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Russian Deputy PM Surkov to make working trip to Kaluga

He will discuss the creation of a network of regional centers of modern art with regional organizations

KALUGA, August 23 (Itar-Tass) —— Russian Deputy Prime Minister Vladislav Surkov will make a working trip to Kaluga on Thursday to discuss the creation of a network of regional centers of modern art. Besides, Surkov, who is in charge of contacts with regional organizations, will meet with the orthodox clergy to discuss interaction between the Russian Orthodox Church and the government, as well as issues of support of Russian orthodox culture.

The idea of creating centers of cultural development in small and medium cities was put forward by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in early August. The Ministry of Culture was instructed to work out the centers’ format. It is planned that it will be a network of educational establishments of additional training in the sphere of modern art. The government believes that the main aim of such centers “is the creation of creative environment, the holding of exhibitions and spreading of new cultural forms.”

The first three centers will open in the Central Federal District, in the Urals and the Far East (on Russky Island). In the current year, 120 million rubles were allocated for working out estimate and design documents, and the final cost of the construction amounts to two billion rubles. A half of the sum is to come from non-budget sources.

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