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As part of a joint research project with the Vladimir Potanin Foundation, specialists from the Agency for strategic development "CENTER" examined the revitalization of the Aramil Textile Factory in Sverdlovsk Region. The Niti x Niti project brings together a museum exhibition, creative workshops and a programme of cultural events, exploring the history of textile manufacturing through industrial architecture and the personal stories of the women who worked at the factory.

Industrial production began on the site of a former mill in 1857. In 1895, the enterprise was acquired by the Zlokazov brothers, who transformed it into one of the leading textile manufacturers in the Middle Urals. During the Second World War, the factory produced cloth for military greatcoats, while by the 1970s its annual output exceeded four million metres of fabric.

Following a prolonged period of abandonment, the factory passed into private ownership. The Aramil City Museum initiated the site's cultural transformation. In 2021, its original proposal to establish a Museum of the Military Greatcoat evolved into the Niti x Niti project.

"We envisioned this space as a creative cluster, an arts workshop that could accommodate much more than just a museum. The museum is already moving beyond its traditional role and becoming a cultural and historical centre, with room for businesses, craft workshops and many other activities," said Natalia Irtuganova, Director of the Aramil City Museum.

The project occupies one floor of the factory. It houses a museum exhibition dedicated to textile production and the lives of factory workers, alongside an Art Workshop that hosts exhibitions, festivals and creative activities. The collection includes personal belongings donated by former employees, documents, photographs, industrial equipment and audio recordings of oral histories.

Former factory workers have become active contributors to the project. They helped collect historical materials, develop audio guides and organise commemorative events. This approach helped overcome initial scepticism among some local residents and connect the contemporary cultural programme with personal memories of the factory.

The events programme attracts visitors from Aramil and neighbouring cities. In 2024, the international exhibition Red Cloth brought together more than 200 artists from Russia and Belarus, while the Niti-Fest festival in 2025 featured 15 designers and 60 craftspeople.

"The Aramil case demonstrates how a small museum team can initiate the transformation of an industrial site by engaging with local memory and the community. For such a project to develop sustainably, it requires long-term occupancy rights, stable funding and a coordinated model for the use of the entire site," said Andrei Vashchuk, Lead Project Analyst at the Agency for strategic development "CENTER".

The case was examined as part of the research project Analysis of Practices for the Capitalization and Representation of Industrial Heritage, implemented by Agency "CENTER" at the initiative of the Vladimir Potanin Foundation. The final findings will be presented to the professional community in late 2026.

Photo: Agency "CENTER".