How New Reforms Will Change the Lives of Uzbek Artists and Students
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan is launching a radical dismantling of its legacy bureaucratic cultural management system, clearing the path for the large-scale capitalization of the creative industry. Head of State Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced an unprecedented package of reforms that abolishes the inefficient oversight of artistic councils, introduces direct budget subsidies for every ticket sold, and transforms school-level creativity into an incubator for innovation using artificial intelligence. The objective of this ambitious project is to elevate the creative economy’s volume to 145 trillion soums, rendering national art financially self-sustaining, prestigious, and competitive on the global stage.
Uzbekistan has set a course to scale the volume of its creative economy to 145 trillion soums. Under this strategy, the Republican Cinematic Commission and the National Artistic Councils are completely dissolved, to be replaced by paid, independent expert panels. This modernization reshapes the entire film industry: "Uzbekfilm" will become the centralized national film concern, foreign film studios will be exempt from domestic taxes, and up to 30% of state-commissioned film budgets will be allocated to advertising. Additionally, producers will retain 50% of box office revenues. Directors Sukhrob Kadirov and Dilshodbek Usmanov, who won the Grand Prix in Cannes for their inclusive film "Step. Yusuf, Son of the Sun," have already been awarded a 1-billion-soum voucher to advance their creative work.
Theaters are slated to receive robust structural support. The Muqimi and Berdaq Academic theaters, along with the National Puppet Theater, are transitioning to full financial and artistic autonomy. Furthermore, a unique subsidy mechanism is being deployed: the state will pay theaters an additional 10,000 soums for each ticket sold, which doubles to 20,000 soums during regional tours. To expand creative infrastructure, dedicated parks are being constructed in Tashkent and Nukus. The triumph of the Namangan Flower Festival, which drew 1.5 million tourists and entered the Guinness World Records, will serve as a template for similar regional initiatives.
The education sector is undergoing a total overhaul. The "Art" program is debuting in schools, where senior students will study graphics, design, and applications of artificial intelligence. At least 1.5 million students are targeted for integration into music education; schools will receive tool-purchasing subsidies, and educators will secure up to 20% bonuses based on student proficiency. Salaries for teachers across 326 arts schools will be equalized with general education baselines. National competition winners will gain exam-free university admission, supported by 500-million-soum promotional grants. For youth with disabilities, "Inclusive Creative Workshops" will open with an annual funding pool of 30 billion soums.
Vocational technical colleges are transferring to the Ministry of Culture, ascending to university status. Students at 10 specialized universities will secure 50 billion soums for startup projects and transition to dual education overseen by premier artists. Recruited foreign professors will launch art-management courses, and a unified institute for professional development will open across the Conservatoire and the Institute of Arts and Culture.
Theaters are slated to receive robust structural support. The Muqimi and Berdaq Academic theaters, along with the National Puppet Theater, are transitioning to full financial and artistic autonomy. Furthermore, a unique subsidy mechanism is being deployed: the state will pay theaters an additional 10,000 soums for each ticket sold, which doubles to 20,000 soums during regional tours. To expand creative infrastructure, dedicated parks are being constructed in Tashkent and Nukus. The triumph of the Namangan Flower Festival, which drew 1.5 million tourists and entered the Guinness World Records, will serve as a template for similar regional initiatives.
The education sector is undergoing a total overhaul. The "Art" program is debuting in schools, where senior students will study graphics, design, and applications of artificial intelligence. At least 1.5 million students are targeted for integration into music education; schools will receive tool-purchasing subsidies, and educators will secure up to 20% bonuses based on student proficiency. Salaries for teachers across 326 arts schools will be equalized with general education baselines. National competition winners will gain exam-free university admission, supported by 500-million-soum promotional grants. For youth with disabilities, "Inclusive Creative Workshops" will open with an annual funding pool of 30 billion soums.
Vocational technical colleges are transferring to the Ministry of Culture, ascending to university status. Students at 10 specialized universities will secure 50 billion soums for startup projects and transition to dual education overseen by premier artists. Recruited foreign professors will launch art-management courses, and a unified institute for professional development will open across the Conservatoire and the Institute of Arts and Culture.
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