"Russian Creative Week – 2025" opens a new stage in the development of a values-oriented economy
A person is Russia’s main asset. Improving people’s quality of life is one of the key tasks set in the country’s national development goals. The creative economy, and the deeper integration of the creative industries into the traditional real sector, plays a crucial role in this. These issues were at the centre of the plenary session "A Developed Creative Economy as the Foundation for Achieving Russia’s National Goals", held on 25 September 2025 as part of the business programme of Russian Creative Week.
Speakers noted that the tools of a values-oriented economy help to achieve both specific goals (for example in construction, the automotive industry, trade) and broader social development (support for families, addressing staffing issues, improving healthcare, etc.). Successful project implementation requires cooperation and coordination between the authorities, creative businesses and the expert community.
Alexander Zhuravsky, Deputy Head of the Presidential Directorate for Social Projects of the Russian Federation, stressed that the country had drawn on international experience and had already made great progress in understanding what the creative economy is: a function of almost every sphere of production and the creation of any product. Wherever there is copyright and the use of human intellect, there is always an element of creativity.
According to him, the tools and ideas of a values-oriented economy help to achieve high results in a wide variety of processes. He added that Russian regions understand the methods required to reach particular targets.
"Take, for example, Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area, where every fourth family has many children. At first glance, what does this have to do with the creative economy? But firstly, they pay close attention to urban planning. Secondly, they create advertising featuring images of large families: a father, a mother, and three or more children. As you can see, advertising, lifestyle, urban planning — all this influences the achievement of indicators," he noted.
This year the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia is acting as the strategic partner of Russian Creative Week. At the session, Deputy Minister Tatyana Ilyushnikova pointed out that increasing the share of the creative economy in GDP has been recognised as an independent national goal, with a target of 6%. According to her, creative industries are developing four times faster than traditional ones. A significant number of Russians are employed in the creative sector, which makes a substantial contribution to the development of the national economy.
The key task at present is to build the institutional foundations and elements of the system for managing and supporting the creative industries not only at the federal level but, above all, at the regional level.
"Our regions are at different stages of awareness, implementation and deployment of institutions and tools for the development and support of the creative industries. We see that only about ten regions currently account for 80% of development. Therefore, a separate managerial and important institutional task for the ministry and the regions is to deploy all the basic institutions for the development and support of the creative industries specifically in the constituent entities of the Federation," Ilyushnikova stressed.
She added that the ministry is now collecting examples of best practices and tools. A model law has been sent to the regions — a document containing standard legal provisions. It establishes the criteria by which individuals, legal entities and individual entrepreneurs are to be classified as participants in the creative industries, as well as the procedure for confirming this status and maintaining the relevant register.
Maria Sinichich, Director of the Department for Comprehensive Development of Territories of the Ministry of Construction, Housing and Utilities of Russia, noted that today there is a trend towards small towns. According to her, it is important to improve the quality of the living environment there. To achieve this, it is necessary to nurture local teams so that they understand the value and importance of creating any creative product in their territory.
"Preparing municipal and regional teams will allow us to relaunch the meaning of a territory and create that very creative component of the industry in terms of the personal growth of all employees and residents, enabling people to be proud of their small towns," she stressed.
Sofia Malyavina, Director General of ANO "National Priorities", pointed out that creativity gives rise to new products and fosters innovative spaces in such areas as tourism, education, the agro-industrial sector, construction, architecture and industry. She emphasised that the creative industries drive the rapid development of most sectors of the economy. This applies not only to economic sustainability and the preservation of the national cultural code but also to digital transformation, science, and the development of regions and urban infrastructure.
Irina Makieva, Chief Managing Partner for Urban Development at the Business. Partnership. Development division of VEB.RF, noted that the main capital of a modern city is creative people, who attract like-minded individuals. She underlined the importance of focusing on uniqueness and identity. This principle should be applied in working with Russia’s small towns so that they can become places not only to earn a living but also to enjoy life.
In a large country, it is impossible to introduce positive innovations everywhere in the same way, following a single standard. Each region must determine how to use its strengths and develop the creative economy. Here, the role of the governor comes to the fore. Today the governor is no longer just an administrator but the producer of a region, creating new meanings and setting the way of life in their territory. Working with the creative class, developing values-oriented strategies and forming a unique cultural code are becoming key tasks for sustainable development. These issues were discussed at the session "Comprehensive Producing of Regions: Values-Oriented Approaches in Regional Development Strategies".
Marina Mongush, President of ANO "Creative Economy", Director of the Forum-Festival "Russian Creative Week" and the National Award in the field of creative industries, noted that in the past Russia developed its cities and territories based on a resource-type economy. But now a new economy has arrived — the creative economy.
"For six years now, ANO 'Creative Economy' has been working with different regions, offering and testing specific solutions. It seems the time has come to see whether it is possible to build a systemic approach to producing regions that would allow even resource-based regions, resource giants, to become leaders in the new type of economy," Mongush said.
Sergei Novikov, Chief of the Presidential Directorate for Social Projects of the Russian Federation, emphasised that in modern Russia the producer of a region is always the governor.
"Resources are generally limited in the regions, but perhaps the creative industries will become a powerful driver of growth. Everything depends on the first person in producing regions. And it has always been this way. When a wise king invited cultural and artistic figures to his country, a 'golden age' began. The producer of a region is, of course, the governor, so I am pleased that today we have governors present in such a broad spectrum," Novikov said.
Roman Karmanov, Director General of the Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives, reminded participants that there is currently strong competition between regions: each is looking for its own field in which to establish itself, and these fields often overlap.
"And of course, the governor together with their team determines where their region will go. It was the elements of the creative economy that gave residents the first signals that things were beginning to change, that society itself was changing," he noted.
The Head of the Republic of Mordovia, Artem Zdunov, stressed that the region places its main emphasis on the family.
"For example, we clearly understand that a toy should foster in a girl the image of a future mother. In children’s health camps, every month we give the child some useful skill," he said.
The Head of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Aysen Nikolayev, pointed out that the creative economy is not about machinery, tonnes or carats, but about human capital.
"There must be an ecosystem of the creative industries — this means education, large businesses, which should also act as customers for small creative enterprises. Of course, it also means the authorities, who should support, participate and promote — this development institution must be created," Nikolayev said.
The Governor of the Jewish Autonomous Region, Maria Kostyuk, stated:
"We have a huge number of talented people who have to feel useful and needed by the country. They need to live in a place where they are expected, where they can create and realise themselves. We understand that the creative industry helps retain the population and our new heroes in the territory. A new village with a different way of life will emerge. It is better to support them in working in nature, where they are protected from the urban agglomeration and adapt to a new norm of life."
It is important to maintain leadership where it has already been achieved, for example in digital services. Digital platforms have already become a new foundation of the economy, uniting people, business and content into an ecosystem. They are transforming the creative industries, opening up new opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses, facilitating the distribution of content and creating jobs. This topic was addressed at the session "Platform Economy: Digital Transformation of the Creative Segment".
Tatyana Ilyushnikova, Deputy Minister of Economic Development of Russia, highlighted the legislative aspect of the issue: she recalled that this year the law on the development of the creative industries and the law on regulating the platform economy were adopted. The second has not yet come into force, but an active dialogue is already under way between regulators, business representatives and sellers — entrepreneurs trading on marketplaces.
Speaking about the link between small business, platforms and the creative economy, the deputy minister stressed that a comparison of OKVEDs (Russian National Classification of Economic Activities) relating to the creative industries with the register of SMEs showed that 70–80% of sector participants are small and medium-sized enterprises actively working with platforms. Of one million sellers, three quarters use more than one platform service.
"It is obvious that digital formats and channels for selling goods, works and services reduce costs, expand markets, improve recognition and remove entry barriers. For business, this is unambiguously positive, and the further we develop, the greater the share of digital channels and sales will be in entrepreneurs’ portfolios," the deputy minister said.
"Digital platforms undoubtedly provide strong growth for the development of the tourism industry today," said Anton Basansky, Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic.
According to him, when a person sees a beautiful place on TV, they usually do not know how to get there. A digital platform makes it possible to reach the desired destination by purchasing a tour. Tourism, in turn, is a driver of the creative economy.
"Local ethnic groups, local endemic products — this is what every region is selling today. Because when we go, for example, to the Far East or the Arctic, we want to take something with us. Something unique, made in that region by hand — and it is not just souvenirs," the Deputy Minister noted.
Dmitry Gavrilenko, Director for Government Relations at Avito, drew a portrait of the average representative of the creative industry on the platform: a person aged 25–44, with the male–female ratio about 50/50.
According to him, the company compared the first half of 2024 and 2025 to see how people on Avito perceive the value of the creative industries.
"We saw explosive growth in both demand and supply. The most active categories are advertising, PR, marketing, design, drawing, and software," Gavrilenko noted.
Producer Nikolai Gorely, founder of the science and technology festival GEEK PICNIC and the CREATIVE GENERATION competition, shared what he called a visionary perspective. As he explained, a platform is an environment, an infrastructure, while the subject of the platform is a businessperson, an entrepreneur, a producer who generates content.
"In this sense, if version 1.0 platforms competed for audience, resources and attention, now they must compete for these entrepreneurs," Gorely believes.
In the context of digital transformation and global challenges, traditional spiritual and moral values gain particular importance as the foundation of national identity. Our times require new approaches to preserving and embedding them. Creative projects supported by the Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives serve as a bridge between past and future, passing on cultural heritage through modern formats and languages — as discussed during the session "Traditional Values: The Living Force of Modern Society".
Participants considered how art and creativity can strengthen social values, unite people and shape a sustainable cultural code of the country.
The audience heard the views of Roman Karmanov, Director General of the Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives; Russian synchronised swimmer, three-time Olympic champion, three-time world champion, nine-time European champion and Merited Master of Sport Maria Kiselyova; Russian singer, composer, poet, TV presenter, entrepreneur and People’s Artist of Russia Anita Tsoy; and Galina Starkova, head of the project "Connection of Generations 777. Pottery Festival in Tarusa". Maria Kiselyova spoke in particular about the staging of a water performance on a military theme, which combines sport and theatre. She noted that communicating values to an audience greatly depends on the storytelling, into which important meanings are embedded.
The video games industry is rapidly developing worldwide, and Russia is no exception. Therefore, it is necessary to take into account not only the positive aspects of this process but also its risks, related to legislative, financial and technological challenges. This topic was the focus of the session "Russian GameDev: Global Prospects and New Ecosystems".
Speakers shared their vision of how to achieve technological sovereignty in game development, including the issue of domestic engines. They described the state of monetisation in the new realities and discussed solutions to today’s pressing personnel challenge.
Among the speakers were Alexander Bodrov, Industry Adviser at the Agency for Creative Industries and Deputy Director General of the Organisation for the Development of the Video Games Industry; Gyulnara Agamova, Director General of ANO "AKI"; Jack Zheng, Vice President of QROAD Inc.; Vladimir Varenik, founder of the Indie Go Foundation and Accelerator; Ahmed El Sobky, Board Member of the Chamber of Information Technology and Telecommunications; Restya Winda Astari, CEO of Agate Academy; Daniil Yermolaev, Director of Development at VCIOM-Consulting; Ivan Chen, CEO of Antapura; Kim Si Woo, Head of International Sales at QROAD Inc.; and Pyotr Gogolev, Director for the Development of the Video Games Industry at the Innovation Development Fund of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).
The Forum-Festival "Russian Creative Week" is held with the support of the National Centre RUSSIA.
The VI Federal Forum-Festival "Russian Creative Week" is taking place at the National Centre RUSSIA.
The "Fashionable Russia" project combines travel shows, business interviews and online communities.
On 25 September hosted the plenary session "The Platform Economy: Digital Transformation of the Creative Segment".
