned about the Pushkin Card from her school teachers, who often took her and her classmates to the theater. She applied for it in the Gosuslugi.Kultura app and has been visiting museums and theaters for free for several years now.

Ivan Baranovsky, a third-year student at the Faculty of Environmental Engineering and Municipal Services, has also enjoyed the opportunity to attend cultural events for free since his school years. He completed the easy registration procedure on the official website of the Pushkin Card and mainly visits cinemas and museums.

"When I learned about the Pushkin Card from friends, I immediately applied for it on the official website. I have been visiting museums and theaters for free for several years. I am glad that the state helps us, young people, to expand our cultural immersion," said fourth-year student of the Faculty of Civil Engineering Ekaterina Kovalskaya.

Among the many cultural events, first-year master's student of the Faculty of Environmental Engineering and Municipal Services Leonid Nikolaev prefers museums and cinemas. He was told about the Pushkin Card by his friends, who, as it turned out, actively used it. Over the course of several years, he has not only personally seen the usefulness of this program, but now advises others on how to get involved in art and at the same time save their own money and attend cultural events more often.

“The SPbGASU Youth Policy Division holds various events aimed at popularizing the Pushkin Card so that, regardless of their financial situation, students have the opportunity to spend their leisure time culturally, visit the largest theaters and museums in the country,” said Irina Nuryeva, Head of the SPbGASU Youth Policy Division.