A delegation from the Murmansk Region, led by Deputy Governor Alexandra Kondaurova, represented the region at Russian Creative Week, an annual festival and forum bringing together representatives of the creative industries.

At a thematic session, the region's team discussed the synergy between tourism and the creative industries in the Kola Arctic. Tourist attractions—the symbolic capital of the Murmansk Region—allow for the creation of unique creative products, while the annually growing tourist flow, in turn, provides a broad market for local products. The region's creative palette includes filming locations, Arctic cuisine with local delicacies, and unique festivals with their own agendas, conveying the region's culture, history, and spirit.

Among the most famous Murmansk brands, whose work is inspired by the nature and spirit of the Kola Arctic, are clothing by designer Alexandra Gapanovich, chocolate by "Medveditsa," arctic-roasted coffee by "Roast Arctic," clothing by the "Sever" brand, jams and sauces made from local berries by "Kolsky Krai," and the "Womo Space" space. Cosmetics manufacturer "Levrana," which grows its raw materials on an organic farm in the Murmansk region, has a separate line called "Kandalaksha."

"The active development of tourism has largely fueled the rapid growth of creative industries. Our cities, such as Monchegorsk, Polyarnye Zori, Nikel, Kovdor, Kirovsk, and Apatity, have launched entire institutions dedicated to the development of their territories and creative communities, and new local producers have emerged. "Film filming in the Murmansk region has become a real industry: people come here for both the whitest snow and the longest filming days," commented Alexandra Kondaurova, Deputy Governor of the Murmansk region, recalling how the international success of the film "Leviathan" sparked a surge in interest in Teriberka, turning the ancient Pomor village into a tourist attraction in the Murmansk region. Today, Teriberka boasts 18 shared accommodation facilities, over 10 food establishments, and the Teriberka Nature Park has attracted approximately 15,000 visitors in 2024.

"A master plan has been developed for the nature park and is being implemented in stages. And the village of Lodeynoye won this year's competition for small towns and historical settlements. The project will create spaces for local residents, including creative spaces and opportunities for tourists to participate in the life of the area." None of this would have happened if it weren’t for Andrey Zvyagintsev’s film,” noted Alexandra Kondaurova.

Unique support measures are in place to support creative industries in the region, including those under the governor's "Live in the North!" plan. Among the most popular are the "Governor's Start" program for regional entrepreneurs, grants to support contemporary art and creative industries projects, financial support for the development of tourism infrastructure, and benefits for residents of the Russian Arctic zone.

/ Murmansk Region Tourism Committee /

Photo: Press Service of the Creative Economy ANO