Roman and Dasha, patrons in the family
The owner of the football team Chelsea, is probably best known abroad oligarch Roman Abramovich, ranked fifth in the classification of the richest Russians, published in the journal «Finans», sponsored the tour of the theater "Contemporary" in London. He has also provided $ 400 million to repair the buildings of the former military base on an island in St. Petersburg, where it will be a museum of modern art.

A pair of tasteful
Billionaire bride Daria Zhukova, who attach it to the world of art, will lead this new structure. Dasha - a pet name by which the famous young friend of Abramovich. She played a pivotal role in opening the gallery "garage" in Moscow during the year has become a favorite place to visit for lovers of contemporary art. According to the magazine ArtChronika "In 2010, Roman and Dasha were" the most influential people in the world of art. "

Potanin and Prokhorov partner also in the field of culture
One of the first oligarchs, who began earnestly in culture, became Vladimir Potanin (ninth in the list). Nickel businessman first to respond to the offer made by Russian President Dmitry Medvedevyi and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, the giant companies of the former Soviet Union to invest in charitable projects at home.

Charity and funds
In 2009, he created a foundation Potanin with a budget of 247 million rubles, and recently transferred to the museum the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, $ 5 million as a simple gift.

Should be, his example was contagious, and his former partner for in Rusal, Mikhail Prokhorov (number three) also drew attention to the culture. Just last year, l'enfant terrible in the field of metal production has invested $ 150 million in the creation of refined magazine Snob, sponsored Festival of Russian Art "An unknown Siberia in Lyon, having spent a 2 million euro, and has sponsored the play" Tales of Pushkin " at the National Theatre.

million investment in retraining and exhibitions
The oligarchs and their muses did not pass their attention and Italy. Last year, the fund Sandretti in Turin president of energy company Novatek, Leonid Michelson (fifteenth Room) has organized an exhibition of contemporary Russian art "Modernikon" by taking part in the opening.

Awards and painting
Anyone who does not open the picture and does not subsidize museums, organizing distribution of prizes. Kandinsky Prize, mainly in the field of painting in Russia was conceived in 2007 by financier Shalva Breus (No. 271). He is also the publisher of ArtChronika. This year he donated 57 million euro prize fund.

Deputy Andrei Skoch (number 23 in the classification of Russia's richest men, made journal «Finans») funded bonus pool "debut" of several million rubles.

centers and museums
The biggest project in the artistic and cultural center plan "Arrow", approved in 2010 on the banks of the Moskva River, is an initiative of the billionaire Alexander Mamut (number 46), famous for buying LiveJournal.com. The annual budget of the future school design, media, new technologies and modern architecture makes $ 10 million.

Center "Arrow" will be associated with an already infamous center of contemporary art "Winery" is open in 2007, another rich man: director of financial group «Aeon Corporation», Roman Trotsenko (188), which is to transform this former winery in the form of post-industrial complex of galleries spent $ 7 million.

elegant way to please the Kremlin
"The best exhibition centers of Moscow - private, - explained the chief editor of ArtChronika" Milena Orlova - without the financial support of Russian billionaires would have been impossible to arrange a less significant Biennale, exhibitions or festivals, even when they are turned into public museums. But why so much money to invest in a culture where there is an opportunity to invest in gas, metals, or oil? According to the most critically-minded people, such as the president of the Center for Political Information Alexei Mukhin, patronage billionaires explained purely political and economic calculation: "They combine business with pleasure, trying to position your business and please the authorities."

The political calculation
On the one hand, they appease the Kremlin, which prides itself on its oligarchs-saving funds, take-out culture, on the other hand, they acquire the image of philanthropists, helpful to the western markets, where they continue to be regarded as not very reliable partners.

The status-symbol
For others, the activities of the Russian rich in culture aims to win superelite status, which requires a combination of immense accounts in Swiss banks to the private prestigious and rich collection of art objects. It has long been relegated to the past times when the industrial philanthropists such as Mammoth, Morozov and Shchukin, who first realized the importance and greatness of Matisse, engaged in charity from a pure love of art.

Today, the most implacable enemies of the Russian billionaires argue that the support of art serves to provide a pleasant pastime for bored wives and sisters. A few days ago, the first lady Svetlana Medvedev opened the Venice Center for the Study of Culture and Art of Russia, first in Italy. So, the Kremlin began to imitate their oligarchs? /inosmi.ru