"MANAGEMENT AND PR IN THE ART INDUSTRY": THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM OF THE HSE SCHOOL OF DESIGN, INITIATED BY THE CCA WINZAVOD

The program is divided into two tracks: management and PR in the art industry. The course sets the standard for the profession and helps students delineate professional boundaries in the field of art management or PR. The program is aimed at professionals with at least one year of experience in project management and communications who seek to develop a career in the field of contemporary art and implement large-scale projects.

Regardless of the chosen field, students study the history and theory of art, master basic professional tools and practices, and most importantly, work with real—world cases fr om leading institutions.
Students interact directly with current industry professionals fr om partner institutions (GES-2, VK, MMOMA, VESNASKORO, etc.), train soft and hard skills, collect relevant portfolios, and receive job offers before completing the program.

The first release of the program ended in May 2025. Several graduates are already working on initiatives at leading institutions: one of the students was invited to CSI Vinzavod to promote the public program of the exhibition "Boundaries of Visibility", the other developed and implemented the public program of the exhibition Elena Sharganova at MMOMA.

"When we first launched this program together with the HSE School of Design, our goal was clear — to build a working bridge between the art industry and those who dream of working in it. A year later, we can confidently see how this goal is being realized: 16 graduates of the first set have completed their studies and are starting their career. They not only gained knowledge, but successfully worked it out in practice — in partner institutions, including the Winzavod Central Research Institute, the Association of Galleries, the House of Cultures "GES-2" and MMOMA. This confirms that the program is really effective, gives access to the industry, helps to form connections and, most importantly, an understanding of how to move forward in the profession, how to avoid mistakes, but at the same time gain the necessary experience," Sofya Trotsenko, academic director of the Art Management educational track, founder of the Winzavod Training Center.

In addition to basic knowledge in the field of contemporary art, the course provides an important sense of inclusion in the professional community, forms an understandable career path for graduates and provides a deep understanding of the industry as a whole.

Integration into the field is achieved not only through direct contacts with experts, but also through regular curated tours of fairs, exhibitions and vernissages, which radically changes the perception of the profession.

"The first launch of the program confirmed that in Russia there is a request for professional education in the field of art management and PR in the art industry. We have seen how in a short time a community is being formed — people with ambitions, taste and desire to work in contemporary art at a high professional level. The modern art world is a complex system wh ere not only artists and collectors remain key, but also those who build strong ties between them: managers, curators, PR specialists. They are the ones who set the rules of the game.

At the second launch, we are strengthening the program and continuing to create a unique environment wh ere experts fr om CSI Winzavod and teachers from the HSE School of Design meet. This is a space wh ere knowledge turns into professional tools, and students become future industry leaders," Pierre—Christian Brochet, Academic Director of the Art Management educational track.