Creative industries are increasingly viewed not only as a sphere of culture and art, but as an economic tool in their own right — one capable of reshaping the look of cities and regions, generating new products, and retaining human capital. In an interview with Evrazimut, Marina Mongush, head of the "Creative Economy" ANO, discusses how professional creative activity differs from creativity as such, why Russia needs a contemporary cultural code, what role producers play in the new economy, and how artificial intelligence is reshaping our understanding of authorship.
The Creative Economy: Between Talent and Product
The creative economy is no longer simply about culture, design, cinema or other forms of artistic expression. It is increasingly becoming an instrument of economic diversification, territorial development and social change. For regions whose traditional economic identities are losing relevance, creative industries can help generate new products, technologies, meanings and development scenarios. Just as importantly, they help retain talented people: when a territory loses its creative class, it also loses much of its capacity for renewal.
At the centre of the creative economy is the intellectual product. Creativity alone is not enough to create economic value. An idea becomes a professional creative product when it can be developed, protected as intellectual property, brought to market and scaled. This requires not only talent but also knowledge of copyright, licensing, production, marketing, platforms and entrepreneurship. In this sense, professional creative activity begins when an idea acquires a purpose and a form suitable for the real world.
The same principle applies to the cultural identity of a country. A contemporary cultural code cannot be reduced to traditional crafts, historical costumes or decorative references to the past. It is expressed through the way people live today — through architecture, fashion, food, urban environments, habits and images of the future. Successful creative economies, such as South Korea’s, have shown that contemporary cultural products can simultaneously generate revenue and transform the international perception of a country.
Technology is also changing the relationship between creators and audiences. Digital platforms allow an author in a small city to reach consumers around the world without relying entirely on traditional intermediaries. At the same time, this freedom places greater responsibility on creators: in an environment saturated with content, access to an audience is no longer the central problem. Quality, originality and the ability to create lasting cultural value are becoming much more important.
The creative economy therefore reaches far beyond the industries formally classified as creative. Design, branding, research, IT and communication can increase the competitiveness and value of products in manufacturing, agriculture and other traditional sectors. Its impact should be measured not only in revenue or its share of GDP, but also through social, cultural and territorial effects.
Ultimately, creative industries are tools for producing and transmitting meaning. They influence how countries and regions see themselves, how they are perceived by others, and which values, heroes and behavioural models shape future generations. Their power lies precisely in their ability to make complex subjects visible, meaningful and accessible to millions of people — which is why the quality and responsibility of those who use this instrument matter so much.
At the centre of the creative economy is the intellectual product. Creativity alone is not enough to create economic value. An idea becomes a professional creative product when it can be developed, protected as intellectual property, brought to market and scaled. This requires not only talent but also knowledge of copyright, licensing, production, marketing, platforms and entrepreneurship. In this sense, professional creative activity begins when an idea acquires a purpose and a form suitable for the real world.
The same principle applies to the cultural identity of a country. A contemporary cultural code cannot be reduced to traditional crafts, historical costumes or decorative references to the past. It is expressed through the way people live today — through architecture, fashion, food, urban environments, habits and images of the future. Successful creative economies, such as South Korea’s, have shown that contemporary cultural products can simultaneously generate revenue and transform the international perception of a country.
Technology is also changing the relationship between creators and audiences. Digital platforms allow an author in a small city to reach consumers around the world without relying entirely on traditional intermediaries. At the same time, this freedom places greater responsibility on creators: in an environment saturated with content, access to an audience is no longer the central problem. Quality, originality and the ability to create lasting cultural value are becoming much more important.
The creative economy therefore reaches far beyond the industries formally classified as creative. Design, branding, research, IT and communication can increase the competitiveness and value of products in manufacturing, agriculture and other traditional sectors. Its impact should be measured not only in revenue or its share of GDP, but also through social, cultural and territorial effects.
Ultimately, creative industries are tools for producing and transmitting meaning. They influence how countries and regions see themselves, how they are perceived by others, and which values, heroes and behavioural models shape future generations. Their power lies precisely in their ability to make complex subjects visible, meaningful and accessible to millions of people — which is why the quality and responsibility of those who use this instrument matter so much.
