{"id":56912,"date":"2026-02-21T02:21:32","date_gmt":"2026-02-21T07:21:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/how-two-central-asia-nations-are-expanding-cultural-connections\/21\/02\/2026\/"},"modified":"2026-02-21T02:21:32","modified_gmt":"2026-02-21T07:21:32","slug":"how-two-central-asia-nations-are-expanding-cultural-connections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/how-two-central-asia-nations-are-expanding-cultural-connections\/21\/02\/2026\/","title":{"rendered":"How two Central Asia nations are expanding cultural connections"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\n<\/p>\n<div data-article-body=\"true\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Central Asia is gaining cultural momentum. Across the region, major art and cultural institutions are opening in rapid succession, signaling a shift in how these countries see themselves and how they want to be seen.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">What is driving this wave of cultural investment and how might it reshape the region\u2019s artistic landscape and its global visibility?<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\"><strong>From philanthropy to public impact<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Since its opening in mid-September last year, the Almaty Museum of Arts (ALMA) has quickly become one of the most talked-about cultural developments in the region.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Positioning itself as a contemporary art hub for Central Asia, the museum presents the long-assembled private collection of its founder, businessman and philanthropist Nurlan Smagulov, alongside newly commissioned works by leading international artists.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\">Related<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">In just a few months, ALMA has attracted 250,000 visitors \u2014 a figure that speaks more convincingly about the demand for cultural spaces than any official statements could.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p><span class=\"wdgt-image_capText\"> The Almaty Museum of Arts, with NADES (2023) in the foreground. <\/span> <span class=\"wdgt-image_credit\"> &#8211; Photo: Alexey Naroditsky for Almaty Museum of Arts <\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Almost simultaneously, Almaty marked another milestone with the long-anticipated opening of the Tselinny Center of Contemporary Culture. The institution was founded in 2018 by businessman and philanthropist Kairat Boranbayev, but its permanent home \u2014 a reconstructed Soviet-era cinema \u2014 was only completed last year.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The transformation was led by British architect Asif Khan, who preserved the building\u2019s modernist character while adapting it for contemporary use. Since opening, the institution has welcomed around 60,000 visitors.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Tselinny differs from ALMA in both concept and mission. Without a permanent collection, it is the first private institution in Kazakhstan devoted specifically to supporting contemporary culture through a dedicated, multidisciplinary space.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"Tselinny Center of Contemporary Culture, Almaty.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"808\" height=\"539\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/UlE6RYH3mtT_pbgaqBy5OA--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MDtjZj13ZWJw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/euronews_us_news_articles_566\/4364e3aa2e4eecf2a24e650d65e6cf28\"\/><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p><span class=\"wdgt-image_capText\"> Tselinny Center of Contemporary Culture, Almaty. <\/span> <span class=\"wdgt-image_credit\"> &#8211; Photo: Atelier Cauchemar for Tselinny <\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">According to Jamilya Nurkaliyeva, general director of the Tselinny Center of Contemporary Culture, the institution\u2019s focus extends beyond exhibitions:<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">\u201cOver the seven years of our work, we have focused on building intellectual infrastructure and forging connections with intellectual communities \u2014 scholars and researchers who study our region and the issues that matter to us today. We work with local artists who are creating here and now.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Tselinny\u2019s programme spans visual art and music projects, film screenings, theatre productions and experimental formats. At present, it is hosting <em>Union of Artists<\/em>, an exhibition curated by Vladislav Sludskiy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Beyond exhibitions and performances, Tselinny also carries out research and educational work, positioning itself as a platform for intellectual exchange among artists, theorists and cultural professionals from diverse social, cultural and ideological backgrounds.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><strong>Culture as a state project<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Uzbekistan, too, has made decisive moves to position itself on the contemporary art map. One of the most visible signals was the Bukhara Biennial, which concluded in November 2025. Titled <em>Broken Hearts<\/em>, it was the first biennial of its kind not only in Uzbekistan but across Central Asia.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\">Related<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Another highly anticipated development is the opening of the Centre for Contemporary Arts Tashkent, scheduled for March this year. Located in Tashkent, the new institution was designed by the award-winning architecture firm Studio KO.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"Centre for Contemporary Arts in Tashkent\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"808\" height=\"484\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/Fb76J5.USWImTGRVfVbqUA--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU3NTtjZj13ZWJw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/euronews_us_news_articles_566\/653e06d9053db079ed44ec851ae4c1e0\"\/><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p><span class=\"wdgt-image_capText\"> Centre for Contemporary Arts in Tashkent <\/span> <span class=\"wdgt-image_credit\"> &#8211; Photo: Studio KO for the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation <\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Conceived as a long-term platform rather than a single event, the centre aims to host exhibitions, artist residencies, research programmes and educational initiatives, positioning Tashkent as a year-round hub for contemporary art production and exchange.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The list of upcoming developments does not end there. A new National Art Museum of Uzbekistan is scheduled to open in 2028 in Tashkent.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Together, these initiatives point to a carefully structured and long-term approach to cultural development. They are being driven by the Art and Culture Development Foundation of Uzbekistan, a state institution operating under the presidential administration\u2019s department of creative economy and tourism.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\"><strong>One goal \u2013 two approaches<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">As Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan approach four decades of independence, their contemporary art scenes \u2014 once fragmented and largely unsustainable \u2014 are entering a new stage of maturity.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Artists from both countries have long been present in major international institutions \u2014 from the Centre Pompidou to Museum of Modern Art and museums in Antwerp \u2014 often gaining recognition abroad faster than at home. Today, however, cultural infrastructure in both countries is finally beginning to catch up with the level of their artists.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Meruyert Kaliyeva, art gallerist and director of the ALMA, notes that the Kazakh case carries a strong generational dimension: \u201cBoth projects are rooted in very personal trajectories. The first generation of entrepreneurs of independent Kazakhstan is reaching an age where questions of legacy become central.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Kazakh curator Yuliya Sorokina also welcomes these changes, calling them a point of no return for the country. \u201cEverything has changed now,\u201d Sorokina says. \u201cLife in Kazakhstan has shifted because two world-class institutions have opened. And the fact that they are not state-run matters.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">She notes that in Kazakhstan, contemporary art has historically received little to no government funding. As a result, institutions and artists have relied largely on fundraising, private patronage and philanthropy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Uzbekistan, by contrast, has pursued a predominantly state-led model. Most large-scale cultural initiatives are publicly funded, and many artists and cultural professionals view this concentrated, concept-driven approach as effective.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Normurod Negmatov, an artist and founder of the private Ruhsor Museum of Contemporary Art in Samarkand, sees tangible results: \u201cIn Uzbekistan, culture is supported by the state. The country is betting on tourism, exhibitions and museums are being rethought from the ground up,\u201d says Negmatov. &#8220;This produces results. In just a few years, the Foundation\u2019s strategy has begun to bear fruit \u2014 Uzbekistan has become more active and more visible on the global stage.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">At the same time, observers caution that strong state involvement can be fragile if political priorities shift. Meruyert Kaliyeva recalls the example of Azerbaijan, where heavy government investment in culture was followed by a decline in long-term engagement. She hopes Uzbekistan\u2019s trajectory will prove more sustainable.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Whether privately run or state funded, in both cases the expansion of cultural infrastructure is increasingly seen as a catalyst for tourism, as newly opened institutions become destinations in their own right.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The difference lies in intent. In Uzbekistan, cultural development is conceived from the outset as a state-led strategy tied to tourism and economic policy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">As Jamilya Nurkaliyeva explains: \u201cIn Uzbekistan, culture is defined at the state level as a core public value, and the government is investing heavily in increasing tourist flows, promoting cities, and building modern cultural infrastructure as part of a broader development agenda.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">In Kazakhstan, by contrast, touristic impact is not the driving logic but an expected side effect of privately initiated cultural projects. This does not mean, however, that cultural professionals do not aspire to the so-called \u201cBilbao effect\u201d \u2014 the idea that landmark cultural projects can transform cities and regional economies.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">\u201cWe do expect a Bilbao effect,\u201d says Yuliya Sorokina, speaking of Kazakhstan. \u201cIn Bilbao, they have the sea \u2014 we have mountains, striking landscapes and a fascinating city.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/news\/articles\/beyond-borders-two-central-asia-063655307.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Central Asia is gaining cultural momentum. Across the region, major art and cultural institutions are opening in rapid succession, signaling a shift<br \/><button class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/how-two-central-asia-nations-are-expanding-cultural-connections\/21\/02\/2026\/\">Read More &rsaquo;<\/a><\/button><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":56913,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/os\/en\/euronews_us_news_articles_566\/a6f81bc4fa090766203d614d54936b09","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56912"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=56912"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56912\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/56913"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56912"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=56912"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=56912"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}