A panel discussion was held titled “Creative Industries and Regional Projects: How the Cultural Code Is Changing in the Digital Age”.
The discussion took place within the thematic session “The path of united cultures and technologies toward the cultural code of the future”. The moderator was Margarita Lyange, President of the Interregional Public Organization of Journalists and Editor in Chief of the online outlet National Accent. Participants included Russian artist, film director and poet Veronika Korzhevskaya; creative producer and founder of the Istok House of Culture Sofya Ernst; Minister of Culture of the Nizhny Novgorod Region Natalia Sukhanova; head of the youth digital art festival Play DigitalArt Natalia Seroshtanova; Director of the National Museum of South Ossetia Merab Zasseev; CEO of LLC Kassir.ru, the national ticketing operator, Elena Glukhovskaya; executive producer and co-owner of LLC Key Dee Studios Evgeny Melentyev; official representative of the China International Public Relations Association Yana Rytnikova; stage director and producer in the performing arts Ekaterina Galanova.
Experts discussed the challenges and opportunities of introducing digital solutions and formulated recommendations on how to use technology effectively to support regional cultural initiatives.
According to creative producer and founder of the Istok House of Culture Sofya Ernst, “We are giving a great deal to the world today. Our country carries regional cultures, and we know how to value and understand them. We love distinctiveness and we know how to respect others. Now we are giving the world the ability to live while respecting each person’s uniqueness. In big regions traditions become diluted, you cannot find them in their original form, they are forgotten. The regions are the custodians of these traditions. You can come to a village in Udmurtia or Chuvashia and they know their songs, they keep their traditional clothing, the dress their grandmother wore to her wedding. This matters greatly.”
Evgeny Melentyev, General Director of LLC CentroKino, noted, “Digital capabilities are tools. The foundation of our cultural code is human values. Human values are love, friendship and respect. We must not forget historical memory, which lies at the core.”
Natalia Sukhanova, Minister of Culture of the Nizhny Novgorod Region, emphasized the importance of open dialogue between creative groups and government representatives. She described how the region is building cooperation with the business community and the creative industries, and how it is training its own talent. In 2023 Nizhny Novgorod opened the first School of Creative Industries, a project of the Ministry of Culture. Later, with support from the Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives, an interregional media lab for young bloggers called Focus on Culture was created. “We brought together 36 participants from 6 regions. The students completed the theoretical part and visited one another’s regions. Most importantly, they created their own community, which continues to develop,” Sukhanova noted.
Merab Zasseev, Director of the National Museum of South Ossetia, spoke about the delicate balance between traditional values and technology: “Culture is the foundation of our life, a source of creativity and spirituality. Yes, it is influenced by technology, but their interpenetration should be flexible, without doing violence to the essence. I oppose culture becoming predictable; it must preserve the elevated, that which comes from deep within. It is culture that gives us a sense of the beautiful.”
Participants discussed the significance of traditions and their relevance within cultural heritage. They concluded that sincerity and authenticity are highly valued among Gen Z. The idea of creating a festival of national costumes was discussed. The speakers also touched on culture’s connection with contemporary society and its importance and necessity today.