Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan

As part of the Tashkent International Investment Forum program, the session “Creative Economy: From Cultural Heritage to Investment Future” explored the significance of creative industries in the global economy, their role in diversifying revenue streams, creating new employment opportunities, and promoting sustainable development.

Artistic Director of the Bukhara Biennial Diana Campbell shared that the international strategy of the Culture and Arts Development Foundation is to support the talents that already exist in Uzbekistan by involving them in international dialogue and collaborative creativity. She also added that art is an opportunity to change someone’s economic reality.

Although our first biennial hasn’t even opened yet, many hotels are already fully booked because fans of these artists are traveling to Uzbekistan to see what they will create here. What’s also interesting is that in Uzbekistan, artists work in a completely different way compared to anywhere else in the world, due to the unique context. We use historic Silk Road buildings, former madrasas, mosques, and caravanserais, which are now being transformed by contemporary art, added Diana Campbell.

The session addressed important topics such as Uzbekistan’s rich cultural heritage, the developing creative ecosystem, and investment opportunities in these areas—crafts, cultural tourism, contemporary art centers, and projects within international festivals.

Curator and Artistic Director of the Center for Contemporary Arts in Tashkent Sara Raza explained that the center will serve as a springboard — not only in itself but as part of a broader system. She noted that this is not just about creativity but about building community.

We need to rethink how the system can play such a role. We’ll need to hire new specialists, and it’s important to understand that not everyone will be an artist or a curator. We’ll also need architects, designers, photographers, urban planners, educators, workshop organizers, and development and marketing specialists. This is a diverse ecosystem, and we want to attract people from different fields. The art center is located just a ten-minute walk from Westminster International University in Tashkent, and we’re already in talks with them about launching a master’s program where I will also teach. We want young people to use art and culture as a tool for rethinking society, ideas, and approaches, Raza noted.

Participants discussed strengthening the country’s international brand through the creative sector, creating conditions for young creative professionals and creative enterprises, and transforming culture and art into a driving force for economic development.

Here in Uzbekistan, there are so many talented and inspiring contemporary artists who simply haven’t had the opportunity to enter the international arena yet. And in my opinion, what’s most exciting is that all the works presented at the Bukhara Biennale are commissioned projects. These are new works developed together with artists and in collaboration with Uzbekistan’s craftspeople. I want to see how these works will travel to museums around the world in the future. And also how the artists themselves will get the chance to travel, learn, and develop, Campbell concluded.

The meeting was marked as one of the important steps toward making the creative economy a strategic direction in Uzbekistan and forming an attractive new platform for foreign investors.