St Petersburg University sociologists: about 80% of St Petersburg residents are familiar with the creative industries sector
Experts from the Centre for Sociological and Internet Research at St Petersburg University have studied: how the residents of St Petersburg feel about the creative industries in the city; and how they are integrated into the creative sector of the economy. It turned out that more than 80% of those surveyed know what the creative industries are and have acquaintances who are involved in this field. About 20% of the respondents work in the creative industries themselves.
More than 1,200 city residents took part in the survey by the Centre for Sociological and Internet Research at St Petersburg University. Most of the respondents − about 80% − are aware of the creative industries, while 20% of those surveyed work in the creative industries themselves.
The results of the first research on creative industries in St Petersburg were presented as part of the Culture Code 2022 Youth Forum, which took place at St Petersburg University.
‘The Youth Forum brought together researchers and professionals from the rapidly growing field of creative industries, which combines creativity in its broadest sense and the commercialisation of such projects. Creative industries are a significant sector of the economy, without which it is quite difficult to imagine modern society at present. Of course, it is important for the University to take part in numerous creative projects and explore the development of modern creative industries,’ said Anastasia Yarmosh, Vice Rector for Strategic Development and Partnership at St Petersburg University and the moderator of the discussion.
Creative professions are now understood by St Petersburg residents as a field of work that is associated with creativity and the creation of innovative ideas. Among them, for example, are musicians, theatre and film artists, journalists, marketing experts, designers, and others. However, as the authors of the study note, despite the popularity of creative professions and the high interest in them, the concept of "creative industries" causes difficulties for the respondents in defining it.
Creative industries is still a rare collocation, so it is necessary to study them through related concepts, such as creative or art professions, and creative spaces to name just a few.
Ivan Safonov, a co-author of the study, an expert from the Sociological Clinic of Applied Research at St Petersburg State University
The results of the survey showed that a career in creativity is attractive to 43% of St Petersburg residents. At the same time, the respondents pointed out that creativity is not easy to learn and that a person has to have certain capabilities to do so.
According to the respondents, the education of creative professionals most often relates to such areas as information technology, engineering, and the arts. Designers and experts in IT, public relations, advertising, marketing and analytics were among the most frequently mentioned professions.
At the same time, the researchers note that the professions of men and women in St Petersburg differ considerably from each other: men most often have an education in information technology and engineering, and work in IT and video games. Women have been trained in linguistics, social sciences and the arts, and are employed in advertising, marketing, public relations and analytics.
At present, St Petersburg University offers 490 degree programmes. These include creative fields such as: Journalism; Advertising and Public Relations; Cultural Studies; Graphic Design and Environmental Design; Stage and Film Actor; and Academic Singing to name just a few.
The sociologists from St Petersburg University also noted that nowadays there are more men employed among professionals in the creative industries, despite the predominance of women in the labour market.
Maiia Rusakova, Director of the Centre for Sociological and Internet Research at St Petersburg University, said during the discussion that the development of creative industries requires a creative community with which to exchange ideas and share the results.
The event took place as part of the Culture Code 2022 Youth Forum organised by St Petersburg University for the first time. The first such forum took place on 11 November at the premises of the University and provided a venue for discussions on the most relevant topics for young audiences. The topics covered at the forum related to the key role of culture in the present-day world, and the formation of a holistic view of historical heritage and national traditions.
‘I believe that it is possible to flourish in a creative direction when you are in a common context and can share information with other people, organise teams and go beyond limits together − that is the creative process. Of course, an important skill of a successful creative business is the ability to turn it into a quality business project. Today, the University gives students the opportunity to develop this skill while: participating in the SPbU Start-up − 2023 contest of innovative projects; doing internships at creative organisations; and studying online courses of St Petersburg University. This makes it possible to form an understanding among the younger generation that in order to successfully develop projects, sales should complement creativity, and competent analytics should complement sales.’
The discussion "Locus Agendi: Creative Industries" was also attended by: Ksenia Bandorina, Member of the St Petersburg Union of Designers, Member of the St Petersburg Union of Artists and Associate Professor at the Saint Petersburg Stieglitz State Academy of Art and Design; Polina Egarmin, founder of Fashion Tech by Fash.In; and Liza Savina, producer and co-founder of the Sparta Cultural Initiatives Foundation.