Even more in the new culture ticket for students

The Kulturticket, which has given students access to numerous cultural offerings in the city for four years now via a solidarity contribution and without any additional payments, could be called a success story. It is therefore not surprising that those involved are delighted that the negotiations for the continuation of the project were successfully concluded just in time for the start of the semester.

In a symbolic signing of the contract, the offers of the two Jena arthouse cinemas have now also been included.

The following partners are now pulling in the same "cultural" direction: both Jena universities and their sturas, Studierendenwerk Thüringen, JenaKultur, Theaterhaus Jena and the arthouse cinemas Kino im Schillerhof and Kino am Markt. Now all students have to do is make active use of it.

How does the culture ticket work?

The cost of the semester ticket now includes a solidarity contribution of 4.25 euros for the culture ticket - a kind of culture flat rate for students. This means that students can attend concerts at the Jena Philharmonic Orchestra, exhibitions at the municipal museums, performances at Theaterhaus Jena and now also film screenings at Kino im Schillerhof and Kino am Markt without paying any additional fees.

Please note that you must obtain a free ticket in advance so that a free seat can be guaranteed. To ensure better planning, concert and theater tickets must generally be purchased in advance. Students can obtain one ticket per person and event at the Jena Tourist Information(link is external) Office on presentation of their student ID, which together with the thoska(link is external) entitles them to free admission.

Tickets for the Jena Municipal Museums are available on site at the respective museum box office . If concerts are not sold out, the Kulturticket can also be purchased at the box office for Jena Philharmonic Orchestra events.

The following applies to the use of tickets at the arthouse cinemas:

• It is valid from Monday to Thursday at Kino im Schillerhof and Kino am Markt, except on public holidays.
• Cinema tickets must be collected at the box offices by presenting the thoska-Card at the cinema in the Schillerhof or at the cinema on the market; collection is possible at the earliest on the day before the performance.
• There is no entitlement for sold-out screenings, ticket reservations are not possible for Kulturticket screenings.
• Performances by external organizers are not automatically free of charge, but only if the organizer agrees; we communicate exceptions on our website.

What does the Kulturticket mean for the participating institutions?

1. By reducing the financial barrier, they can make their offers better known, especially to young people, and thus attract new audiences. (It is said, for example, that 10 percent of students do not know that Jena has an orchestra).
2. The guaranteed income means a certain degree of planning security.

Quote from the Theaterhaus Jena ensemble:

"We, the Theaterhaus Jena, have had the best experience with the Kulturticket. It has brought many students into first contact with our theater, and it has given us a young, curious, extremely alert and argumentative audience that is the envy of other theaters. What we have always hoped for, that people would come to us out of sheer curiosity and embark on the shared adventure of a theater performance, even if they know neither the title nor the content or the theatrical formal language, has come true. Many of the Kulturticket users have become 'repeat offenders' who can be seen in our theater again and again. The only drawback is that many students are still unaware of the incredible opportunities offered by the Kulturticket. We are trying to counteract this, for example by actively approaching first-semester students and informing them about the Kulturticket."

Quote from Daniel Krischker, cinema operator Kino im Schillerhof and Kino am Markt

"By participating in the Kulturticket, we want to invite young people to discover the world of cinema. The Kulturticket is a sensational offer because it is extremely low-threshold. Of course, we would like to see full auditoriums at the Kino am Markt and the Kino im Schillerhof - with a diverse audience that is keen to discuss and interested in films. In three, four or five years' time, a large proportion of the young people we wanted to reach and hopefully have reached will leave Jena at the end of their studies. We hope that they will have experienced such wonderful moments with us that they will take their love of cinema with them and pass it on."

Quote from Torsten Schubert, Managing Director of Studierendenwerk Thüringen:

"The students raise the funds for the culture ticket in solidarity and achieve better participation in cultural life in Jena. At the end of 2022, a survey was conducted by the student councils of Jena University, which showed a gratifyingly high level of interest among students in an extension. Most of them voted for the two arthouse cinemas. I believe that in addition to the continued high use of the concert halls and theaters, the students will ensure full cinemas with the culture ticket."

Christian Pfeil (Betreiber Kino am Markt und Kino im Schillerhof Jena), Friedrun Vollmer (Werkleitung Jenakultur), Oberbürgermeister Dr. Thomas Nitzsche, Torsten Schubert (GF Studierendenwerk Thüringen)

© Stadt Jena