The Art Scene in Russia

As a Russian artist living in the U.S. I often get asked about the art scene in my home country. Whilst living in Russia I was introduced to art from a young age. By the time I was an undergraduate in the country there were many more art foundations and institutes that provided artists with vital hubs to facilitate the international circulation of artists and professional development. It doesn’t quite compare to the art scene in New York for career development and for opportunities but the scene is unique.

To identify and measure how top creative cities in Russia compare nationally and internationally I used my own knowledge as well as the Creative Capital Index. The CCI assesses the creative economy encompassing: the social, cultural and educational landscape as well as the institutional infrastructure, and informal creative areas. These different facets all add to a city’s pull factor for professionals, allowing them to have growth in their creative potential. 

Moscow

There is no surprise that Moscow ranks #1 as the country’s creative capital. It’s the political and business center of Russia as well as the commercial center of the art scene. Nowhere else in Russia has the same level of highly qualified workers, creative specialists and forward-thinking investors in one place. In Moscow an aspiring arts professional can find specialist education, institutional support, social engagement within a creative community, economic diversification and a livable urban environment to support their profession. There are a large number of art venues in the city. These are just some of the ones worth visiting: XL Gallery, OVCHARENKO, Pop/Off/Art Gallery, RUARTS, Moscow House of Photography, The Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow Museums of Modern Art, Lumiere Gallery, and ISSMAG.

In 2021, a huge art center opened in Moscow called GES-2. Situated in a former power plant the impressive ‘House of Culture’ offers exhibitions, cinema, theatre, music, dance with public programs that include lectures, master classes and opportunities such as open calls for artists and other creative professionals. The building itself is incredibly impressive. The Moscow International Biennale for Young Art draws attention to new talent and gives a boost to the new generation of artists and curators in the country. It showcases leading art centers from the capital collaborating with national and international partners. The biennale has helped to boost the contemporary art community and bring in an international audience. Professionally it offers a lifeline to artists under the age of 35 to gain exposure to the professional art community: critics, curators and gallery owners.

St Petersburg

As the second largest city in the country St Petersburg has a lot to offer from prestigious universities, internationally renowned cultural institutions, modern infrastructure and incredible heritage. The city has many prominent IT companies and start-ups that have also influenced digital technologies in the creative sector. Even the oldest museums have seen digital revamps and makeovers to become more relevant and cutting edge in the past decade.

The long standing State Hermitage Museum houses over three million works and artifacts, and in recent years has started to focus programming on contemporary artists. Other cultural sites worth visiting include The Russian Museum,  Erarta Museum and Gallery of Contemporary Art, ROSPHOTO, Yusupov Palace and Freud’s Dream Museum.There are many other creative spaces in the city but contemporary art galleries such as Marina Gisich Gallery, Anna Nova Art Gallery and The Museum of Nonconformist Art have had a big influence on the city’s art scene by showcasing emerging artists. Gallerists such as Anna Nova have dedicated a lot of work to creating a vibrant art community, educating the new generations of young creative professionals and developing the art market in St Petersburg.

Kazan

The third city on the list is Kazan which is a major port on the left bank of the Volga River. The city is an important cultural, religious and economic center. Galleries worth visiting include the Smena Center for Contemporary Culture and the Gallery of Modern Art. The Alfuzov Loft is a former factory situated around 5km from the city center that hosts a program of exhibitions and performances, and coworking spaces for creative professionals. Likewise, Headquarters (Щтаб) is another site that offers event spaces and coworking opportunities.

What are your experiences of the art scene in Russia? Share your recommendations in the comments!