The main routes of the Great Silk Road, uniting China and the Mediterranean, once passed through the territory of present-day Uzbekistan. Known for its breathtaking mosques, mausoleums and intricate Islamic architecture that bridges the cultures of East and West, the Central Asian country is undergoing a period of massive state-led investment in its cultural and tourism sectors in a bid to grow its local economy and attract more foreigners to its glorious cultural and historical offerings.

Uzbekistan’s ambitious new cultural agenda includes several major cultural edifices and events that will take place over the next two years. One is the construction of a new State Art Museum, spanning 40,000 square metres designed by Tadao Ando Architects & Associates in Tashkent that will include a collection of over 100,000 objects, slated to become the largest exhibition space in Central Asia. Additionally, Palace of the Grand Duke of Romanov is being restored and partially reconstructed. On September 5, 2025, the country’s first-ever art biennial will open in Bukhara, a UNESCO Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art under the theme “Recipes for Broken Hearts,” curated by Artistic Director Diana Campbell, will open running for 10 weeks and offering a range of art on view to see from visual arts to crafts, performances and music. All the projects are being spearheaded by the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation (ACDF).

In early October, Uzbekistan’s latest cultural offering, the Center for Contemporary Art (CCA), also led by ACDF, launched its inaugural artist residences during the fourth World Conference on Creative Economy in Tashkent from October 2–4.

Located in Tashkent’s historic mahallas, meaning neighbourhoods in Uzbek, of Namuna and Khast Imom, in newly restored heritage sites conceptualised by French architecture firm Studio KO, the CCA is part of Uzbekistan’s larger cultural investment scheme transforming the Central Asian country.

While the structures of the CCA are still being built and restored, the inaugural artist residencies mark a significant milestone in the CCA’s mission to develop Tashkent into a crucial meeting place for the local, regional and global art scene.

The artist residencies take place in three intakes per year welcoming five participants in each cohort running for eight weeks. They will welcome emerging and established artists and curators from around the world, including one Uzbek practitioner in each cohort, to foster local and international dialogue within Uzbekistan, Tashkent and the global art community.

The inaugural artist residencies take place after the appointment of an international selection committee made up from artists and arts practitioners from Uzbekistan and the international creative community. This includes Uzbek ceramic artist Alisher Rakhimov; associate director of Al Makmad Foundation and founder of Zawiya 97, Saudi designer Ahmad S Angawi, director at Fundación Casa Wabi, Carla Sodi from Mexico; American curator, writer and art historian Glenn Adamson; lead curator at design and architecture M+ museum, Ikko Yokoyama from Japan; French design patron Pascale Siegrist Mussard and professor of architecture, artist and designer Ronald Rael from the United States. The committee members will oversee the review of applications, assess proposals and serve as mentors to the residents.

During this period of major cultural transformation for Uzbekistan the artist residencies by CCA form an integral step in fostering creative dialogue with the outside world.

As Adamson stated, they provide a “timely opportunity to bridge cultures and disciplines through art.”

The CCA’s architecture and design reflects a mission to preserve Uzbek heritage while also embracing contemporary structures. In the Namuna mahalla, the ACDF worked with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture on the restoration of the mosque and madrasah or school. Restoration is being carried out by local builders, carpenters, and masons with a focus on preserving local craftsmanship and passing skills to a younger generation of craftsmen. Additionally, the historic mosque in Namuna will be transformed into an exhibition space, complemented by a new building being designed by Studio KO that will house a café and workshops.

Meanwhile, residents will stay in newly finished living quarters that whisk visitors back in time. These charming edifices feature 300-year-old bricks, some original and others sustainably sourced from Bukhara, amid a charming minimalist designed interior.

During their stay, residents and visitors can gather on the ayvan, a terrace that was once a community gathering spot, has also been restored to play the same role. The area includes a tea house, a traditional tandyr stove for baking bread and samsa pies and mashrabiya style sitting areas that foster dialogue and exchange. Creatives from the wider Middle Eastern and global design community are also engaging contributing to the space. Lebanese designer Nada Debs designed the Tapchans, a bench situated in the entrance and garden areas.

A primary structure of the CCA will be housed in a former 1912 diesel station and tram depot and is undergoing renovation by Studio KO and is slated to open in 2025.

The artist residencies take place in three intakes per year welcoming five participants in each cohort running for eight weeks. They will welcome emerging and established artists and curators from around the world, including one Uzbek practitioner in each cohort, to foster local and international dialogue within Uzbekistan, Tashkent and the global art community.

The inaugural artist residencies take place after the appointment of an international selection committee made up from artists and arts practitioners from Uzbekistan and the international creative community. This includes Uzbek ceramic artist Alisher Rakhimov; associate director of Al Makmad Foundation and founder of Zawiya 97, Saudi designer Ahmad S Angawi, director at Fundación Casa Wabi, Carla Sodi from Mexico; American curator, writer and art historian Glenn Adamson; lead curator at design and architecture M+ museum, Ikko Yokoyama from Japan; French design patron Pascale Siegrist Mussard and professor of architecture, artist and designer Ronald Rael from the United States. The committee members will oversee the review of applications, assess proposals and serve as mentors to the residents.