The article is devoted to the analysis of the role of creative spaces in the self-realization of urban youth. It is known that, first of all, creative spaces are attractive "third places" in the city, oriented towards the creation of favorable conditions for advanced young people, as well as for obtaining professional competences for their further career in creative spheres. The article presents the results of a pilot study of two creative spaces in Kazan using qualitative methods. The main research question focuses on the endeavor to understand what opportunities the local creative spaces offer for urban youth in the city, what the specificity of each is, in what ways it is expressed, and what role localized creative spaces play in shaping an attractive image of the city in the eyes of young people.