Creative Economy in Central Asia: Insights into Size, Legislation, and National Strategies

Bauyrzhan Auken^*

; Aidar Kurmashev

; Aigerim Ospanova

; Aibolat Kushkumbayev

PhD Student, Department of Regional Studies, L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University; Lead Expert, Department of Asian Studies, The Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Head, Department of Asian Studies, The Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Head, Department of Regional Studies, L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Kazakhstan
Professor, Department of Regional Studies, L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Kazakhstan

Correspondence to: ^*Email: baursem7@gmail.com

Abstract

The creative economy is increasingly promoted as a complementary path toward diversification to the resource-dependent development model historically dominant in Central Asia. However, its actual potential to foster inclusive and sustainable growth remains uncertain. This study applies a comparative analytical framework to evaluate the legislative foundations, national strategies, and digital infrastructure supporting creative industries across Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. Drawing on policy analysis, statistical data, and secondary academic sources, it examines the extent to which these countries align their creative economy initiatives with broader economic diversification and innovation objectives. The findings indicate significant progress in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, particularly in policy innovation and digital readiness, while Tajikistan and Turkmenistan remain in the early stages of development, requiring targeted and context-specific strategies. The article concludes by outlining key policy recommendations for leveraging creativity, intellectual capital, and digital transformation as drivers of sustainable regional growth.

Keywords:

Creative Industry, Innovation, Legislative Foundations, Digital Infrastructure

AI Acknowledgment

Generative AI or AI-assisted technologies were not used in any way to prepare, write, or complete essential authoring tasks in this manuscript.

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Funding

The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

References

Agency of Strategic Reforms under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. (2024a). About ASR. https://asr.gov.uz/ru/about
Agency of Strategic Reforms under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. (2024b, October). Kreativ iqtisodiyot: Tahlil va takliflar. https://asr.gov.uz/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/kreativ-iқtisodiyot.pdf
Agency of Strategic Reforms under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. (2024c). Kreativnaya ekonomika: Global’nye tendentsii i perspektivy dlya Uzbekistana. https://asr.gov.uz/ru/news/11149
Agency on Statistics under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan. (2024). Education in the Republic of Tajikistan 2024: Statistical publication. https://www.stat.tj/en/released-statistical-publication-education-in-the-republic-of-tajikistan-2024/
Akorda. (2024, December 27). Renessans Tsentral’noy Azii: Na puti k ustoychivomu razvitiyu i protsvetaniyu. https://www.akorda.kz/ru/renessans-centralnoy-azii-na-puti-k-ustoychivomu-razvitiyu-i-procvetaniyu-1272135
British Council. (2024). Kazakhstan: Current situation and opportunities. https://kazakhstan.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/bc_engcompressed.pdf
Center for Policy Research and Outreach. (2024). Policy brief 2024/10: Creative economy in Uzbekistan. Westminster International University in Tashkent. https://cpro.wiut.uz/cpro-policy-brief-2024-10
CIS Legislation. (2024, November 7). Law of the Kyrgyz Republic on the development of the creative economy. https://cislegislation.com/document.fwx?rgn=142904
Creative Industries Park (CIP). (2024). About CIP. https://cip.kg/about
DataReportal. (2024). Digital data insights and reports. https://datareportal.com
DKNews. (2024). Kazakhstan vnedryaet novye nalogovye stavki dlya kreativnykh industriy. https://dknews.kz/ru/biznes/313156-kazahstan-vnedryaet-novye-nalogovye-stavki-dlya
Flew, T. (2012). The creative industries: Culture and policy. SAGE Publications Ltd. [https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446288412]
Forbes Kazakhstan. (2024). Chempiony v teni: Kto razvivaet kreativnuyu industriyu Kazakhstana. https://forbes.kz/articles/chempiony-v-teni-kto-razvivaet-kreativnuyu-industriyu-kazahstana-2d151a
Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan. (2024). Development of the creative economy in the Republic of Kazakhstan [Policy concept]. https://legalacts.egov.kz/application/downloadconceptfile?id=14456372
Government of Tajikistan. (2024). Kontseptsiya tsifrovoy ekonomiki v Respublike Tadzhikistan. https://policy.asiapacificenergy.org/sites/default/files/Concept%20of%20the%20Digital%20Economy%20in%20the%20Republic%20of%20Tajikistan%20%28RU%29.pdf
JICA Alumni Association of Kazakhstan. (2024). Kazakhstan steps into creative economy development. https://jicaalumni.kz/ru/razdel-vnutrennyaya/kazakhstan-steps-creative-economy-development
Kim, W., & Kim, J. (2024). Advanced natural language processing analysis on cross-border media sentiment from China and South Korea. International Area Studies Review, 27(1), 43–56. [https://doi.org/10.69473/iasr.2024.27.1.43]
Kudaiberdieva, S. (2024, December 2). Creative economy of Kyrgyzstan: Many people, no conditions. CABAR.asia. https://cabar.asia/en/creative-economy-of-kyrgyzstan-many-people-no-conditions
Ministry of Culture, Information, Sports, and Youth Policy of the Kyrgyz Republic. (2024). Official website. https://minculture.gov.kg/ru
Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan. (2024a). Nalogovye stimulirovaniya dlya kreativnykh industriy. https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mam/press/news/details/684535?lang=ru
Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan. (2024b). Official website. https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mam?lang=ru
Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan. (2024). Official website. https://www.medeniyet.gov.tm/tk
Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of the Republic of Tajikistan. (2024). Official website. https://www.medt.tj/ru/
Ministry of Justice of the Kyrgyz Republic. (2024a). Kontseptsiya razvitiya kreativnoy ekonomiki v Kyrgyzskoy Respublike na 2022–2026 gody. https://cbd.minjust.gov.kg/159214/edition/1167431/ru
Ministry of Justice of the Kyrgyz Republic. (2024b). Resolution of the Kyrgyz Republic on approving the concept of creative economy development. https://cbd.minjust.gov.kg/159214/edition/1167431/ru
Moon, P. W., & Kim, H. J. (2025). The growing gender divide: Changing perceptions of gender equality among youth in the United States. International Area Studies Review, 27(1), 1–20. [https://doi.org/10.69473/iasr.2024.27.1.1]
OpenSpace ETF. (2024, December 15). Groundbreaking steps in the Orange Economy: Central Asia creative industries in the Kyrgyz Republic. https://openspace.etf.europa.eu/blog-posts/groundbreaking-steps-orange-economy-central-asia-creative-industries-kyrgyz-republic
Pratt, A. C. (2005). Cultural industries and public policy: An oxymoron? International Journal of Cultural Policy, 11(1), 31–44. [https://doi.org/10.1080/10286630500067739]
QazMonitor. (2024, October 7). One in seven businesses in Kazakhstan operates within the creative industry. https://qazmonitor.com/business/1562/one-in-seven-businesses-in-kazakhstan-is-in-creative-industry
Republic of Kazakhstan. (2021). Postanovlenie Pravitel’stva Respubliki Kazakhstan № 860: Kontseptsiya razvitiya kreativnykh industriy na 2021–2025 gody. https://online.zakon.kz/Document/?doc_id=33480048
The Astana Times. (2024, August). Kazakhstan sees 15% rise in creative industries following tax relief. https://astanatimes.com/2024/08/kazakhstan-sees-15-rise-in-creative-industries-post-tax-relief/
UNCTAD. (2024). Creative Economy Outlook 2024. https://unctad.org/system/files/official-document/ditctsce2024d2_en.pdf
UNDP Turkmenistan. (2024). Novaya initsiativa dlya razvitiya kreativnoy i innovatsionnoy ekonomiki. https://www.undp.org/ru/turkmenistan/press-releases/novaya-iniciativa-dlya-razvitiya-kreativnoy-i-innovacionnoy-ekonomiki-proon-i-posolstvo-velikobritanii-uglublyayut
UNESCO. (2024). Tax benefits for creative economy development in Central Asia. https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/tax-benefits-creative-economy-development-central-asia
United Nations, Economist Network. (2024, March 14). New economics for sustainable development. https://www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/files/orange_economy_14_march.pdf
Uza News Agency. (2024). Bukhara joins the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. https://uza.uz/en/posts/bukhara-joins-the-unesco-creative-cities-network_534454
Zakon.kz. (2024). 43 vida predprinimatel’stva otnesli k kreativnoy industrii. https://www.zakon.kz/pravo/6396596-43-vida-predprinimatelstva-otnesli-k-kreativnoy-industrii.html
Zakon Respubliki Uzbekistan. (2024). Zakon Respubliki Uzbekistan o kreativnoy ekonomike. https://lex.uz/ru/docs/7129290
Zhussupova, A. (2024). Ekonomika kreativnaya: Razvitie. Ekonomist.kz. https://ekonomist.kz/zhussupova/ekonomika-kreativnaia-razvitie/