― 21 мая 2026 г.

Painters’ Festival and International Art Conference held in Andijan, the Cultural Capital of the Turkic World 2026

A “Painters’ Festival” and an international art conference bringing together the shared cultural memory of Turkic peoples through art, were held with strong participation in  the Province of Andijan, the  Cultural Capital of the Turkic World 2026 in Uzbekistan.

The opening ceremony of the festival, initiated by Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, was held at Ziyolilar Bog‘i (Aydınlar Bağı) in the city of Babur. The ceremony was attended by the Governor of the Province of Andijan Shuhratbek Abdurahmanov, the President of the Academy of Fine Arts of Uzbekistan Akmal Nur, and TURKSOY Secretary General Sultan Raev, as well as painters, sculptors, photographers, and numerous distinguished guests from across Uzbekistan.

The extensive exhibitions opened in the region of New Andijan within the framework of the festival garnered great acclaim from art enthusiasts. The works on display, featuring  a many artistic styles ranging from traditional miniature art to contemporary paintings, and from applied art examples to modern pieces, showcased the rich artictic heritage of the Turkic World. In addition to the exhibitions, the event venue hosted creative gatherings, master classes, open-air artistic events, and various cultural activities.

The festival  featured an international scientific-theoretical conference titled “Art of the Turkic World: Historical-Cultural Heritage and Modernity” organized under the auspices of the  State University of Andijan  in cooperation with the  Academy of Fine Arts of Uzbekistan, TURKSOY, and the  Regional Administration of Andijan.

This significant academic event, which addressed the roots of Turkic World art, cultural commonalities, and contemporary development processes, was attended by numerous art historians, academics, and artists from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Türkiye, and Turkmenistan. The sessions featured Dr. Kamola Akilova, Professor of Art Sciences at the Uzbekistan Academy of Arts, Balnur Karabalayeva from Kazakhstan, Prof. Dr. Ruhi Konak from Türkiye, Elçin Aliyev from Azerbaijan, Tamara Kadyrbaeva from Kyrgyzstan, and Azat Annayev from Turkmenistan, who delivered valuable presentations assessing the shared values and cultural heritage of Turkic peoples in the fields of visual and applied arts.

Sultan Raev: “Art Is the Strongest Bridge Carrying Our Shared Civilizational Consciousness into the Future”

Delivering a speech at the event, TURKSOY Secretary General Sultan Raev emphasized that shared cultural memory is transmitted to the future through art, noting that: "The shared cultural memory of Turkic peoples lives on in their art. This festival and conference held in Andijan is an important cultural gathering that strengthens the shared artistic heritage of the Turkic World. Art is one of the strongest bridges that brings our peoples closer together and carries our shared history and sense of civilization into the future."

At the closing session of the conference, certificates of appreciation of TURKSOY were handed over to participants. During the discussions held as part of the event, significant assessments were made regarding the expansion of joint projects in the field of art across the Turkic World, the support of young artists, and the development of mechanisms of cultural cooperation.