Uzbekistan to host Creative Economy World Conference 2024

Tashkent, The Gulf Observer: The Third World Conference on the Creative Economy was held from 5 to 7 October 2022 in Bali (Indonesia). Strategically, it coincided with the G20 Summit in Indonesia, highlighting the importance of cooperation between countries and seeking to promote the exchange of ideas and experiences in the development of global cooperation in the field of the creative economy.

In 2024, the Fourth World Conference on Creative Economy will be held in Uzbekistan, organized by the Art and Culture Development Foundation under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

“It is a great honor for Uzbekistan to become the host country of the 4th World Conference on Creative Economy. This demonstrates the vitality of our rapidly growing creative economy sector and also rewards the country’s efforts to support the development of creative and innovative solutions in this area. We are grateful for this important new mission entrusted to us today and look forward to welcoming guests from all over the world to Uzbekistan in 2024,” Saida Mirziyoyeva, Deputy Chairman of the Council of the Art and Culture Development Foundation.

The Art and Culture Development Foundation became a participant in the plenary session “Creative Economy for a Global Revival”, sharing the overall mission and achievements of the Foundation, as well as plans for the future. Particular attention was paid to the development of a creative economy in Uzbekistan, stimulating the growth and sustainability of cultural producers, as well as supporting international cooperation. Also discussed were the strategies of Uzbekistan over the past 10-15 years to effectively provide jobs in the field of culture in the country.

Within the framework of the III World Conference on Creative Economy in Bali, the Foundation officials met with the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia, Sandiaga Uno. At the meeting, the possibility of signing a Memorandum on the joint development of the museum industry and the creative sector in the country in the future was discussed. Expressing his interest in the culture of Uzbekistan, Sandiaga Uno emphasized the importance of the upcoming World Conference on Creative Economy in 2024 in Uzbekistan in promoting cooperation in various projects both at the state level and within private cultural initiatives. Thus, by joint efforts, another impetus to the development of tourism in the country, support for the museum sector and the exchange of experience among international experts is possible.

Since 2017, the Art and Culture Development Foundation has been promoting various projects in the field of the creative economy. In 2018, the Foundation launched its first summer school “Management in the Creative Industry” in cooperation with Westminster International University in Tashkent. In 2019, the Foundation opened the first interdisciplinary laboratory at the Center for Contemporary Art in Tashkent, CCA LAB, which serves as a platform for young artists to develop entrepreneurial skills and build portfolios. The Foundation is also leading the reconstruction project of the first Contemporary Art Center in Central Asia, designed by the French architectural bureau Studio KO.

Building on the disappearance of the old historic Mahalla in Tashkent and addressing the issue of rural urbanization and the impact on old residential areas, the Foundation is supporting research in partnership with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH), which is leading to new projects on restoration and preservation of historical mahallas. Fourteen mahallas of Tashkent are included in the preliminary UNESCO World Heritage List.

In order to further support the development of creative entrepreneurship, in 2024, in partnership with the Center for Contemporary Art in Tashkent, the Foundation is launching the first art residences located in old mahallas, turning them into an exchange and production center for emerging and established artists and artisans. The residency program will also include the first business incubator. As a community engagement project, the residencies will be a powerful tool in the development of a creative economy in the artistic and applied arts environment.

In recent years, the Foundation has also initiated the construction of the State Museum of Arts of Uzbekistan designed by the famous Japanese architect Tadao Ando, became the curator and organizer of the first National Pavilion of Uzbekistan at the Venice Biennale in 2021 and 2022, and is also preparing a public project to revive the territory on the Aral Sea by 2024 year, among many other initiatives. Exhibition projects organized by the Foundation include two large-scale exhibitions at the Louvre and the Arab World Institute in Paris, which will open in November 2022, presenting the unique heritage of Uzbekistan to an international audience.

The conference aims to renew and revive the discussion around the global creative economy, which has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic over the past two years. As the world seeks to recover from the effects of the pandemic, the creative economy is becoming more important and effective in delivering inclusive and sustainable growth. Among the main objectives of the conference are the promotion of international cooperation, highlighting the importance of creativity as a means to an inclusive and sustainable economy, as well as emphasizing a knowledge-based economy as opposed to a resource-based economy. The Fourth World Conference on the Creative Economy, to be held in Uzbekistan in 2024, will continue this discussion by providing an essential platform for international cooperation in this thriving economic sector.