Creative industries in the Kaliningrad region:
11 stories of success
11 stories of success Creative industries in the Kaliningrad region
This publication is based on the research report prepared in the framework of the project “The Development of Creative Industries in the Kaliningrad Region” implemented by The Information Office of the Nordic Council of Ministers in Kaliningrad and NGO Agency for Support of Cultural Initiatives “Tranzit” in 2011–2013. Project manager — director of the Agency for Support of Cultural Initiatives “Tranzit” Yulia Bardun. Report prepared by Anna Karpenko, PhD in Political Sciences, social researcher, project expert.
Contents
Introduction 6
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GuitarPlayer.ru: the largest Russian forum for guitar players
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Chocolate boutique “Rominten”: delicacies from the forest
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Dima Kudryavtsev: fashion design
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AIRGRIND company: A fantasy game
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Kaliningrad City Jazz: music and pragmatics
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“Kvartira” club — a tourbillion of people, ideas and things
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“Prussian honey”: the amber post-modernism and the Baltic ethnics
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Cafe-club “Reporter”: non-fiction in the former industrial zone
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WHY: internet fashion magazine
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Computer games: KranX Productions
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Graphic design studio “Pictorica”
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Kaliningrad Creative Industries Development Project: a summary
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Introduction
Creative and cultural industries
The aim of this book is to present 11 stories of success — 11 projects, where the creative spark and the conception of a unique product are directly connected to business purposes. Through these stories we want to show the modern-day Kaliningrad region.
The notion of “creative industries” has been put on the agenda quite recently. It was Great Britain that appeared to be the pioneer in promoting the discourse of “creative industries” in late 1990-s — early 2000s. According to the British definition, creative industries are those that originate from an individual creative concept, skill and talent, and that have the potential of producing economic goods and workplaces by creating and making use of an intellectual property. Cultural industries combine the conception, production and distribution of cultural products and services that are usually protected by intellectual property rights (definitions by UNESCO and GATT). The difference between cultural and creative industries lies primarily in financial sources for projects and their initiator (governmental subsidies for culture, especially for its traditional sectors in cultural industries and solvability and grassroot initiatives for creative industries).
The main facts about the region are well-known. This is a Russian exclave on the coast of the Baltic Sea that borders on the countries of the European Union and occupies the former territory of East Prussia after the Second World War. What makes this place genuinely unique? That could probably be the mixture of the artifacts of Russian, Soviet and East Prussian cultures and the landscape that has formed here through these years. This is the special mentality of the local people — descendants of the Russian migrants, seamen and fishermen, who build their uneasy relationship with the pre-war legacy, that fell to their lot. The “Europeness” of the region is not only contained in its geographical proximity to Europe, but also in its diversity and the melange of cultures, the hybridity, the openness and readiness to accept everyone. The power of mind and creation has the right to be considered one of the resources that pushes forward this place and its genius loci.
Creative industries play an important role in shaping public spaces and the special ambience of the city, a communicative environment that has a particular importance for both the locals and tourists. It’s in-
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teresting to live in such places, one wouldn’t want to leave them. Cultural industries influence the image of the region, its position in the Russian and international contexts. They create attractive employments, especially for young people.
best. The task was to show the various trajectories of the development of creative businesses in the Kaliningrad region. Some of them are more centered on the creative aspect, while others are more business oriented. Some people work as a team, while others prefer a more individualistic approach. That, which brings together all of them, is the bright, interesting people bringing to life their ideas and loving the place they live and work in. This is them who create the Kaliningrad region, that you wouldn’t like to leave.
We have identified the following more or less developed sectors of creative industries in the Kaliningrad region: event industry (festivals, celebrations) and performing arts (music, theatre); club industry; computer games; photo-, video production and sound recording; souvenir produce and applied arts (including artistic amber processing); publishing and design; architecture.
Choice of stories for the book Current publication is greatly based on the mapping of the Kaliningrad region’s creative industries, carried out in the framework of the project “The Development of Creative Industries in the Kaliningrad region” in 2012-2013. We have identified the “points of growth” in the field of creative industries in the region, that determined the choice of stories for this edition. We might have left out fascinating and lively projects, which are no less important than the ones presented here. We didn’t aim at choosing the 7
GuitarPlayer.ru: the largest Russian forum for guitar players The GuitarPlayer project was launched in Kaliningrad in 1999 by Mikhail Kuzmin. It was created as a forum for guitar players, as a platform for communication and information exchange between those fond of playing the guitar. At the moment it’s the most frequented guitar resource in Russian. Throughout the history of the forum over 6 million messages were published. Currently there are over 100000 registered users. The resource is known by practically everyone who is working in the Russian music industry.
rum. It’s wrong. People feel it very subtly. They wouldn’t go there where someone tries to make money on them, to profWhen Mikhail Kuzmin was young he enjoyed playing the guitar. At one point he was confronted with it from them in any way. The commercial aspect appeared a serious choice: music or information technologies? on its own, we began to have advertisers and sponsors”. History
It is then that he got an idea to create an authentic As of today, the forum is rated top 10 favorite Rusproject that would help all the guitarists share infor- sian music sites. Unlike many sites with “parasite mation. In 1999 when Internet was in its initial stage content” whose traffic is based on music downloads in Russia, social networks didn’t exist and one had in MP3 format, GuitarPlayer is a real platform for to use FIDO to talk on-line, the 20-year old Mikhail communication where one can get a piece of advice launched a small site where he uploaded the infor- on the choice of instruments, playing techniques, mation on guitar playing. In 2000 the forum Guitar- take part in on-line improvisations and winning jams in guitar playing. The forum supports Russian manPlayer.ru was created. ufacturers making musical instruments. In no time the project became popular and received the awards “Baltic net” and the possibility of hosting The portal offers video lessons of guitar playing by a Kaliningrad provider E-Type. Initially the project delivered by professional musicians and teachers. wasn’t supposed to be commercial. Creative at its The forum’s sections are moderated by volunteers. heart, it wasn’t thought of in terms of the business Mikhail administers the top level himself. The project that wasn’t initially thought of as commercial yields logic of popular present-day start-ups. stable profit, at the same time, its costs are quite low, Mikhail Kuzmin: “The original idea was just to com- and from time to time there are also expenses desmunicate, talk about guitars and everything tied to them, tined at the project support. The portal is regularshare information. I didn’t try to make money of the fo- ly manifested off-line. Since 2006 it has held a fes8
Results
tival of guitar music GuitarPlayer Party in clubs in Moscow. The unique concept of GuitarPlayer Party favors young guitarists of any age, style and music genre alongside famous musicians. Every year GuitarPlayer Party unites over 30 guitar players that belong to a multitude of genres from all over Russia from Moscow to Vladivostok.
• The favorite guitar forum in Russia • Guitar music festival GuitarPlayer Party that unites both renowned and young musicians • A platform that supports Russian manufacturers of musical instruments
Challenges and solutions
• A meeting place for the representatives of music industry and musicians
The resource has been managed by one founder through all of these years, whereas it’s not his professional occupation (Mikhail is heavily engaged in computer games industry). How did it become possible to create a steadily developing large product where there are no permanent employees? Such a system is supported by creative, personal and business motivations of many people. Moderators of the site’s sections are working as volunteers, at the same time realizing their creative ambitions. In case of a conflict the owner of the forum mitigates the disputes, that is him who has the last word. At the beginning there were rigid rules for the forum, one couldn’t use swear words. A very high level of competency and professionalism was set that attracted the users. The forum became the place where one could get an answer from experienced people. This policy created a favorable reputation for the forum that now exists on its own.
• Stable profit, minimum loss
Facts Year of creation: 1999 Owner and founder: Mikhail Kuzmin
(aka Kuzmich) Number of visits: 250000 unique visits
per month, 16000 per day Number of registered users: 100000 Web-site: forum.guitarplayer.ru
Why would the format of the forum remain popular? A lot of trends have changed during the history of GuitarPlayer. Forums appeared at the very beginning of the Internet, in the era of USENET echo-conferences. Then FIDO appeared. These days these are social networks which are popular. Forums outlived practically everything. Mikhail is sure that forums will endure when social networks will disappear. The future of information platforms is not in the unique resources where it’s hard to figure out the main themes and to assess the level of qualifications of those who enter in intercourse. It’s in thematic projects that were created by an audience with common field-specific interests. That is why a popular forum will remain a resource in demand with a serious future.
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Chocolate boutique “Rominten”: delicacies from the forest A chocolate boutique “Rominten” is an author project by Sergey Chesnulevicius and Anatoly Shishkin that they launched in 2012. They produce high quality chocolate products in a small village of Krasnolesye located in the far east of the Kaliningrad region, almost bordering with the Polish and Lithuanian frontiers. In a short time Sergey and Anatoly managed to create a well-recognizable local brand of sophisticated chocolates in which they use what nature of the Vyshtinets plain gives. History The idea of creating a chocolate boutique “Rominten” may seem quite paradoxical: in an off-the-beaten track village produced are the chocolate products of a very high quality, which one would expect to be most likely an urban project. Here the symbol of effeminate civilization is produced based on the natural and historical specificity of the enterprise’s location.
rivers. Those who visited the place are fascinated by the grandeur and calmness of these distant territories. The nature and history of the Rominten area is multi-faceted and unstable. It attracts those who are searching for a reunion with nature. Many are examples of urban dwellers, who moved here and started a completely new life. At the same time, the poorly populated border areas face significant economic issues such as high unemployment and insufficient incomes. Being located far away from large economic centers affects the quality of life. Successful examples of creative entrepreneurship are particularly unique and valuable in such areas.
The “product — location” relation is reflected both in the title and the characteristics of the goods manufactured. Up until the end of the Second World War Rominten Heide (now the Red forest and RominSergey’s life has always been tied with the forest. ska puszcza in Poland) was a single natural comAfter graduating from school in the Krasnolesye vilplex of East Prussia, well-known hunting area and lage and serving the army he went on to study bithe favorite resort of the Königsberg nobility. After ology. Then he worked as a teacher in the village the Second World War this territory was divided beschool, was engaged in nature protection missions tween Russia, Poland and Lithuania. One and the and actively participated in establishing the Vyshsame natural complex is now shared by the three tinets Museum of Local History and Nature. Anacountries separated by borders. These are vast toly has devoted many years to equestrian sports at forest lands, hilly landscapes, clear lakes and fast 10
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the Georgenburg horse farm in Chernyakhovsk. In 2012 the two decided to launch their own enterprise. They were inspired by honey made of chestnut flowers, which called up an idea of hand-made chocolates, flavors of a wet forest, meadows with ripe berries, warm sphagnum moor carpet with cranberries, fallen apples partly eaten by wasps… The idea was growing and eventually getting its supporters. A new level — entrepreneurship — was a serious step for Sergey and Anatoly. Rominta chocolate products are only made of high quality cocoa from the two counties of South America, Columbia and Ecuador, which is considered the best cocoa in the world, the so-called cocoa “fino de aroma“.
found its clients and admirers not only among those who come from the Kaliningrad region, but also from beyond.
Challenges and solutions
Entrepreneurs-newcomers are faced with a multitude of challenges. Manual production of chocolates is a time— and effort-consuming process. Apart from this, production processes are rather aimed at delivering a product with a subtle and authentic taste and look, than at increasing performance, lowering the face value and prolonging storage time of products. The main aim is to provide gustatory and aesthetic pleasure with premium class chocolates, not to simply satisfy the need in something sweet. Experiments with injecting local natural constituents This means that one needs to have good sales chanin the chocolate fillings (such as flavoring herbs, fruit, nels. Hand-made candies of subtle quality can not berries) proved to be a successful move and are be a mass product by virtue of their high price (startused seasonally. A very important attention is paid ing from 250 roubles for a 100-gramm box of chocoto package, that bears the symbolics of the Romintlates). It’s a niche product destined for a connoisseur. en forest and provides information about the place. In a fairly short time the Rominten chocolate has 11
The potential buyer can find the produce of the boutique through social networks, VKontakte and Facebook pages. Moreover, tastings and sales also take place at different fairs and cultural and gastronomic events in Kaliningrad. Chocolates are bought as gifts for various occasions and corporate events. These channels seem to be sufficient at the first stage, but as the production is growing, new solutions will have to be found. Regular direct orders is an ideal option, which the Rominten boutique aspires for. There is a global trend of turning hand-made chocolate production into a creative sector, when a consumer does not just buy a product, but also participates in the tasting, thus receiving information and impressions from all their sensory organs. Opening such a chocolate shop based on the experience shop model, should become the next step for “Rominten”. The link with the place is crucial, as it not only gives the visitors a possibility to try chocolates or partake in its making, but also enlarges their knowledge of the Rominten forest and allows them to remember the taste along with fascinating images and views. The package design should also contribute to this, and there are new prospects opening in this respect that envisage the involvement of artists. The proximity of the Red forest to Poland and Lithuania should open up new opportunities for bringing the produce to the wider regional markets.
Results • High quality product for connoisseurs • Recognizable local brand • Use of local and seasonal products • Promoting the image of the Rominten forest
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Facts Foundation date: 2012 Owner: Sergey Chesnulevicius Number of employees: 2 Web-site:
vk.com/rominten_chocolate fb.com/Rominten.chocolate
Dima Kudryavtsev: fashion design Dima Kudryavtsev is one of the most talented young fashion designers in Kaliningrad. The distinctive features of his style are the womanly silhouette, simple fit alongside a complicated decoration, sexuality devoid of vulgarity. Five years before delving professionally into fashion design and dress making Dima managed to create himself a reputation, build up his client base and lay foundations for further promotion of his brand in the fashion world. In winter 2014 Dima plans to open a showroom that will sell clothes with the DVK label.
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History
Dima has always liked to draw and wanted to dress “differently”. Nevertheless, his first serious encounter with a sewing machine happened only after he graduated from school. Dima got enrolled in the economic faculty, but by his fourth year he understood Challenges and solutions that he wanted to be a professional fashion designer. After he had finished the university with a major The abundance of global mass prêt-à-porter brands in economics, he went on for a second higher ed- that has started its invasion in the Russian market ucation degree in fashion design in Moscow. There in the 2000s is a serious rival for individual dress Dima acquired valuable connections, but his real making. Old soviet-type ateliers have almost disapprofessional school was the boutique “The World peared from the city map. Ready made clothes is of Fabrics” in Kaliningrad. It is here that in two years cheap, short lived, easily available and attractive by he had grown from a designer to a head of depart- its diversity. To find clients a designer has to posment and learnt a lot from tailoresses. He started to sess something genuinely authentic, and not only work independently in 2008, when he got first se- propose clothes that fit one perfectly, but also help rious orders. Ever since Dima has created several in shaping one’s own individual style. The combicollections and has become a trendy Kaliningrad nation of creative ambitions, maintaining a sufficient designer. He’s currently planning to expand his busi- aesthetic level and an ability to establish a good conness and launch a showroom together with Kseniya tact with a client is a challenging task for a designer-newcomer. Dima manages to solve these probTrapeznikova in Kaliningrad. lems, he sparks with optimism. 13
Dima Kudryavtsev: “Kaliningrad is a wonderful
to go further to the neighboring Europe to take part in professional seminars and workshops.
ground for a designer: it combines the proximity to Europe, beautiful people and the sea!” In Dima’s point of view, the major problem is a lack Having formed his own womanly, seductive and at the same time simple style, Dima managed first to seek favor among young women of 18-25 years old. These days the audience has grown and he gets family orders. Dima and Kseniya Trapeznikova make 20-25 dresses per month. There is no lack of orders. Its price starts with 5000 roubles (price of the fabric not included). The proximity of Europe opens an access to European fabrics, which is a considerable advantage here in Kaliningrad. At the same time, the Kaliningrad market is rather closed, and one needs
of time. Fulfilling individual orders doesn’t leave the time to take part in large Russian/world shows. The solution is to expand the business which is planned in the nearest future.
Results • Two collections (2011 — Naught Nature, 2012 — Tenderness?). A new collection is planned for 2014. • Over 200 clients • Authentic style
Facts Foundation date: 2008 Owner: Dima Kudryavtsev Number of employees: 2 Web-site: vk.com/dmitrykydryavtsev
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AIRGRIND company: A fantasy game AIRGRIND was founded in 2010 by Andrey Petrov, one of the founders of the famous Kaliningrad mobile game development company Herocraft. AIRGRIND”s main product is a cross-platform mobile on-line MMORPG game for smartphones Warspear Online, which is played monthly by 250000 unique users from all over the world. History The professional milieu of computer game developers, that has started to emerge in Kaliningrad in the 1990’s, turned out to be favorable for many independent projects. Andrey Petrov, one of the founders of the famous Herocraft, which was established in the late 1990’s, left it in the mid-2000’s and delved into game development exclusively for smartphones. At that time these were mobile phones and communicators with Symbian, Windows Mobile or Palm operation systems, which differed a lot from modern-day smartphones with iOS and Android systems. Nevertheless, they gave their developer more space for creation in comparison with the then widely-spread J2ME platform. Smartphones only started to gain popularity, and the team also had little experience in development. Whatever was done at that time was an experiment. There were no such technologies, as Unity3D, Marmelade, Cocos2d-x and others. The company had to create — if not the first — but one of the first cross-platform game engines, which got a fantasy-style name — “Mobile Dragon”. Warspear Online was the first cross-platform online game for smartphones and communicators. The team that was working on it was constantly changing, until there remained 5 people, who believed and put their heart in the project. In 2009 the project was spotted by a large western investor. Negotiations resulted in a decision to set up the company AIGRIND with a view of bringing together a team that would 15
4 develop the game and launch it onto the international market. The new employees were not very much experienced in the game industry, but they were fascinated by games and knew about them much more than regular gamers. It was a hard time, the success wasn’t easy to achieve. By the end of 2011 it came clear that all these years had not been in vain. But the team had a lot of exciting and challenging work to do ahead, as the first release of the on-line game was only the beginning. AIRGRIND’s employees are young, their average age is 28 years old. They all share the same passion for the dynamic industry of computer games, a long-term love for games and willingness to grate them.
Mikhail Kuzmin, AIRGRIND marketing director: “It’s my call for everyone to develop games,
because entertainment industry is a very interesting domain to work in. There is a constant shift in it, the trends
change every year. When I only started working on mobile games they were very promising. Then the attention shifted towards console games, then to browser games, online games, social games, and then in 2012 we went back to mobile games”. Warspear Online works for 5 platforms — iOS, Android, Symbian, Windows Mobile and PC. There are 6 servers that support the game: 2 for America and Europe, 3 for Russia and 1 for South-East Asia. Quite recently the game has also been launched on to the Chinese market.
Challenges and solutions Warspear Online web-site promises its users to create “a whole world, where one can become a hero, seek recognition and find new friends”. This virtual world should satisfy the basic psycho-social needs of the players. In the first place, it should provide them with an opportunity to communicate and create their own individuality. The game world should always be available. How does AIRGRIND solve these tasks? To respond to communication needs it’s important to provide the diversity of communication between the players. There is a multi-channel game chat in Warspear Online, a possibility of creating groups for fulfilling the game tasks, trading with other players and opportunity to team up in gilds. The objective of the developing company is to update the game, constantly keeping the interest of players, prolonging the game’s life span.
Mikhail Kuzmin: “We get ourselves players and we need to entertain them. For example, we’ve got bosses [in Warspear Online], and to defeat them several players have to form groups, join into gilds, fight with other players on the arena, earn experience, improve their ammunition and self-improve in many other ways. It’s rather addictive, so the player wouldn’t practically leave the game. They only leave if it’s not updated and they get bored”. Warspear Online is based on a business model free-to-play (conventionally free game). The main revenue consists of micropayments for various upgrades that clients spontaneously demand during the game. Warspear Online has its own intragame currency, “wonder coins” that one can spend on buying items in a “wonder shop”. The items that are sold in the game also satisfy the player’s desire to create their individuality. They allow building up their own unique characters, that can be adjusted to look 16
like their owner, their appearance can be changed. Cross-media platforms are created to provide an access to a game world from any device — be it a smartphone, tablet or a simple PC. A task that has been successfully fulfilled recently is the development of technologies for Android and iOS tablets.
Results • Creation of a long-lasting and constantly updated game that is played by hundreds of thousands of users all over the world. • Positive dynamics in users’ growth: number doubled each year since 2011
Prizes: Warspear Online won Best App Ever Awards in the category “The best multi-user game 2013”
Facts Foundation date: 2010 Founder: Andrey Petrov Number of employees: over 30 Web-site: warspear-online.com
Kaliningrad City Jazz: music and pragmatics Kaliningrad City Jazz is an annual open-air festival of popular jazz music that is organized on the first weekend of August in the Central City Park of Kaliningrad since 2006.
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In summer 2006 the first festival was held on the open scene of the Central Park of Culture and Leisure. It was a success, and the brand “Don Chento Jazz” became well-known in the region and beyond it. In 2012 the festival was renamed into “Kaliningrad City Jazz”, but has retained its status and legal form. Vladimir Katsman remains its founder and president. The main team of producers has been the same through the whole history of existence of the festival. Since 2010 Mark Katsman, the brother of Vladimir, is legally the enterprise director. The summer of 2013 was marked by the 8th edition of the festival.
Challenges and solutions
History
The main challenge was in building up a pragmatic The main initiator, author of the concept and festival financial model of the festival. It became clear to the sponsor Vladimir Katsman is a famous Kaliningrad organizers that in the conditions of the Kaliningrad businessman. The festival’s organizing committee enclave, where the audience is limited both in terms that works throughout the whole year consists of of numbers and financial opportunities, it would be several managers of the “Vagonka” Agency, whose short-sighted to count on ticket sales as the main owner Andrey Levchenko is the festival’s gener- source of revenues. Therefore, sponsorship and adal producer. After in January 2006 Katsman and vertising contracts have become the core source Levchenko had made a concert “Jazz-style pizza” of funding for the festival. At the beginning sponat Vagonka Club with Sergey Manukian they de- sors financed the festival for its idea and thanks to cided to organize a concert of Manhattan Trans- Vladimir Katsman’s reputation, thinking little about fer in Kaliningrad. The technical rider was quite dif- advertising, marketing or image. The success of the ficult to fulfill, as it implied bringing and setting up first two festivals attracted a whole number of adthe stage, sound and light. So that is how a deci- vertisers and sponsors who considered as an insion was made to make a whole festival called “Don teresting marketing tool. In recent years the festival Chento Jazz” (“Don Chento” is a network of Kalinin- is a total blast, it allows investing part of the revegrad pizza restaurants that belonged to V.Katsman). 17
nues from the tickets sales (3-day pass costs from stream music. Therefore, jazz lovers often criticize 1000 roubles) into the festival budget for the next the festival for its wide definition of this genre. At the year. That is how the festival became financially sta- same time, for years already the festival manages to ble, able to invite various music groups, including maintain a rather high quality of music, and its proworldwide renowned headliners, and provide prop- gram has never included low-quality hit songs. er stage, sound and light equipment. The team of The festival reveals its presence during the whole the festival works the whole year out, and the fesyear. There are regularly organized club concerts tival itself is a must-go on the list of the Kaliningrad of Kaliningrad and European musicians, children’s summer festivities. jazz competition. Before the festival in summer city As the first events were well-organized, the festival scenes welcome free concerts, such as “Jazz Founacquired a highly homogeneous audience of opti- tain” in the framework of the City Day festivities, and mistically-charged citizens set at consuming quality “Jazz-starter” a week prior to the main program. It almusic products in a middle-class milieu. lows spreading an idea of Kaliningrad as a jazz city, that wasn’t even possible ten years ago.
Svetlana Kolbaneva: “We have a family audience with a good level of education, who have a positive view of life”.
The festival is not programmed for a closed circle of music connoisseurs, it rather features quality main18
Well thought-out financial pragmatics and programming strategy targeting wide audiences resulted in the creation of a stable quality commercial music and entertainment product that has become a regional brand.
Results • Stable annual format that formed its own audience and a new tradition • Over 9 famous bands from all aver the world in the main program, and tens in the festival-related events throughout the year • Among the headliners of the festival are Al Di Meola, Goran Bregovic, Zucchero, Mario Biondi, Vaya Con Dios, Nino Katamadze, Manhattan Transfer • Over 15000 visitors of the main 3-day program each festival • Open air concerts “Jazz starter” and “Jazz fountain” that raise the musical awareness of the citizens and offer a platform for local talented musicians • Annual international competition of young jazz musicians “Kaliningrad City Jazz”
Facts Foundation date: 2006 Festival president: Vladimir Katsman Number of permanent employees: 6 Web-site: jazzfestival.ru/ 19
“Kvartira” club — a tourbillion of people, ideas and things “Kvartira” is a small club situated in the Central district of Kaliningrad. It was founded in early 2010 in a regular apartment on the ground floor of a five-story building by the art director of the Zarya cinema theatre Artem Rizhkov. In a few years this club turned into a popular place for meetings and small-scale events, having retained its status of a largely non-profit project. The space is used as a gallery, cinema club, café, venue for workshops and master-classes that can as well become a small concert hall.
6 History Artem Ryzhkov, a key film critic and film festival organizer in Kaliningrad, made his own apartment, where he has lived for 30 years, a public venue in January 2010. He wanted to set up a platform, where creative people could share their ideas and conceive new projects. On the one hand, this place should make its visitors feel comfortable in a cozy interior, on the other, the interior is not stable, one can buy anything in “Kvartira”. So, this must generate constant change, a tourbillion of people, ideas and things.
will order tea or other drinks for at least 100 roubles. The club organizes meetings for aged people and events for children. Moreover, “Kvartira” is used as an additional venue for larger events, that take place at the Zarya cinema or other places, for example, to hold master-classes, workshops, meetings with authors, screenings of festival films. “Kvartira” wasn’t thought of as a commercial project. In September 2013 Artem Rizhkov published a 650-page book “Kvartira: funky business novel”.
Challenges and solutions
The club faces considerable difficulties in what con“Kvartira” has become a family business. Artem’s cerns its integration in the social environment of the wife Snezha and his mother help him running the micro-district. They started already when Artem deplace. The club welcomes 25-30 visitors daily, most- cided to change the status of the apartment and ly young and middle-aged people who are interest- register it as a non-residential property. The neighed in art or related to creative work. There is no en- bors took the idea of creating a club negatively and trance fee, but it’s expected that those who come filed a complaint against him. They are still suspi20
cious of what is going on in “Kvartira”. The owner has to solve noise problems and adhere strictly to the opening hours of the club. The fact that the club is situated in a residential unit limits the possibilities of a further development of an art cluster by buying out the adjoining apartments. At the same time, “Kvartira” is trying to use its open premises in warm seasons (for example, for ping-pong). These spatial limitations and need for further development make the owner think about diversification of the audience. At the same time, the venue faces the problem of audience development. This is due to the club’s reputation (stereotype?) as a hipster and to a certain extent snobbish place for the insiders. Such an opinion is obviously contrary to the initial idea of the place as an open venue. The owner explains this problem by a provincial and closed nature of the local creative milieu. Still, according to Artem, at the moment the audience is expanding, as people who do not necessarily work in the artistic domain join the club’s events.
Results • One of the first places in the city that has an “art space” status and has been successfully functioning for almost 4 years • An attractive platform for festivals, film screenings, workshops and master-classes • One of the few places in the city that regularly organizes meetings for aged people
Facts Foundation date: 2010 Founder and owner: Artem Ryzhkov Web-site:
vk.com/kvartira_koloskova13 (as of September 2013 over 6000 members)
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Creative project “Prussian honey”: the amber post-modernism and the Baltic ethnics The creative project “Prussian honey” produces original collections of amber and leather items, as well as ceramics and textile. The distinctive feature of these items is their unique ethnic style with elements originating from the cultures of the southern Baltic peoples. The project author and director is Lana Egorova, Alexander Yuritsin is the designer. There are 11 Kaliningrad artists participating in the project. All the items manufactured are of high quality which is rare for souvenirs and non-expensive jewellery produced in the Kaliningrad region. “Prussian honey” is a good example of a successful creative entrepreneurship. History Amber is the principal Kaliningrad landmark, the regional treasure. At the same time, the regular range of amber produce offered by local shops isn’t very much of a treat in terms of style and design. Chinese plastic turtles powdered with amber crumb and amber pictures used to dominate the local souvenir mass market. The state of affairs changed when “Prussian honey” appeared. It was Lana Egorova who decided to launch this project in 2008 as her cooperation with Alexander Yuritsin proved successful. Lana and Alexander are jewelry artists, they’ve been long doing amber carving. Lana Egorova is an experienced artisan who graduated from the famous Russian Krasnoselskiy In-
stitute, she became the project director. Alexander Yuritsin gave the name to it. He is known for his authentic jewellery. It was also him who developed the style of the project and the majority of moulds. The style manifested itself already in the first amber collection that was encrusted in silver. It soon became evident that to achieve cost-efficiency, it is important to make a transition to a less expensive metal, brass — for example. The amber and brass collections were no less unique and authentic. Soon other artists (Yulia Maksimova, Nikolay Kotov, Irina Tchekmina) joined the project. They began working with other materials, such as leather, wood, ceramics and textile. The project became interactive: the customers got an opportunity to partake in the process of creating their own souvenirs.
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During the 5-year period of its existence the project The style was very much appreciated by consumers hasn’t ceased to exhibit positive development dy- that needed warm, unique, personified items. It fits namics and constant change, coming both into the well to the “experience economy” trend. Business Russian and international market. “Prussian Honey” projects that go in line with this trend should offer remains open for artists who work with similar aes- interactive, participative and involving elements for thetics, thus ready to accommodate new artistic dis- the consumers, engage them in the very process of coveries and new projects. creation. The tolls that are used to achieve it in the “Prussian honey” project are based on legends, diChallenges and solutions rect contact with the artisans, personal participaOne of the main tasks for the team consisted in tion and learning simple skills of amber carving. As working out their own original style which would a result, a client does not feel himself a consumer, later on turn into a Kaliningrad brand. The authentic but a co-author, thus satisfying his need for artisstyle had to distinguish the pieces made by “Prus- tic creation. sian honey” from a mass of cheap monotonous conLana Egorova: “Initially the idea of the project consumer goods of a low quality that overwhelm the sisted in giving people an opportunity to hold a raw local market. The authors call it “the ethnic style of stone, try to carve it as it was made in the ancient the South West Baltics”. These are collective stylitimes, using a treadle. It’s important for me to make zations, in which one can easily trace the elements people partake, exhibit some kind of a creative initiof cultures of the peoples of Scandinavia and Balative, and we would help them realize it”. tic tribes, mainly pre-Christian. There are vegetation elements, interlacings, ornaments and asymmetry At sale stands with items produced by “Prussian honey’ (the Kaliningrad Amber museum, numerused in the jewellery. 23
ous fairs and exhibitions in the region and beyond) customers are offered an opportunity to compile a composition from different elements themselves, as well as to participate in a master-class and carve the stone. This is a strong experience transforming souvenirs in a truly personified and unique piece. It was very important not only to attract artisans in the project, but also to train consultant assistants who would be ready to work with the audience. Lana Egorova found such people in the Insterburg castle, Chernyakhovsk, which for many years has been a magnet for young people interested in the history of East Prussia. The project “Prussian honey” has become a successful example of how creative industries can form an identity and how they can involve the audience in a deeper process of studying history and culture through entertainment and learning technologies.
Lana Egorova: “We should really be involved in edu-
cation. Even the citizens of Kaliningrad know little about the place they live in, as well as about the history of the craft, how amber is processed and carved, what color it can be. In our project we proved that it’s possible to transmit such knowledge to people”.
Facts
Results
Foundation date: 2008
• Creating an authentic ethnic style based on the culture of the people of South West Baltics with post-modern elements
Concept author and project director:
• High quality souvenirs and non-expensive jewellery
Alexander Yuritsin
Lana Egorova Project stylist and leading artist: Number of participants: 11 artists
• Interactive approach towards distribution, enabling the customers to partake in the process of creation
Web-site: prusm.ru
• Participation in large Russian and international exhibitions, such as the International Fair of Food products and agriculture “Green Week” (Berlin), “Jewellery vernissage” (Moscow), “Kazan CUP”, the Festival of popular artists and craftsmen of Russia “Firebird 2013” (Moscow), “Kraft Bazar” (Saint-Petersburg), etc. • Commercial success • Cultural and education activities: the artisan festival ‘Prussian honey” in Chernyakhovsk (Kaliningrad region) in June-August 2013
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Cafe-club “Reporter”: non-fiction 8 in the former industrial zone A multidisciplinary venue (café, club, gallery, concert hall, seminar, master-class and festival venue) in the former industrial zone of “Sudremmmashavtomatika” in the centre of Kaliningrad, one of the first places of the kind in the city that has retained its appeal for the audience and continues to draw new projects. History
the space, where the initial form of the room is very much pronounced, and where it’s easy to notice the pipelines and materials. The same principles underlie the club’s program: it’s only live music, in exhibition activities documentary photography is favored, and festivals feature sound art, documentary cinema and new poetry.
The founders of “Reporter” Victor Malkov and Oleg Kostyuk combine creative and business approaches in their cooperation. Oleg is a well-known Kaliningrad artist, designer and architect. Victor is a businessman working primarily in the field of publishing. At the time when the club was created the owners already rented a cafeteria in the same industrial Challenges and solutions zone that was used during day-time. There was an The club was conceived as a venue with a long payadjacent space, a supplementary resource, which back period — a space, which would gradually beit was logical to use during night-time. It was renocome “the” place for different groups of visitors. Acvated, and in spring 2010 “Reporter” was opened. cording to the founders, ideally, going to “Reporter” When the club was created it wasn’t done so with should turn into a routine for Kaliningradians. To a specific aim of drawing visitors in large numbers. achieve this, the club should have a favorable cliThe club was thought of as an authentic place that mate for communication and meeting of the most differs from others, as an experimental communi- different types of people. How can it be done and cation project in a way that is not targeted at fast the positive economic dynamics preserved? revenues. The main idea was to create a place for The policy of the club encouraged the meeting of free intercourse and realization of ideas. The conyoung people with little financial means and a wellcept and the name of the club imply authenticity, atoff audience. The diversity of cultural events, free mosphere of documentary and anti-glamour stand. access to almost all concerts, a democratic enviThis idea has also been revealed in the design of 26
ronment and the absence of face control made the club quickly popular. There are practically no accidental visitors here — the club is located far from well-trodden paths. At the same time, it soon turned out that even when there are a lot of visitors the revenue is not sufficient. The average bill is low, because not all the visitors order something from the bar or in the cafe. In an attempt to solve this problem the administration of the club set a kind of a deposit for events — each person at the table was supposed to make an order for at least 500 roubles. This solution allowed raising profits, but also demotivated part of the audience. Some of the regular visitors did not want to adjust to the introduced standards out of financial considerations or on principle. Nevertheless, for several years by now the club exercises the policy of free entrance and maintains the diversity of its events. One more priority of the club is the focus on the local resources, primarily in what concerns concerts and exhibitions. The club managed to earn a good name and to become a place where new projects get born and implemented.
Results • A highly frequented place where musicians can present their new projects, find new members for their groups and organize jam-sessions • A platform for experimental festivals, such as photo biennale, literary festival “SloWWWo», festival of Russian-German documentaries “Territorium Film”, international sound art festival Sound Around • Stable number of visitors in the context of growing competition and emerging new
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Facts Foundation date: 2010 Founders and co-owners: Victor Malkov,
Oleg Kostyuk Number of employees: 12 Web-site: reporter-club.ru
WHY: internet fashion magazine 9 Internet magazine “WHY” first appeared in September 2010. It focuses on contemporary trends, and not only in fashion, but also in lifestyles. Its founder Alla Korzh believes that on-line media are the future of journalism. “WHY” has no analogues in the Kaliningrad region, moreover, it is a pioneer in Russia. Having started as a purely creative project, through three years the magazine acquired commercial stability and gained its audience far beyond the boundaries of the Kaliningrad region. History Alla Korzh, a philosopher by her education and set of mind, started making professional photography after she graduated from the university. In a few years she became a prominent personality in the domain of the Kaliningrad fashion photography (aallaa.com). Having understood that local glossy magazines, being full of advertisements, are lacking quality content, Alla decided to launch a project that would fill in the gap. A decision was made to go away from the printed format, as printing expenses are quite risky for a purely artistic project.
that Alla has on the Russia’s major social network Vkontakte. Soon it got its editor-in-chief Artemiy Ukrainsky and its authors. The project turned into a commercial one, when a necessity arose to pay the authors for the materials they provide. This is how the long and patient process of attracting advertisers started. They do not always trust on-line editions, especially those that are destined for a rather narrow audience interested in fashion. Nevertheless, “WHY” helped to its feet. It is published on a regular basis, retains its authenticity in terms of design and content and becomes commercially successful, as its audience grows.
That is how “WHY” began. Alla made the first issue Challenges and solutions herself. The name that she chose was indeed philosophical and catchy at the same time, as the ques- There are practically no limitations concerning ontion “Why?” is a key question of existence. The mag- line editions on the market. Unlike graphic produce, azine found its audience through the many friends there are no publishing expenses. The main chal28
lenge is to maintain the edition on a regular basis and keep the high quality of content. The first issues can be nurtured by pure enthusiasm and the support of those, who share a common idea. But very soon a necessity arises to form a proper circle of authors, who need to be paid, as a rule, from the advertisement revenues. Local advertisers are still quite suspicious of advertising in on-line editions, as they find it more substantial to see an announcement printed on a glossy paper. The exception is large information portals that have a wide audience. In case of an on-line fashion magazine with a very specific audience (mainly young women of 18-35) it’s quite difficult to earn the trust of advertisers. The “WHY” magazine manages to handle it, as the quality of the content provided is maintained high, thanks to the professional approach of the project manager, editor-in-chief, authors and photographers. Which also matters is the technology that allows reading the magazine from smartphones and tablets. The “WHY” web-site turned into a fullfledged portal, where one can not only download or sift through a new issue, but also read many other materials. The magazine has no regional boundaries and the issues it raises stay topical for a long time. They are focused on the review of global tendencies and are not limited to strictly local specifics. Therefore the edition has fairly good chances to extend beyond Russian-speaking audience. Its translation into English with the visual content, structure and technology retained can make it available for international audiences. The project manager Alla Korzh also considers the possibility of the magazine’s periodical appearing as a printed edition, for example, as a yearly almanac with the best materials featured.
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Results • Periodicity: about 30 issues in 3 years • Audience: over 30000 unique users monthly, over 120000 viewings • Growing user dynamics • 3d place in the all-Russian competition of the British Council as a young and promising business in fashion and design in 2012
Facts Foundation date: 2010 Number of employees: 10 Web-site: whymag.ru
Computer games: KranX Productions 10 KranX Productions is one of the most distinguished and prominent Russian game development companies. It was founded in 2004 by the leading game designer and producer Andrey Kuzmin. It is greatly to his participation that the Kaliningrad company “K-D Lab” developed such cult off-line computer games as “Wangers” and “Perimeter”. KranX Productions developed a number of products, such as “Truth about the 9th troop”, “Musaic Box”, “No time for dragons”, “Yumsters” series, etc. Recently the company has totally switched towards creating on-line services and games for social networks based on multimedia platforms. One of the recent successful projects of the company is the first full-fledged 3D social crossplatform strategy game “King’s Bounty: Legions”. History Andrey Kuzmin, also known as KranK, founded his ed receiving international prizes. It gave the comfirst group of game developers in mid-1990’s as pany an opportunity to go forward and seek large a university student. Andrey was looking for an area, releasing companies. The games “Wangers” and where he could apply his various interests (music “Perimeter” are some of the most famous projects composition, programming, literature) and make it of “K-D Lab”. work commercially. Since 1997 Krank and his comAndrey Kuzmin: “I was always interested not in copypany “K-D Lab” formed a group of fellow-thinkers. It was instrumental for the development of the game ing or repeating somebody, but in making something completely new, something that no-one has ever done before — industry in the Kaliningrad region in the whole. Initially the emphasis was made on the authenticity of the product. Games that were like no others start30
both from the point of view of technologies and gaming process”.
This quality was inherited by the company KranX Pro- One more important strategic choice has been ductions, that Andrey Kuzmin founded in 2004. KranX the system of payments applied for such services. do not only develop games, but they also support in- There are two ways — subscription games and free dependent projects (example — Hammerfight). After games, where clients pay for upgrades during the the success of casual games (“Yumsters”) and off- game. The second option, which was preferred by line projects (“Truth about the 9th troop” and “Musa- KranX, is based on micro-transactions — short psyic Box”) the company has totally delved into creating cho-emotional decisions that are taken by a user on on-line services (“King’s Bounty: Legions”). the spot. Micro-transactions have proved their profitability in no time.
Challenges and solutions
The problem of piracy in digital produce has become especially acute in the era of fast Internet and peering networks. According to Andrey, if there is a technical possibility of copying and distributing a digital content, the legislation is in most cases powerless. The way towards solving the problem of illegal copying lies in the technologies themselves. There was found an elegant solution for computer games: a scheme was developed when the client doesn’t get the final product, but only parts of it, whereas the main content is stored on remote servers with an on-line access. Quick-wittedness and switching towards on-line technologies allowed KranX Productions to remain the leader in the domain even in the period of crisis. 31
Attention towards these circumstances provided the success of the game “King’s Bounty: Legions”, the first full-fledged three-dimensional and really cross-platform strategy that was first launched by KranX on Facebook at the end of 2011. The service is free of charge. It generates hundreds of thousands of dollars in micro-transactions monthly and shows steady growth. The game is available on all large social networks and on all types of mobile devices working on iOS/Android: over 12 platforms in a single virtual space for competitions which have no analogue in the world. The overall number of users is 5 mln. people all over the world. The game is translated into all the main languages, including Korean. In autumn 2013 the Chinese version had to be launched.
Facts Foundation date: 2004. Founder: Andrey Kuzmin (KranK) Number of employees: over 40 Web-site: kranx.com
Results Prizes at international conferences on game development: • MOBL: Grand Prix at a prestigious Japanese competition ENIX Game Software Contest.
• KING’S BOUNTY: LEGIONS (playkb.com): was ranked the highest in the category “Best Game for Social Networks” at the KRI Awards. • The company became a nucleus which formed a powerful network of computer game developers in the region
• “Perimeter”: Nominated in the European Develop Industry Excellence Award, as well as won prizes for “Best Technology”, “Best Game Design” and “Best PC Game” at the most prestigious Russian Game Industry Conference KRI. Special prize from Intel for a technological breakthrough.
• Developing and preparing their own personnel in game industry • Raising the attractiveness of the region for high-class professionals in digital technologies industry
• “Yumsters”: “Best Game Design” at KRI Awards. • Musaic Box was nominated at the GDC IGF Award in San Francisco in two categories: Excellence in Audio and Excellence in Design, the latter it won. At the KRI Awards the game was awarded as “Best Casual Game”.
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Graphic design studio “Pictorica” “Pictorica” started to offer its services on the Kaliningrad market in 2007. At the moment the company consists of several departments: a publishing house, a design department for graphic produce and web-sites, as well as a company for souvenir production “Max Preuss’s Manufactures”. For several years “Pictorica” also included a printing house “Gutenberg”. The company also initiated a non-profit project “Museum of Königsberg”, that features the largest in Russia archive of images of Köningsberg and East Prussia. History “Pictorica”s director Max Popov (systems engineer by his educational background) liked drawing ever since he was a child. His other passion was collecting a visual archive of East Prussia and Köningsberg. Having worked for several years in designer and graphic companies of the city, Max was faced with limitations that prevented his further creative advancement, and in 2005 he decided to start his own business. That is how in 2007 “Pictorica” appeared, where up to recently Max had Alexey Kuzmin as a partner. After the printing house “Gutenberg” had been opened in October 2010, Alexey became its director. Since 2013 “Gutenberg” has started working independently from “Pictorica”. Today “Pictorica”s priorities are the development and implementation of new designer, publishing and exhibition projects.
Challenges and solutions It’s quite easy to enter the designer business. Designers don’t need expensive equipment or extensive infrastructure, so the limitations that prevent one from entering this market are rather negligible. Having a small circle of clients, one can start working on their own. The problems arise only when the business is growing.
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Max Popov: “If you’ve entered this market and you do
your job well, there won’t be any trouble. The fact is that many stop rather quickly, as they are incapable of carrying out more projects, enlarging the whole process”.
Facts:
An important resource of the Kaliningrad region is the cultural and historical heritage of East Prussia, both visual and virtual. The architecture, postcards, photographs, myths, memories, nature, landscape form a special spirit of the place, which draws the locals and tourists. “The Köningsberg part” yielded a god profit in its time for the company. “Pictorica” fitted perfectly in line with the rise in interest for graphic produce about the legacy of Köningsberg in the first decade of the 2000’s, moreover, it was one of the trendsetters. Publishing calendars and postcards, using the archive that was collected by Max Popov, helped making a certain capital and achieving a serious level of the product manufactured. Among its clients “Pictorica” had such companies as “LUKOIL”, “Kaliningrad Neft” and Chamber of Commerce. But the expensive segment of the market collapsed after the 2008 crisis. Also, the nostalgia market got quickly saturated. It’s time now to diversify the company’s approaches to using the cultural heritage as a resource for products. This is one of the challenges that “Pictorica” faces. One of the solutions that emerged was the “Parallel memory” edition (2012), a product of new level.
Founder: Max Popov
Foundation date: 2007 Activities: graphic design
Number of employees: 9 Web-site: pictorica.ru
To achieve high quality of production in the sector of graphic design it is important to combine two factors: professional excellence of a supplier and matching “quality” demands of clients, that won’t let designers deteriorate. To keep this balance is a serious challenge that practically all of the companies of this sector are faced with.
Results: • High quality graphic design • Sustainably growing turnover of the company even in crisis conditions — about 8 mln. roubles in 2012. • Virtual “Museum of Köningsberg”
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Kaliningrad Creative Industries Development Project: summary with 29 representatives) and continuous meetings and discussions in more than 20 project events;
Kaliningrad Creative Industries Development Project was initiated in 2011 by the Information Office of the Nordic Council of Ministers in Kaliningrad and implemented in cooperation with its longstanding partner — Kaliningrad NGO Agency for Support of Cultural Initiatives «Tranzit». A first phase of the project was finalized in 2013.
2) Target groups` awareness of the creative industries as an integrated cross-sectorial and cross-border cluster of economy has been raised trough 15 workshops, 4 study tours and 2 publications;
Context Creative industries in Russia have been developing during the last 10 years primarily in capitals — Moscow and St. Petersburg where concentration of finance and cultural life is the highest in the country. As far as the Kaliningrad region was concerned, there have been companies operating in the field of creative industries and cultural institutions offering commercial products in the Kaliningrad region. However, these companies and institutions rarely thought of themselves in terms of creative industries, being hardly aware of the nature and role of creative industries as such. Generally, within the cultural field there is a great potential for the development of creative industries. Cultural operators generate ideas and concepts that can be transferred into products. However, there has been a considerable lack of knowledge and experience in the field of product development and business operations.
3) Local network of professionals connected with creative industry has been established and its integration in larger Nordic CI networks was facilitated — over 650 Kaliningrad professionals participated in workshops and study tours involving over 80 Nordic and Russian CI development experts (over 50 during the workshops and at least 30 during the study tours); 4) Capacity of regional and local public administrations, business support organizations, NGOs, scientific and educational institutions in the Kaliningrad region was enhanced by knowledge building and networking through study visits to Nordic countries and joint seminars, workshops and training sessions in the Kaliningrad region as well as in other regions in areas relevant to creative industries development.
Results of the first phase of the project (2011 — 2013)
One of the most important outcomes of the project is that leading actors in several local CI subsectors start playing an active role in facilitating their sector’s development, promoting its agenda and building links with local and Nordic partners in their fields
1) Needs and potential of creative industries in the Kaliningrad region have been identified during the CI mapping stage (32 interviews 35
• Workshop «Sustainability in Fashion and Photography», 4-6.04.2013, Klaipeda, Lithuania
(e.g. gaming, cross-media, arts & business, CI support centre etc.). There are still no regional/local institutions promoting creative industries in the Kaliningrad region or supporting their development. However, creative industries, their role in economic development and the region’s potential in this respect are now a part of public discourse.
• Workshop on fashion management and marketing, 17-19.05.2013, Klaipeda, Lithuania • Discussion «Cooperation in the field of arts, culture and creative industries: key policies, challenges and potential synergies» in the framework of the SEBA Conference «Creativity and Cooperation in the South Eastern Baltic Area»
Key events of the first phase of the Project: • Study tour «CI development and revitalization of urban space (industrial sites)», 5-11.02.2012, Helsinki, Turku, Stockholm
• Master-class «Future of Marketing» by Sten Selander (Executive Vice-President of «Mediaevolution», Malmo, Sweden), Kaliningrad, 17.10.2013
• Study tour «Low-cost creative and social entrepreneurship in rural areas and small towns (alternative tourism, community development, art residences etc.)», 10-17.06.2012, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania
• Workshop «Public spaces on the waterfront: ideas and solutions», Kaliningrad, 24-25.10.2013
• Study tour «Cross-media: advanced concepts and technologies for producing audio and visual products for various platforms (TV, Internet, mobile, etc)», 5-10.11.2012, Sweden, Denmark
The second phase of the project (April 2014 — October 2015) aims to enhance evolving regional CI networks and their links with Nordic partners, facilitate development in specific CI subsectors in the Kaliningrad region and North-West Russia and empower key operators through knowledge exchange, discussions and problem-solving oriented activities. The project is focused in great extent on connecting with on-going and new networks, projects, programmes within the Baltic Sea Area and Northern Dimension area in order to raise the level of sustainability and integrity of all on-going activities.
• Study tour «Art and business: mutually beneficial partnerships for solving corporate, artistic and social issues», 8-14.09.2013, Sweden, Denmark • Workshop «Creative Industries mapping methodologies», 12-14.07.2011 • Workshop «From an idea to a product: packaging impressions from Kaliningrad», 7-8.12.2011
Priority areas for the second phase of the Project:
• Workshop «Creative industries in a city’s public space: new life of industrial zones in Kaliningrad», 1-2.03.2012
• Gaming; • Media/Cross-media; • Creative industries support centre/«culture factory»;
• Workshop “Cultural policy and creative industries in the Kaliningrad region” in the framework of the IV Forum of Partner-Regions of the Kaliningrad region, 13-14.09.2012
• Urban planning and public spaces; • Low budget cultural and social entrepreneurship in rural areas;
• Workshop «Art and activism in urban environment: impact on creative sector», 1920.10.2012
• Cooperation of arts and business; • Synergies with other projects and mobility of key regional CI professionals.
• Workshop «Crowdfunding as a tool for financing projects in the field of cultural and creative industries», 28.03.2013 • Workshop «Cross-media for young Kaliningrad and Lithuanian fashions designers, artists, event managers, Klaipeda, Lithuania, 4-6.04.2013 36
Target groups:
More information:
• Creative industries (CI) promoters — local and regional authorities, governmental agencies for SME development support, local development agencies, professional associations, agencies for culture and education support
tranzit-kaliningrad.ru; norden39.ru Project Leader: Yulia Bardun, NGO Agency «Tranzit», ybardoun@yahoo.com Experts of the project: Anna Karpenko,
• Education & training institutions
aka@norden39.ru
• Research institutions focused on economics and innovations • Operating producers within the creative or within industries with a visible creative component (SMEs and individual entrepreneurs in gaming, media, gaming, architecture, rural entrepreneurship etc) • Artists and producers of cultural/artistic content which can be used as a basis for products
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Design: Maxim Popov Page-proofs: Ekaterina Sokolova
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Created in Pictorica — pictorica.ru