Music, cinema and more: how the city helps creative industries

Last year, more than 850 capital companies of the creative sector of the economy received subsidies, grants, preferential loans, as well as loan guarantees. In particular, two grants were initiated for the Moscow animation industry — to support commercial and non-commercial animation. The Moscow Government has allocated 100 million rubles for grants.

The city supports creative industries not only financially, but also in promoting their products and services across the country and the world, providing market analytics, education, creating infrastructure for successful work, conditions for the formation of a creative community.

Creative industries include such areas of the economy as the art industry, design, architecture and engineering, advertising, performing arts, publishing, information technology, software and video games development, cinema, television and radio broadcasting, typography, production of musical instruments, protection of cultural heritage, museum, library and archival work, creative education, photography, jewelry.

“In total, more than one million people work in the capital's creative sector of the economy. In 2021, the first capital’s service center for creative businesses was opened, and a decree of the Moscow Government was issued regarding implementation of a pilot project for arranging creative clusters and creative spaces. Moscow's projects were presented on the world stage, which was another important step towards promoting the creative industries of the capital,” said Alexey Fursin, Head of the Moscow Department of Entrepreneurship and Innovative Development.

The capital's Creative Industries Agency (AKI) helps receive the city’s support.

It focuses on requests from creative organizations, companies, and individuals. The priority is given to those solutions that can help a wide range of the creative community participants.

Create, present, promote

Any representative of the creative industries of Moscow can apply to AKI. To do this, one can fill out a feedback form on the official website. Requests are also generated at regular meetings with representatives of the creative community. All of them are discussed in the expert council of the agency. It consists of 55 participants. They are recognized professionals in various fields of art and economics, public opinion leaders.

In 2021, more than 150 requests were received from representatives of Moscow's creative industries, about half of them were implemented, and a quarter are currently in the process of implementing.

Last summer, the Creative Industries Agency opened the first service center for creative businesses (TsUB), where industry representatives can get free professional advice concerning the starting of their business, its management, financial and non-financial support from the city. Moreover, the TsUB, provides opportunity of working in the coworking mode. Since its opening, more than 300 consultations were rendered. TsUB is located on the territory of the Vinzavod contemporary art center.

In addition, last year the Moscow Government issued a Resolution On the Pilot Project of Implementing Creative Clusters and Creative Spaces in Moscow. Thanks to it, more creative places of attraction will appear on the map of Moscow both for residents of the city and for representatives of these industries. The status of a creative cluster and a creative space will allow one to receive financial support for development.

Participate in festivals, exhibitions, fairs

An important part of the agency's work is holding festivals, forums, exhibitions, fairs and other events that are important for the presentation of the capital's creative industries. In 2021, about 110 thousand people visited them. For the second year in a row, the capital participates in the Russian Creative Week — the largest federal fest forum — under the Created in Moscow brand. During the forum, about three thousand people visited the branded tent of Moscow. The capital's platform brought together companies, organizations, institutions and individuals of the creative community who create products at the intersection of art, science and technology, and also play a significant role in the economy of the metropolis.

With the AKI support filmmakers were able to present their products, as well as hold successful b2b meetings at several major specialized events in 2021. In June, “Key Buyers Event: digital” took place — this is the online-market international audiovisual content organized by Roskino and supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation. About 80 Moscow companies took part in it and presented more than 300 projects. According to the agreements reached, 20 countries will demonstrate the products of Moscow film companies, among them are France, Spain, the USA, Canada, Sweden.

In addition, the capital's artists, gallery owners and art critics had the opportunity to present the results of their activities at prestigious fairs with the assistance of AKI, in 2021. 30 galleries exhibited more than 500 artists’ works at major contemporary art fairs — Cosmoscow and blazar. Collectors, artists and foreign partners showed interest in the Moscow section. Sales at the Created in Moscow fairs exceeded 24 million rubles.

Last year, the Created in Moscow collective stand made by the Creative Industries Agency, was presented for the first time at the 23rd International Fair of Non-fiction Intellectual Literature. The project united and supported 11 Moscow publishing houses, which demonstrated their products with unique and innovative content: books with augmented reality effects, rare editions, books about art (music, theater, cinema). The total sales of the bookstand participants amounted to about two million rubles.

In addition, the Geek Picnic international festival was held in October of 2021 at the site of the Vinzavod Contemporary Art Center, where fans of innovative developments could get acquainted with the latest achievements of science and technology: flying taxis, VR rides, digital guitars, homemade electric vehicles. Thanks to the support of the city and AKI, 10 Moscow companies took part in the festival, the event was free for visitors.

Study up-to-date market analytics

At the end of 2020, representatives of the capital creative sector formed an important request for all industries about the need for market analysis. In 2021, analytical studies on the video game and architecture industries were completed. Research for such areas as design, advertising, publishing, art, performing arts and music will be completed in the first half of 2022.

They allow to assess the market size of a particular industry, the main players, existing business models, the number of employees involved, as well as identify promising niches for the business organization and its development. The analysis is international in nature, the capital is compared with other cities with a high degree of development of the market under study and the availability of state support measures. The results can be found on the website of the Creative Industries Agency. They are useful to the business community, representatives of creative areas, public authorities, students of specialized specialties, as well as to everyone interested in creative industries.

The Moscow Department of Entrepreneurship and Innovative Development created the Creative Industries Agency in 2020. Among its tasks are not only promotion of entrepreneurs, organizations and companies, but also the formation of a positive image of Moscow and its positioning as an international creative center. The Agency is a one-stop-shop service that supports all representatives of creative entrepreneurship in the capital in the following areas: international promotion, information and analytical assistance, financial and regulatory measures, education, interaction with the industry community, infrastructure development.