Creative Leadership Day Held in Tomsk
Creative Leadership Day Held in Tomsk
On September 15, 2024, the Creative Leadership Day of Tomsk Region took place at the Young Spectator Theater in Tomsk. The event aimed at shaping the agenda and developing creative industries in the region. Over 1,000 representatives of the local creative business community, leaders of creative projects, interested residents, and guests of Tomsk Region participated in the event, including online viewers.
The uniqueness of the event lies in the combination of a business program and a show-presentation of regional achievements in the field of creative industries. This approach allows engaging various target groups and consolidating the professional community and government representatives around a common theme – the development of infrastructure for the local creative economy.
The business program of the event was divided into two independent tracks: cross-industry topics (the necessary legal framework in the region, education in creative industries, intellectual property protection, export of creative products) and topics on priority sectors for Tomsk Region.
The plenary discussion "Creative Leadership in Tomsk Region," featuring the participation of Natalya Kiseleva, Deputy Governor of Tomsk Region, opened the day: "Siberians are modest people and do not always talk about what they do, although they are doing unique things here. However, for some reason, we haven't yet learned to take pride in it. We would like to add two things: ambition and speed. We will be very grateful if Creative Leadership Day in Tomsk helps us move forward interms of ambition and speed because everything else is already here – enough to not only promote our country but also make groundbreaking discoveries on a global level. Let's add a bit of creativity, ambition, and speed, and I’m confident Tomsk will respond with ideas and reciprocity!" said Kiseleva.
Federal experts also took part in the discussion, including Sergey Matveev, President of the Intellectual Property Federation; Denis Kravchenko, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Economic Policy; Tatyana Rivchun, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Creative Industries at the National Research University Higher School of Economics; Vitaly Stavitsky, President of the Union of Designers of Russia, and others.
The plenary presented an audit of the creative entrepreneurship landscape in the region, highlighting key indicators like the number of registered legal entities and the revenue volume of organizations. Leading sectors included IT, gastronomy, cinema and animation, fashion, and publishing. Following the opening discussion, Natalya Kiseleva outlined the first necessary steps: "The key actions we need to implement in the near future are creating a dedicated center for the development of creative industries and promoting the practice of registering intangible assets for creative entrepreneurs."
During the interactive lecture-discussion "Digital Ecosystem of Intellectual Rights for Creative Entrepreneurs," experts discussed the rights of creators, how to protect intellectual property in creative industries, and how to safeguard against legal risks when creating, distributing, and monetizing content.
Sergey Matveev, President of the Intellectual Property Federation, noted: "Becoming an intellectual property owner for any creative person is now simpler than ever – just a few clicks in the NRIS service. Earning income from it is also easy – simply sign a digital contract on the IPEX platform. The most advanced blockchain registry – the RCIS.RF network – has practically reduced intellectual property management costs to zero. Today, creative business in Russia faces no legal 'friction' or obstacles in its progress."
"Often, entrepreneurs do not think about the existence of intellectual rights until their idea or product ends up in the hands of a competitor. But as soon as a violator infringes on their intellectual property, creators quickly learn how to defend their rights," emphasized Anna Sukhova, project manager of the Scientific and Educational Center for Intellectual Property and Digital Economy DigitalIP.
Speakers of the expert discussion "Educational Trajectory of Creative Industries" spoke about the current shortage of personnel, especially managers in the industry, the existing programs for training qualified specialists at the federal and regional levels, and how to build collaboration between different levels of education in the region – from school to college to university.
"I believe that for Tomsk Oblast, this event is not just important – it is necessary because our city is a student hub, representing a tremendous potential of creative energy that needs to be directed in the right direction. The main goal of our administration is to ensure that graduates don’t think about where to go next but rather consider how to stay here in Tomsk. Here, they should see opportunities for themselves, their children, their businesses, and their personal development. Currently, there is intense competition between regions and countries for human capital, and we, of course, don’t want to be left behind. We want to retain the best, most talented, intelligent, and thoughtful people here so that the region can prosper," said Larisa Vazhova, Acting Head of the Department of Culture of Tomsk Oblast.
In the "Cinema" section, speakers discussed the film industry in Tomsk Oblast, specifically the experience gained from the series "Social Networks," created by the local company CAST production in Tomsk, and what needs to be done to replicate such experiences.
"We had a very practical task – to understand where the film industry stands in Tomsk Region, and we successfully achieved that. Following the session, we plan to prepare solution that we could present to local authorities with specific proposals for developing the film industry," shared Konstantin Nafikov, producer and head of the creative association "Reflexion Films."
In the "Fashion" section, experts discussed the conditions for the development of the local fashion business and its systematic integration into Russian and international retail. During the discussion on cultural codes in local identity, the necessity of cross-sectoral cooperation between Tomsk's traditional crafts and their current positioning within the country was noted.
"Tomsk has immense potential for developing the fashion industry, traditional crafts, and handicrafts. The intellectual level of the people here is outstanding, they are highly educated, beautiful, and eager to move forward. We are ready to provide them with the tools they need!" emphasized Valentina Rostovshchikova, Chairperson of the Board of the FASHION HUB RUSSIA group and member of the General Council of the International Buyers Hub, moderator of the "Fashion" and "Crafts" sections.
Vitaly Stavitsky, moderator of the design-themed section, shared insights on the discussion about design: "We talked about design as an industry and its development in Tomsk Oblast: what new solutions can make the spaces and environment more comfortable for the region's residents. We also discussed the importance of promoting local designers and their work."
In the "Music" section, invited experts held a lively discussion with participants about the latest trends, the role of digital platforms, labels, and producers in artist development, and strategies for building a career in the modern music industry.
"Music is a highly competitive market, and today the main figure in this market is not the trackor the work itself but the person – the artist. If you have something to say to people and you possess charisma, even with modest musical skills, try it! There’s a big demand for personality and personal development," emphasized Dmitry Konnov, managing partner of Zvonko Group and moderator of the music section.
The event concluded with a Show-Presentation of the creative potential of Tomsk Region, where moderators Larisa Vazhova, Acting Head of the Department of Culture of Tomsk Region, and Igor M. Namakonov, General Director of the Creative Industries Federation, summed up the business program and highlighted the key takeaways of the day. The closing ceremony also featured the presentation of 100 creative leaders of Tomsk Region and showcased collaborative performances across key areas of the region's creative industries.
"Creative Leadership Day marks a new stage in the development of the creative industries agenda in Tomsk Region. We talked a lot about local creative leaders – people who are at the forefront of change, who operate in conditions of uncertainty and unpredictable market and technology developments. Tomsk Region greatly needs such talent today. Developing the creative industries' infrastructure is a sureway to foster and retain human capital in the region. Moreover, the current starting point is favorable for such development: Tomsk hosts six branches of federal universities. We need to reassess this potential, and I believe we have done so during Creative Leadership Day," said Igor M. Namakonov, General Director of the Creative Industries Federation.
The event was organized by the Department of Culture of Tomsk Region with the support of the Creative Industries Federation.
