5 September 2024

Creative framework 2030: development of creative industries in the Far East

The creative economy has become a global trend, with its share in the GDP of developed countries approaching 9%, while in Russia it is 2.5–3%. In particular, in the Far East, due to a small domestic consumption market and a shortage of personnel, this new economic trend is developing slowly. There are also no clear legal definitions of the very concept of creative industries. The solution to the problem may be the work on self-determination of the regions of the district, the introduction of educational programmes, and the creation of a register of personnel to help promote and enter the Asian market. These were the conclusions reached by the participants in the session ‘Creative Framework 2030: Development of Creative Industries in the Far East’, which took place as part of the Eastern Economic Forum.

 

KEY CONCLUSIONS

 

In the Far East, indicators in the creative economy are still formal in nature

“We recently held the Creative Industries Forum in Khabarovsk... And we had several sessions devoted to a big methodological, mathematical dispute about how to count the creative economy. We have formal indicators... I would not want to mislead anyone. To be honest, my opinion is that today we probably do not yet have such a single accepted methodology in the community or in the government. This discussion is still ongoing,” Elvira Nurgalieva, Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and Arctic.

“There are no clearly defined boundaries as to what should be considered a creative industry at all. Is creating a new aircraft engine a creative industry or not? It seems to me, yes. The PD-14 engine is a know-how, so it is a creative industry. Everything is actually relative here,” Dmitry Makhonin, Governor of Perm Territory.

 

Architecture, design and cinema have become the main areas of creative industries in the Far Eastern Federal District

“We see a great demand, and many regions are prioritizing architecture and design. This is largely due to the fact that we are now actively engaged in masterplans. In other words, the market itself for creating new objects and improving the territory has formed such an offer for those who are involved in urban planning, landscaping, and design in terms of urban development,” Elvira Nurgalieva, Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and Arctic.

“There are our strategic areas of development, which are defined in the strategy of socio-economic development of the region. This is design, cinema, animation, IT-technology, fashion, development of crafts in terms of supporting small and medium-sized businesses mainly in rural areas,” Dmitry Makhonin, Governor of Perm Territory.

 

The Creative Industries Act will facilitate the provision of targeted support

“Our law [on creative industries, – Ed.] will allow governors to provide targeted support. <...> We are creating conditions for the rapid growth of a new sector of the economy,” Denis Kravchenko, Deputy Chairman of the Committee of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation on Economic Policy.

“When the law on creative industries was being drafted, I asked for it to be more of a framework to leave room for people. The worst thing we can do in the country’s creative industries today is to regulate the process,” Aisen Nikolaev, Head of Sakha Republic (Yakutia).

“The law is more of a framework. It is conceptual in nature. I believe that it is a novelty in Russian legislation. We have defined a whole sphere of economy and defined creative economy, creative industries, creative product, infrastructure for creative industries, which starts with clusters and continues with centres and so on, distributed powers between the federation and the regions, defined possible formats and measures of support, including property support,” Denis Kravchenko, Deputy Chairman of the Committee of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation on Economic Policy.

 

PROBLEMS

 

Regions lack information about their creative potential or underestimate it

“Regions are often shy and do not fulfil the potential they possess. <...> A huge number of companies that left in 2022 formed both jobs and projects for the creative class. The creative class is used to working with big international brands, while Russian brands currently working on import substitution do not yet know how to use the creative class to solve their problems,” Ekaterina Cherkes-zade, Director of the Center for the Development of Creative Economy, Agency for Strategic Initiatives to Promote New Projects.

“The word ‘shy’ must leave the region, both at the state and regional level. <...> We should be proud,” Mikhail Khomich, Chief Managing Director, Chief Strategist, VEB.RF.

 

SOLUTIONS

 

Creating conditions for education in the creative economy

“We are trying to launch educational programmes as part of all activities in this area. There are separate programmes at the Arctic Institute of Culture, and a branch of the VGIK in Khabarovsk is already opening next year,” Elvira Nurgalieva, Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic.

“We must create conditions for creative people to fulfil their potential on the territory of the Republic. To do this, of course, we must train people, educate them. And this is exactly the task that no one but the state will undertake. <...> We unite our North-Eastern University [Ammosov North-Eastern Federal University (NEFU), – Ed.] with the Arctic Institute of Culture and Art, which we want to gradually transform into a university of creative industries,” Aisen Nikolaev, Head of Sakha Republic (Yakutia).

 

Bringing Russian creative products to Asian markets

“Our key bet is exports and our cross-border location. Here, the barriers to entry to Asia Pacific markets are an order of magnitude lower than with real sector products. Our competitive advantage [is] the existence of links historically formed in the Far East with the Asian market: when there is an understanding of how the economy works, what cultural codes our Asian neighbours have, that allows us to enter this environment,” Elvira Nurgalieva, Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and Arctic.

 

* This is a translation of material that was originally generated in Russian using artificial intelligence.

For more information, visit the Roscongress Information and Analytical System roscongress.org.

 

 

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