Vivid meanings: what role will creative industries play in the Russian economy
Creative industries in Russia are gradually becoming an important part of the economy, combining technology, art, design, media and other areas based on knowledge and intellectual labor. Today, this sector accounts for about 4.3% of the country's GDP, and its volume reached 8.26 trillion rubles by the end of 2025. The industry has a new task — to increase the contribution of the creative economy to 6% of GDP by 2030, which will require creating conditions for the development of entrepreneurship, investment and the entry of Russian projects into new markets. Why creative industries are important for the country's economy and what their development prospects are — in the Izvestia article.
A growing sector
In recent years, Russia's creative economy has grown significantly. So, in 2017, it occupied 2.8% of the country's GDP (2.3 trillion rubles), in 2020 — 3.1 trillion rubles, and in 2023 - 6 trillion rubles.
In 2025, software development made the largest contribution to the creative economy — 39.29%, advertising and PR — 15.08%, performing arts — 11.31%. Architecture and urbanism, gastronomy, entertainment, media and cinema also accounted for significant shares. As a result, by the end of last year, the volume of Russia's creative economy reached 8.26 trillion rubles, and its contribution to the country's total GDP amounted to 4.3%. At the same time, the government plans to increase this share to 6% by 2030.
Youth is one of the key drivers of the development of creative industries in the SME segment: entrepreneurs under the age of 35 make up more than 50% of businesses in areas such as computer game development, blogging, online training and animation production, Alexander Isaevich, CEO of SME Corporation, told Izvestia. Young entrepreneurs are both producers and consumers of creative products, actively changing the market: their share in recording and publishing music is approaching 60%, in developing and maintaining web portals - 55%, in advertising agencies — 53%.
At the same time, the growth of youth activity, according to him, is directly related to the development of creative industries. In five years, the number of enterprises in the field of information services has increased 4.5 times with an increase in the share of young sole proprietors from 43 to 51%; in the field of educational courses in IT — 3.5 times with an increase in the share of young people from 52 to 61%; in the production of films and TV programs, the share of entrepreneurs under 35 has increased from 35 to 48%, and the number of SMEs has almost doubled. Young entrepreneurs are creating new formats, developing ecosystems, and stimulating the renewal of the entire market.
Regional cross-section
Russia's creative economy is developing not only in the capital: about half of the industry's income is already generated outside Moscow. Among the largest regional centers of creative business, St. Petersburg, the Moscow Region and the Krasnodar Territory stand out.
In the field of IT and software development, St. Petersburg and the Moscow region occupy strong positions, which are among the leaders in terms of gross value added. The Krasnodar Territory and the Sverdlovsk Region are among the top 5 in terms of the number of technology companies and the volume of transactions in the digital sphere. Novosibirsk and Tomsk regions, as well as Udmurtia, are known for their developed software market and support for IT projects.
The Moscow Region, Yakutia, Novosibirsk Region and Tatarstan occupy prominent positions in cinema and animation. At the same time, Yakut cinema has become a separate phenomenon thanks to original films that are recognized by audiences and festivals.
Support for initiatives
State support for creative industries in Russia today is based on the federal law "On the Development of Creative Industries in the Russian Federation." It was this document that consolidated the official status of creative entrepreneurs and opened up access to various assistance measures for them. At the same time, the Ministry of Economic Development coordinates the direction. To use most of the programs, companies must comply with the OKVED profile codes from 16 areas and enter the Unified Register of Subjects of Creative Industries.
Financial assistance remains one of the main support tools. So, for creative businesses, there is a preferential lending program at 3% per annum: up to 3 million rubles can be allocated for working expenses, and up to 5 million rubles for the purchase of fixed assets. At the same time, the term of such loans is up to 36 months. In addition, entrepreneurs can use the usual measures to support small and medium—sized businesses - preferential microloans, government guarantees and guarantees. Subsidies are also provided to help companies enter stock exchanges and investment platforms.
In addition to financial instruments, the government is developing tax incentives, grant programs, and infrastructure. For example, in some regions, reduced tax rates apply to participants in the register of creative industries — in the Leningrad Region, the Income rate is 2%. Grants also play an important role: the Presidential Foundation for Cultural Initiatives supports projects in the fields of design, film, music, literature, and architecture, and regional programs can provide up to 1 million rubles for prototyping, purchasing equipment, and developing new products. In addition, mandatory labeling of goods has been abolished for craftsmen and artisans, which helps to reduce costs.
Finally, serious attention is being paid to the promotion and expansion of sales markets. Creative entrepreneurs get the opportunity to work in specialized clusters and hubs, rent premises on preferential terms and use ready-made infrastructure in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other major cities. Moreover, the government helps local brands, designers and artisans to participate in exhibitions, fairs and business missions. The Russian Export Center (REC) and the SME Corporation, in turn, support the entry of creative companies into marketplaces, retail chains and foreign markets, including Asian and BRICS countries.
The prospects of creativity
Such areas as software development and video games, cinema, animation, design, advertising, digital media, architecture, music, fashion and folk crafts have the greatest opportunities for growth, Dmitry Kotov, Dean of the Higher School of Creative Industries (Faculty) of Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, told Izvestia. These areas have strong professional competencies within the country, are easily scaled thanks to digital technologies and can enter international markets.
At the same time, the development of creative industries is hampered by the high cost of financing, lack of investment, problems with copyright protection, administrative barriers and a lack of specialists with managerial and digital skills. Other difficulties include dependence on foreign technologies, the gap between regions, and difficulties in accurately assessing the scale of the industry.
To increase the share of the creative economy to 6% of GDP, Russia needs to accelerate the growth of this sector through the development of entrepreneurship, intellectual property protection, affordable financing and export expansion, Dmitry Evdokimov, a researcher at the IPEI Research Center for Spatial Analysis and Regional Diagnostics at the Presidential Academy, told Izvestia. Regional clusters, support for small businesses, and high—potential areas such as IT, video games, movies, animation, design, architecture, and digital content will play an important role.
"At the same time, the development of the sphere is hampered by a lack of investments in intangible assets, problems with copyright protection, a shortage of specialists and a high concentration of opportunities in large cities," the expert noted. — Creative industries can become one of the tools for economic diversification: they create new jobs, support small businesses and allow regions to turn cultural features into in-demand products for domestic and foreign markets.
Izvestia sent a request to the Ministry of Energy, but no response had been received at the time of publication.
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