Uzbekistan’s first permanent contemporary art institution has opened in a historic 1912 building in Tashkent, transforming a former tram depot and diesel power station into a new cultural hub for the region.
CCA Tashkent opened to the public on 6 September as a project of the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation.
The centre is located in the heart of Tashkent in a historic building dating to 1912. The site previously served as a tram depot and diesel power station before its transformation into a contemporary arts centre.
CCA Tashkent is designed to go beyond a traditional exhibition space. Its programme includes exhibitions, artist residencies, research and educational initiatives, alongside lectures, panel discussions, concerts, performances and film screenings.
The centre also aims to support artists from Uzbekistan while creating opportunities for international cooperation. Its activities are intended to connect the local art scene with international artists, researchers and curators.
The centre’s inaugural exhibition, Hikmah, is curated by Dr Sarah Raza. Taking its name from the Arabic word for “wisdom”, the exhibition brings together works that explore the relationship between local traditions, spiritual heritage and contemporary artistic practices.
Participating artists include Muhannad Shono, Nari Ward, Shohruh Rakhimov, Tarik Kiswanson, Kimsooja, Ali Cherri and Nadia Kaabi-Linke.
The exhibition also features works by Vladimir Pan, Daribay Saipov and Bakhtiyar Saipov from the collection of the I.V. Savitsky State Museum of Arts of the Republic of Karakalpakstan.
CCA Tashkent’s first international exhibition, Instruments of the Mind, is on show at Palazzo Franchetti in Venice as an official parallel project of the 61st Venice Biennale of Contemporary Art.
The exhibition focuses on the work of Vyacheslav Akhunov, a pioneer of Central Asian contemporary art, and is scheduled to remain open until 22 November 2026.
The project reflects the centre’s broader goal of bringing Uzbek and Central Asian artistic practices to international audiences.
CCA Tashkent is also expanding its residency programme beyond the capital, with a new programme in Samarkand set to begin in September alongside its existing residencies in Tashkent.
While the Tashkent programmes focus primarily on creating new works of art, the Samarkand residency will focus on research, interdisciplinary exchange and engagement with the city’s historical and cultural heritage.
CCA Tashkent forms part of a wider effort by the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation to expand the country’s cultural infrastructure and strengthen international cultural cooperation.
The Foundation has described the centre as a platform for new artistic projects, international partnerships and cultural exchange, with activities spanning Tashkent and Samarkand.
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