Cultural Development: A Key Step Towards a New Quality of Life

4 September 2021

Cultural Development: A Key Step Towards a New Quality of Life

KEY CONCLUSIONS

The level of cultural infrastructure development has immediate effect on the quality of life and the possibilities for personal fulfilment

“The truth is that just such projects as, for example, the Opera and Ballet Theatre, the Tretyakov Gallery, the Philharmonic, the Institute of Arts, the Gorky Theatre have a direct and immediate effect on how people live here”, Roman Karmanov, Chief Executive Officer, Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives.

“There should be opportunities for people to succeed; to succeed in a place that they come from. <...> If people have a chance to fulfil their potential and develop their talents to the maximum, they are going to stay here in Vladivostok,” Eldar Aliev, Chief choreographer of the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre.

“Jobs and the opportunity to fulfil their potential for people who want to be connected with the cultural sphere: it is an essential thing that could bring a sense of quality to their lives,” Larisa Kotreleva, Director of the Branch of the State Tretyakov Gallery in Vladivostok.

Young people cannot be held back from leaving without creating new opportunities for them

“Self-realization, in my opinion, is a basic human need, and, of course, it has a direct influence on improvement of the quality of human life; in the case of the Russian Far East, of course, it has a direct influence on a person’s willingness to settle here in these parts,” Roman Karmanov, Chief Executive Officer, Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives.

“Young people who are actually leaving, and whom we want to stay, they need this movement. They need to feel a sense of belonging to something big and important, so that they do not need to go anywhere far, because they can get a sense of pride here,” Yulia Klimko, Director, Enso Foundation for Cultural Initiatives.

“Young people try new things, and we cannot put up any barriers or obstacles for them; young people will always look for better life,” Maxim Kosenko, General Director, Youth House (Komsomolsk-on-Amur).

PROBLEMS

Funds allocated for development of the cultural sphere in the Far East are insufficient

“Only 1% of regional budgets is spent on youth policy in the regions of the Russian Far East, and if we actually want to successfully work with young people, with the environment for the youth, I think that 1% of the budgets is not enough,” Maxim Kosenko, General Director, Youth House (Komsomolsk-on-Amur).

“We actually spend little money on culture – I mean budget spending. <...> Being happy, not being in need, and having a chance to realize your potential, because such an opportunity exists – that is exactly the quality of life that money should be spent on,” Roman Karmanov, Chief Executive Officer, Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives.

Lack or complete absence of cultural infrastructure in the regions of the Far Eastern Federal District

“People who leave Vladivostok or Primorye Territory and do not return argue that elsewhere they can find opportunities not only to fulfil their potential, but to actually live <...> they go to creative clusters, art centres, museums – all the infrastructure that is not sufficiently developed in the Russian Far East,” Yulia Klimko, Director, Enso Foundation for Cultural Initiatives.

“Indeed, there is a lack of infrastructure. The Primorye State Art Gallery is doing a wonderful job, albeit, they have to remove their permanent exhibition in order to bring over a large temporary one, so their conditions are tight,” Larisa Kotreleva, Director of the Branch of the State Tretyakov Gallery in Vladivostok.

“Khabarovsk really lacks open spaces for the young. Here in Vladivostok, there is a real street culture emerging, with street art and skateparks. <...> We do not have enough clusters for creative and talented young people in the Far East,” Maxim Kosenko, General Director, Youth House (Komsomolsk-on-Amur).

SOLUTIONS

Government should provide support for leisure facilities, especially in terms of financing

“With every additional rouble spent on culture, crime goes down and people living in the region get more involved. This will ultimately bring us closer to the solution of the problem that we all try to solve: how to make people stay in the Far East and make sure they live here happily,” Roman Karmanov, Chief Executive Officer, Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives.

"We should continue spending big to support theatres, art galleries, etc., and to bring celebrity conductors, performers, paintings, exhibitions, projects and so on, in order to create an environment here, so that this environment could be sustained further down the line,” Alla Smorodinova, Vice-Rector for International Relations, Innovation and Additional Education, Far Eastern State Institute of Arts.

“Street culture exists today, and there are many festivals. <...> It is time for the government and the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East to pay attention to this phenomenon, because it will greatly involve young people and push them to develop a healthy and creative lifestyle,” Maxim Kosenko, General Director, Youth House (Komsomolsk-on-Amur).

“We would like the museum to become a kind of a place for discovery, not only for those who visit the city, but also for the locals who could discover something new for themselves,” Larisa Kotreleva, Director of the Branch of the State Tretyakov Gallery in Vladivostok.

Introduction to culture from childhood

“There is less juvenile crime among children who are introduced to art, by a certain percentage. Children who are introduced to art are better at studies. Children who are introduced to art succeed greatly. <...> This is a very important and proper investment,” Eldar Aliev, Chief choreographer of the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre.

“We could pay attention to human resources. From a young age, a person should be able to draw a little, dance a little, sing a little. <...> If we do not teach them that, we are never going to bring them into concert halls and museums,” Alla Smorodinova, Vice-Rector for International Relations, Innovation and Additional Education, Far Eastern State Institute of Arts.

For more information, visit the Roscongress Foundation’s Information and Analytical System at roscongress.org.

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