Ilya Oskolkov-Tsentsiper began his career managing the sociological department at the Union of Artists of the USSR between 1989 and 1991. Since then, he has established a diverse portfolio of ventures spanning media publishing, music festivals, urban planning, and service design, operating from bases including Moscow, London, and Tel-Aviv.
Early Career and Media Ventures
After graduating in theatre history from the Lunacharsky State Institute for Theatre Arts in 1989, Oskolkov-Tsentsiper completed post-graduate studies at the Université de Bourgogne. His initial professional projects included organizing the Moscow International Fair (ART-MIF) in 1990 and working as an art critic for Ogoniok magazine. In 1993, he co-founded Matador Magazine, which explored Russian intellectual glamour. By 1999, he partnered with Andrew Paulson and Anton Kudryashov to launch Afisha magazine. This publication significantly influenced Moscow nightlife and introduced new terminology to the Russian lexicon. Under his leadership, the brand expanded to include Afisha-Mir, Bolshoy Gorod, and Afisha-Yeda.
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In 2004, Oskolkov-Tsentsiper initiated the Afisha Picnic, an open-air festival that grew to feature international acts such as Blur, Franz Ferdinand, and Pet Shop Boys. Five years later, he founded the Strelka Institute for Media, Architecture and Design in Moscow. With Rem Koolhaas serving as the first curator, the non-profit institution focused on urban development, conducting architectural competitions for the Polytechnic Museum and Gorky Park. By 2014, he directed a project team for the redevelopment of VDNKh.
Consultancy and Service Design
Oskolkov-Tsentsiper transitioned into broader corporate roles, serving as general director of the Afisha media holding from 2007 to 2009 and as Vice President at Yota Group until 2012. He co-founded the London-based consultancy Winter in 2011, which later rebranded the state corporation Rostekhnologii to Rostec. In 2014, he launched his own design company, Tsentsiper, focusing on service and urban planning for clients such as Sberbank, Russian Post, and PIK Group. The following year, he co-founded Sdelano, a Moscow-based fixed-price apartment renovation service.
Fast facts
- Born: 30 September 1967, Moscow
- Education: Lunacharsky State Institute for Theatre Arts, Université de Bourgogne
- Founder: Afisha magazine
- Founder: Strelka Institute for Media, Architecture and Design
- Former Vice President: Yota Group
- Co-founder: Sdelano
- Residence: Tel-Aviv
- Children: Matvey and Mira
Questions readers ask
What is the Strelka Institute?
It is a non-profit postgraduate education institution founded by Oskolkov-Tsentsiper in 2009 to focus on media, architecture, and urban design.
Which major Russian corporations has his design company worked with?
Tsentsiper has developed projects for Russian Post, Sberbank, and PIK Group.
