The paper discusses basic approaches to studying cultural potential of young professors of Urals Federal District Universities seen as a leading subject of cultural activities in the social space of the region. Empirically, the study was based on the data of a mass survey and focused group interviews. High level was ascertained of involvement of young teachers into cultural space of the city and their eagerness to more actively make their leisure time. However, there are found also lack of stable identity among the young intelligentsia, consumer-type attitude to cultural space, passivity and lacking self-organization. Young intellectuals in the city are not aware of being a group capable to effect cultural transformations.