The Soul of Russia project will present the country's cultural heritage in a modern interpretation at the SPIEF

The Soul of Russia pavilion, an exhibition of the Roscongress Foundation's sociocreative platform, the Innosocium Foundation, with the support of the Presidential Foundation for Cultural Initiatives, will reopen at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2026.

The space will present a variety of projects at the intersection of culture, creative industries, design, social initiatives and regional artistic traditions, united by the idea of a modern interpretation of Russia's cultural heritage. The pavilion, whose architectural concept was developed by Vladimir and Alexander Plotkin, will show how traditions, folk art crafts and local identity become the basis for the creation of new brands, artistic practices and creative projects. The visual design of the pavilion is based on a combination of wood, metal and light, which emphasizes the current interpretation of the Russian cultural code – without museum intonation and stylization "antique".

"Cultural heritage is an important part of the creative economy and one of the factors in forming a recognizable image of the country. The Soul of Russia project allows us to talk about the cultural diversity of our country in a modern language — through design, art, gastronomy, regional brands and new creative formats. It is especially important that this initiative is being developed at the SPIEF venue, where culture is becoming part of the global economic and humanitarian agenda," said Anton Kobyakov, Adviser to the President of Russia and Executive Secretary of the SPIEF Organizing Committee.

The exhibition will feature more than 50 projects by Russian artists, designers, craft workshops and creative brands from all over the country. Among the exhibits are interior items, textiles, collectible porcelain, art objects, jewelry, inclusive projects and modern interpretations of folk crafts. For example, the participants of the exhibition will be the Imperial Porcelain Factory, the Fedoskin Miniature Painting Factory, the Ural Antifragility project, the Krestetskaya Strochka brand, as well as authors reinterpreting cultural heritage through the language of contemporary art and object design.

An art cafe will become a separate part of the pavilion, where guests of the forum will be served tea and coffee in original tableware of the creative brand Antifragility, created on the basis of Sysert porcelain and inspired by the aesthetics of the Russian countryside.

"Soul of Russia" will also be continued in the SPIEF gastronomic space.: A number of points on the forum site will operate under the auspices of the project, continuing the tradition of last year. Through local products, regional recipes, and sought-after restaurant formats, gastronomy will be presented as part of the country's cultural landscape.

In addition, more than 30 stands of Russian regions within the framework of the SPIEF Investment & Business Expo exhibition space at SPIEF 2026 will once again be united by the visual and semantic concept of the Soul of Russia project. At the same time, each pavilion will become a showcase of achievements, cultural code, peculiarities and traditions of its region.

"For us, The Soul of Russia is an opportunity to talk about the country in a modern visual and cultural language. We show Russia through talented people, local stories, design, art, gastronomy and social projects that are born in the regions. It is important that traditions here become not an archive of the past, but a source of new ideas, images and opportunities for the development of the creative economy," said Elena Marinina, Deputy Director of the Roscongress Foundation and Chairman of the Board of the Innosocium Foundation.

The project also includes a special lecture and discussion program. The Souls of Russia booth will host lectures and discussions on cultural identity, charity, business social responsibility, NGO development, inclusive practices, the music industry, high fashion, and the export of Russian creative brands. The winners of the VIII season of the All-Russian competition of social Projects "Innosocium" will also be awarded there.

The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum will be held from June 3-6, 2026.