Kazakhstan | An overview of cultural initiatives

Kazakhstan’s cultural policy is guided by the concept of creative industries development for 2021–2025, which was adopted to generate employment in technological and venture entrepreneurship with a focus on the younger generation. In an interview with The Astana Times, cultural expert Irina Kharitonova explains why Kazakhstan is becoming attractive for creators.

This year, the Kazakh Tourism national company and Almaty Management University (AlmaU) launched the first master’s programe in creative industries management.

“Kazakhstan should raise professionals to comprehensively develop the country’s creative industries. The key idea of the creative economy is to monetise talents, to turn creative units into commercial communities,” said Kharitonova.

In her view, it will also increase investment attractiveness. “Investors will be more motivated to support creative projects in Kazakhstan,” she noted.

Kazakhstan is now constructing its first Museum of Arts in Almaty on the corner of the city’s two main highways – Al-Farabi and Nazarbayev. It will present world–class art to Kazakh people and showcase the works of the country’s art professionals.

The construction of the museum is funded by the Nurlan Smagulov Foundation with the support of the London-based Chapman Taylor architectural bureau and the Lord Cultural Resources global cultural consulting practice. Its opening is scheduled for next fall.

This year De Montfort University Kazakhstan (DMUK) also unveiled its creative hub in Almaty, named DMUKreative Hub and poised to play a crucial role in nurturing the creative industry in the country. DMUK is a partnership between EdPeritus UK and De Montfort University, a leading U.K. university with over 150 years of history.

Image: The project of the future Museum of Arts in Almaty. Photo credit: almatymuseumofarts.org.