This Europe: Money for art's sake is the popular cry

"And now a word from our sponsor" is the essence of the message emblazoned opposite the Winter Palace in Russia's second city, home to the Hermitage's vast art collection. And the museum's director, Mikhail Piotrovsky, is deadly serious about it.

The banner said it was being restored with $1m from the museum and $1m from Interros, a nickel, insurance and media company. All that meant adopting Western ways. At least some of them.

"Money is important. We have to raise money," said Mr Piotrovsky, who is credited with saving the Hermitage. "A museum can raise money but this must not become its main duty. Charitable donations are an important source of income, though it took some time to persuade Russians that this was a prestigious exercise."

Director since 1992 – his father held the post from 1964 to 1990 – heis one of the city's leading cultural figures. Mr Piotrovsky saw the collection nearly ruined when the local council cut off the heating in the economic turmoil after Communism collapsed.

He said: "We very nearly died. Our budget was tiny; our storage area consisted of bare walls ... We were told that the bills weren't being paid and they switched the heating off. I issued an order to break the seal and switch it back on. We wrote letters and made plenty of noise. The press helped."

Twelve years on, Mr Piotrovsky says running an art gallery is like managing a sports team. "People identify with their town's sports team; the same should go for a museum.

"Russians aren't finding life any easier nowadays, but they are starting to think about culture."