Tatyana Golikova at the National Centre RUSSIA: Culture begins with infrastructure

Creating high-quality, meaningful cultural content is inseparable from developing infrastructure. The Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Tatyana Golikova, made this point at the National Centre RUSSIA during a meeting in the "Motherland Is People. Our Values" series. The dialogue took place on 4 September as part of the All-Russian project "What Does the Motherland Begin With?".

Tatyana Golikova emphasised that developing infrastructure is not simply about constructing buildings, but also about creating spaces where people can learn more about different forms of art, find inspiration and feel connected to traditions.

"Creating high-quality, meaningful cultural content is inseparable from developing infrastructure. We are proud when new cultural facilities appear in both large and small cities: they become centres of attraction for residents from across the region," said Tatyana Golikova.

Speaking about the scale of the work carried out, the Deputy Prime Minister highlighted the impressive results of the state's systematic efforts to modernise the sector: the growth of the museum network, the expansion of cinema screenings in the historical regions and the creation of virtual concert halls that make art accessible to people in different parts of the country.

"Over the previous decade, the number of museums in the country increased by 20%. Over the past four years, the number of cinemas in the historical regions has grown from two to 101. Thanks to the All-Russian Virtual Concert Hall project, residents of more than 500 communities far from major cities have gained the opportunity to watch performances by leading artists live and in high quality. The national project "Culture" concluded in December 2024, but its initiatives have continued in an expanded format under the federal project "Family Values and Cultural Infrastructure", which is integrated into the national project "Family". By 2030, another 11,000 cultural institutions will be modernised and equipped, while all regional philharmonic halls will be renovated and equipped," Tatyana Golikova continued.

She added that another important area of development is the "Culture of the Small Motherland" project, which supports the development of municipal and transport infrastructure in the regions, the construction and renovation of educational, healthcare and sports facilities, as well as improvements to parks, embankments and public spaces. These measures make Russia's smaller towns and rural areas more attractive both to residents and tourists.

"Motherland Is People" is part of the National Centre RUSSIA's original project "What Does the Motherland Begin With?". The series consists of several stages involving representatives of the Government of the Russian Federation, heads of federal executive bodies, regional leaders and opinion leaders.