Art-Clusters In Modern Russian Culture

Culture clustering

To study the question of clustering in the sphere of culture involves specifying the concept "culture" which, as we know, varies in interpretations. Within this research it is obviously important to consider two aspects of culture. On the one hand, it is necessary to consider the value of culture-creative and/or cultural heritage protection activity of the subject. In this case, we have an opportunity to appreciate culture in its own specificity; it includes much more subjectification than is considered to be. Not only a culture-bearer is the person acting, feeling and understanding, but also one is a core value of the cultural reality - which means that studying culture in contact with reality is possible only when taking into account the organization of one’s inner world, their interests, motives, as well as needs of the personality. Considering this we can define culture as the range of opportunities of the motivated activity of the person that is carried out from the first-person point of view as a result of one’s free will (Davies, 2004; Adajian, 2003).

To study modern processes of culture clustering also the socialized, political aspect of culture functioning turns out to be of significance. Specifically, the most important one was focused on in the conclusions of the World Conference on policies in the field of culture, which was held in Mexico City (August 6, 1982), and in the declaration of UNESCO where culture is defined as the set of distinctive characteristics inherent in a society or social group –such as spiritual and material, intellectual and emotional ones - as besides art and literature culture is the way of life, the ability to live together, the set of customs, traditions, and values of a society or community (UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity, 2001).

To research culture clustering the definition widely known in the academic circles is obviously relevant: "Culture is the social behavior and norms found in human societies. Culture is considered a central concept in anthropology, encompassing the range of phenomena that are transmitted through social learning in human societies. Some aspects of human behavior, social practices such as culture, expressive forms such as art, music, dance, ritual, religion, and technologies such as tool usage, cooking, shelter, and clothing are said to be cultural universals, found in all human societies (Larionov & Sokolov, 2017). The concept of material culture covers the physical expressions of culture, such as technology, architecture and art, whereas the immaterial aspects of culture such as principles of social organization (including practices of political organization and social institutions), mythology, philosophy, literature (both written and oral), and science comprise the intangible cultural heritage of a society" (Macionis & Gerber, 2011, p.53).

Profile of the Russian research on culture

Today in Russia the cultural studies (culturology) focus on theory and history of culture, namely, basic principles, tendencies and patterns of cultural behavior and development, mechanisms of cultural form functioning, cultural and historical types, cultural phenomena and processes. Within the current fundamental cultural theory framework there are several directions, each of which addresses their own research problems, for example, the subject matters for culture evolutionary theorists are the development of cultural theories and patterns; for culture philosophers - the concept, essence and structure of culture, it’s humanity, interrelation of culture and nature, culture and society, culture and civilization; for culture sociologists - the processes of culture functioning in society (production, distribution and development of cultural norms, values, knowledge, ideals); for culture anthropologists - the interaction of the personality and the cultural environment, a culture role in formation of one’s inner world, it’s behavior, relations with other people; for culture psychologists - cultural and psychological attributes of the personality, their formation, dynamics, their dependence on one’s cultural orientations and personal preferences. Coupled with the culture evolutionary theory the theory of culture acts as an integrative, cross-disciplinary one of a complete phenomenon of culture in the real historical time and under its social conditions unlike cultural studies which is regarded as the set of the individual scientific disciplines exploring separate subsystems of culture in particular spheres of human activity (Murphy, 2012).

Besides these fundamental directions now the applied cultural science is actively developing. Modern researchers and practicians recognize the science potential mainly in three directions: forecasting, designing, observing cultural processes; development of communications and electronics to share cultural experience; studying mechanisms for reaching certain levels and forms of social practice. Thus, we can define this discipline as the set of the concepts, the methodological principles and cognitive development techniques with a view to their applying in different areas of social interaction and in order to achieve practical results. That is why it is common practice to refer organizing arts and crafts societies, folk art and diverse creative industries, that are to be associated with by the same characteristic or by their primary goals, to the applied research problems of cultural studies. Studying culture clustering is possible and, perhaps, is necessary due to the above-mentioned fundamental theoretical approaches; however, in this article we will address mainly the applied analysis of the issue in question.

Clusters in the sphere of art

The concepts "creative economy" and "creative industries" were creatively synthesized and substantially issued in Great Britain. In the 1970s the cultural industries were incorporated in cultural policy at the national level and by the large international organizations, such as UNESCO, which are aimed at protection of national cultures. By the late 1990s the cultural industries became a powerful political component in the field of culture at the state level.

The conception of the creative industries on which most of researchers and specialists performing city development activity rely on today was formulated by the Council of Europe and means "groupings of independent undertakings - innovative start-ups, small, medium and large undertakings as well as research organizations - operating in a particular sector and region and designed to stimulate innovative activity by promoting intensive interactions, sharing of facilities and exchange of knowledge and expertise and by contributing effectively to technology transfer, networking and information dissemination among the undertakings in the cluster" (Community Framework for State Aid for Research and Development and Innovation, 2006).

The considerable public and scientific attention was attracted by the scientific research of Richard Florida A creative class in which he managed to prove that creative activity plays a decisive role in living in any territory - be it in the sphere of culture, education, science or business. Today creative professionals, according to Florida, are forming a new social class on which not only the development of particular organizations, the growth and prosperity of cities and regions but also empires’ global powers in geopolitics have started to depend (Florida, 2003).

If one looks at creativity beyond art practice, then today one conceives of creative people as not only creative professionals. Creation and creativity are required in different public and state bodies - in the industrial enterprises, in commercial organizations, in governmental institutions. There are various models of a culture clustering provided by variance in cultural policies and local contextual factors. The European model, first of all, emphasizes the cultural value and mission of the creative industries, following less specific policy of social proof of culture and the availability of cultural benefits to a wide range of consumers. Under the influence of these ideas in culture the phenomenon of an art cluster is being formed. An art cluster is a culture - business corporation which is not rarely located in the territory of the former industrial zone. This is the area that includes the exhibition space, a showroom, the theatrical or film venue, seminar rooms, food courts and other similar elements. The cluster is regarded as a single unit, and each part is intended to implement the whole idea, while the organizations and institutions making up the cluster should function executing the strategy chosen and adopting the cultural stylistics code.

The global experience shows that opening of art clusters result in new stimuli and opportunities for communication and collaboration (Radeev, 2014; Gaut, 2000). The sites developed and connected with various directions of creativity and art from installations to musical concerts enable a vibrant and renewable urban environment formation making a valuable contribution to their historical cultural heritage (Sorrells and Kathryn, 2015). As new forms of cooperation art clusters are largely congruent with traditional city space. New Holland in St. Petersburg, where the historical environment and the metropolitan identity perfectly complement one another, which are enriched with innovative cross-cultural practices vividly illustrates the trend (Kazakova, 2017). Moreover, perhaps, the most significant thing is that art clusters are becoming the place where media- and celibacy- topoi cultural potentials are realized, created mainly on the initiative of active city dwellers who seek to develop not only themselves, but also the city in order to make it modern and interesting to its residents and tourists.

Creative spaces in the Russian cities

Having got widespread in the last few decades, creative clusters of the Russian cities (as well as in other developed countries) often arise from development of industrial facilities and territories which cease to function because of closing or their transferring outside the urban areas. Every continent has witnessed the rapid development of similar clusters. These spaces are regarded as not only as the oases of culture and art, but also as catalysts for economic and social changes in society. Just as Africa center was created in Cape Town (The South African Republic) in Toledo (the State of Ohio, the USA) there is Collingwood Arts Center, in Berlin (Germany) - Berlinerpool, in Finland - Art Centre Kulttuuri Kauppila, in Tokyo (Japan) - Youkobo Art Space, in Australia - Hill end. Artist in residence. From the 1990s the similar centers began to appear in Russia (St. Petersburg, Moscow, Yekaterinburg, Vladivostok and other cities).

Not only are big cities marked by this form, but also it arises in comparatively small historical towns such as Suzdal or Veliky Novgorod. These new sites of creative life and its presentations enjoy their great popularity among citizens. Certainly, art clusters of major cities are most known in Russia and beyond its limits. In Moscow they are, for example, art galleries Vinzavod, Garazh, the center of design Art-play. It is worth mentioning ZIL cultural center which, under the leadership of Elena Zelentsova, turned from the former community center of the huge Soviet car manufacturer into the touchstone of the creative development center. The prototype for this is the Barbikan (London, Great Britain), the largest and one of the first-ever cultural centers. It is pertinent that among the well-known art clusters of St. Petersburg there is Pushkinskaya Street, 10, the creative center Skorokhod, the loft rooms Floors, Weavers, Art Muse. They offer many opportunities for numerous artistic groups, theatrical producers, as well as artists, writers and musicians to attract new audiences, for educational and business projects to be realized, for new creative strategies to be developed.

Turned into comfortable resident environment centers (Surova, 2010; Chernyh, 2015), as well as communication ones for different generations that share their interests, art clusters embody miscellaneous things and, obviously, stimulate multicultural development of this or that site, which is then fostered in the whole city. This makes an impact on the urban infrastructure developing, resident employment, an opportunity for youth’s creative activity to be organized. Promoting informal educational development and enlightening, creative clusters help to broaden innovative experience of the urban environment transformation and, in general, work for improving the general level of creative and recreational potential. As a significant part of the urban habitat in ever-changing sociocultural environment, art clusters help the urban area to find its own identity and integrity.

Particularly it is worth noting that the creative cluster existence itself promotes development of creative industries. Working out strategies for self-actualization facilitate the identification of perspective initiatives and the turning some into successful business projects, specifically, those which are most interesting from the point of view of modern culture and historical and cultural heritage. Introducing methods to coordinate a pure creativity with business allows one to turn art clusters into significant sociocultural spaces for adults and children to spend their time productively and interestingly.

The cultural neighborhoods which are actually developed in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other cities (for example, the City Territory in St. Petersburg) and the museums of the modern art such as Erarta, or Balthaup Design Gallery are thought of as clusters of the creative industries including the best creative resources and creating artistic environments, that are conceptually new, attractive to the public. On their venues exhibitions, concerts, festivals, discussions, film screenings, theatrical performances, the presentations and art installations are regularly held. Here coexist and interact educational programs in the sphere of the modern art and cinema, architecture and design, lectures on philosophy and master classes, as well as various charitable events.

Though studying cultural history, one is accustomed to be very skeptical about novelty, one hardly disagrees with the director of the Institute of Cultural Policy Gnedovsky, who characterizes the current changes in the cultural sphere on the grounds of the general understanding of transition from the industrial society to the post-industrial one. Observing Moscow plants moving to the Moscow region or outskirts of the Russian capital, industrial buildings occupied by the people belonging to the new class of society - to a creative class, Gnedovsky notes that people of creative professions form groups, they do their own businesses, at the same time in the same place, they have opportunities, if necessary, to closely cooperate. (Gnedovskij, 2013). This consonance creates a basis for creative economy that is production of ideas, meanings, works, projects which become independent products in the market of entertainment, the software, computing systems, the fine arts, music, as well as for performing arts and crafts.