“We can only wait to see what path the government will choose”

The general director of the Federation of Creative Industries (FCI) told Kommersant about the shortage of personnel in the creative industries and attracting investments into them. Igor Namakonov.

— How many industries do you consider creative industries? What industries are these?

— We base our projects on the UN rubricator, which includes 13 industries: IT, cinema and TV, fashion, design, art, marketing, new media, game development and computer graphics, music and sound design, architecture, urban planning, journalism, and here gastronomy is added.

But there is also a classification in large groups. There are four of them – cultural heritage, art-based, modern media industries and applied industries (architecture, fashion, design.— “Kommersant”). A large classifier provides a wider range of development, because creative industries are not a static topic and sphere. We must start from an understanding of what is added there depending on the development of human potential and ideas.

— What do you mean by “creative industries”?

— Of course, first of all, this is the type of economy, its sector. It is based on the capitalization of intellectual property in all areas of human activity: scientific, scientific-technical, cultural. The core of this economy is the creative industries, and the subject is creative entrepreneurs.

Accordingly, the task is to create conditions for increasing intangible assets and tools for their capitalization and integration into the market. A striking example was the program in Moscow for obtaining loans secured by intangible assets.

— When did the shortage of specialists in the sector arise?

“It has been felt since 2023, given the need for the creation of development centers in the regions, and the organization of intradepartmental committees and departments that would allow the topic to be dealt with substantively, and not on a residual basis. Separately, there is a large block of specialists within the market associated with management and production. The demand for them is growing.

There were still many authors. But the ability to create conditions for their development, distribution, and packaging of creative products is a great challenge. Until now, there has been no established mechanism for training such personnel. And the deficit will not decrease in 2024, since training for management and production in certain areas takes from two to four years.

— How should the industry be regulated?

— In the field of management of the circulation of rights to the results of creative activity, there is a center called RCIS. This is a form of public-state organization created with the participation of the market and relevant departments. I see the same structure that manages key issues and develops the sector with the creative industries. It remains to be seen which path the government will choose.

— What measures could make the industry more attractive for investment?

— We must understand that the priority creative industries of each region, based on the heritage, the existing market environment, are already dominant. Based on them, you need to build a plan of activity, understand the leaders who are present in each of the areas. It is necessary to form development centers, while there are not enough of them throughout the country; only 17 centers are known throughout Russia. Their number should grow.

It is also necessary to actively implement an agenda to protect rights and use intangible assets to increase capitalization. It is important to develop the banking system, which could be aimed at creating high-quality products for creative entrepreneurs secured by intangible assets.

Interviewed by Yulia Yurasova