Creative Business Forum

Creative clusters are spaces with the maximum concentration of creative industries that have proven themselves abroad long ago and have existed in Russia for more than 15 years. Vibrant and sustainable projects are at the forefront of the creative development of abandoned industrial zones. However, today the trend towards establishing creative clusters is not only taking hold in major capitals, but also in many regions of Russia. The first wave of these spaces were privately owned, mostly by those who share the values of creative industries. The second wave is overtaking Russian cities today: regional authorities have spotted the potential of the creative industries, while at the federal level, a national concept and far-reaching network programmes are being discussed. However, this movement poses new challenges for those starting creative clusters and has also forced them to take a closer look at how these initiatives are developing abroad. For instance, Russia’s creative clusters have not yet been linked to regional production chains, while clusters increasingly refer to broader business processes in a region. Meanwhile, in major Russian cities, projects designed exclusively to create business partnerships without the city’s involvement are not catching on. Are modern Russian creative clusters similar to classic international models? What advantages do creative clusters have over cultural and shopping centres, coworking spaces, and other public spaces? How does a creative cluster help a region develop? What resources are essential for a project to be successful? How are creative clusters influencing Russia’s creative economy?

Moderator
Sofia Trotsenko, Founder of Winzavod Center for Contemporary Art, Member of the Civil Chamber of Moscow

Panellists
Beatrice Galilee, Founder, Executive Director, The World Around (online)
Sergey Kapkov, Head of the Centre for Culture Economy, Urban Development and Creative Industries Research, Faculty of Economics, Lomonosov Moscow State University
Andrey Klepach, Chief Economist, VEB.RF
Deniz Ova, Director, Istanbul Design Biennal (online)
Alexey Fursin, Head of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Development Department of Moscow
Ilya Chukalin, Chief Executive Officer, Presidential Grants Foundation

Front row participants
Alexandra Dorofeeva, Director, Center for Contemporary Art "Chicory"
Asya Filippova, Director, Creative Industries Center FABRIKA