Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Winzavod Center for Contemporary Art – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Ministry of Economic Development:
Since 2021, the growth of gross added value of art industries in the creative economy has amounted to 11%.
One of the national goals is to increase the share of creative industries in the country's economy to 6% of GDP by 2030. In 2024, the art industry was designated as a separate sector within the Unified Plan for Achieving National Development Goals in Russia through 2030. Although the art industry's share of gross value added (GVA) in the overall GVA of the creative economy is relatively small (approximately 2%), the sector has high growth potential. This was stated by Russian Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov during a meeting with representatives of the art industries. Participants discussed key areas for the development of the art industry as an independent and promising sector of the creative economy.
According to the minister, Russia has accumulated unique cultural assets whose value will be preserved in the long term. The state's task is to create the conditions for unlocking this potential.
"Since 2021, the art industries' GVA has grown by approximately 11%. Their contribution to the overall creative economy is approximately 2%. The goal by 2030 is to maintain this figure at 2.3%," emphasized Maxim Reshetnikov.
The discussion focused on three main areas of focus for expert discussion. The first focused on establishing clear "rules of the game" for interaction between the art industry and the economy as a whole, including defining the industry's boundaries and assessing the performance of all its participants. The second focused on assessing the current state and identifying growth opportunities, where engaging both the professional collector community and a new mass audience plays a key role. The third area of focus focused on identifying barriers and accelerating development factors, such as the creation of creative clusters, the implementation of interdisciplinary projects with museums and the digital sector, and the replication of successful regional practices that promote territorial branding.
"We need to work with experts to define the sector's boundaries and develop practical objectives. These include identifying the sector's key features, ways to generate high added value, and potential opportunities for attracting investment in contemporary art," emphasized Maxim Reshetnikov.
The minister proposed focusing on the most substantive discussion possible, drawing on the practical experience of market participants. Case studies and expert understanding of industry development patterns are critical for developing an effective and efficient system of government support, he added.
"This is the first approach to 'digitizing' the art industries as part of the creative economy. Such industry meetings with representatives have already become traditional and help identify development focal points and fine-tune sector regulations. The results of these discussions will form the basis for practical actions and will be reflected in the Strategy for the Development of the Creative Economy through 2036," noted Tatyana Ilyushnikova, Deputy Minister of Economic Development of Russia.
During the meeting Association of Galleries presented the results of an art industry study conducted jointly with Pacioli Consulting in 2024-2025. The experts, among other things, defined the art industry and the art market, described the constituent entities, and identified key components that support the industry's functioning and development. According to their data, the industry employs approximately 113,000 people.
"This is an important, systematic meeting with those representing the professional cultural community to discuss the art industry not only from a cultural perspective, but also from an economic one. We outlined a number of barriers and growth opportunities for the art industry, based on research data and a realistic assessment of the industry's situation," commented Sofya Trotsenko, founder of the Winzavod Center for Contemporary Art and member of the Board of the Galleries Association.
Participants also discussed key issues in the development of the art industry: the need for a comprehensive approach to industry policy, the use of the creative potential of art in national and regional development, the expansion of museum collections with contemporary art, legal aspects of intellectual property and the status of contemporary artists, the conditions for the production and exhibition of works, as well as the international promotion and export of Russian artists.
The meeting was also attended by Irina Sedykh, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the OMK-Uchastie Charitable Foundation, founder of the Vyksa Festival, and philanthropist; Vasily Tsereteli, Academician, President of the Russian Academy of Arts, Director of the Moscow Museum of Modern Art, and Honored Artist of the Russian Federation; Alisa Prudnikova, Program Director of the GES-2 Community Center and the V-A-C Foundation; and others.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.