Three operators in five years: Kazakhstan’s creative industries need a coherent support framework | David Tuganov, President of the Creative Industries Alliance of Qazaqstan (CIAQ)

– David, what fundamental changes have taken place in Kazakhstan’s creative industries in recent years?

– Systematic work began in 2021. At that time, as part of the “El Ümiti” programme, an expert group conducted a diagnostic assessment of the sector. International expert John Newbigin from the United Kingdom was involved in the work. As a result, the first Concept for the Development of Creative Industries for 2021-2025 was prepared and approved.

To implement the Concept, an interagency project office was established with the participation of key ministries and development institutions. However, over the five-year period, the responsible operator changed three times: this function was successively performed by the project office under the Government, Kazakh Tourism, and the Ministry of Culture. Frequent changes of operator affected the pace and continuity of the work, and therefore not all the objectives of the first Concept were achieved.

– How did the Creative Industries Alliance of Qazaqstan emerge, and what task did it take on?

– The initiative group saw that the sector needed a platform that could bring creators together and help build dialogue between the state, society and business. We studied international experience. The example of Kyrgyzstan proved particularly useful, where a specialised association, together with the government, created a Creative Industries Park with a preferential tax regime. We also received advisory support from experts from the British Council and the French Ministry of Culture.

As a result, the Alliance was established as a non-profit and non-governmental organisation. Today, it includes 38 member companies, has nine specialised committees, and covers 29 industries across six clusters. We continued research, work on regulatory legal acts and engagement with government bodies so that the interests of the professional community would be taken into account in shaping sector policy.

– How does the draft Concept for 2026-2030 differ from the first document?

– In preparing it, we were already able to draw on the experience of the previous five-year period and identify the barriers facing each industry more precisely. In film, these include taxation and reimbursement of part of the costs; in music, copyright protection; and in GameDev, the need to support the industry at the stage of its development. No single measure can address the needs of every segment.

We conducted a comparative analysis of 18 countries where creative industries have achieved notable results. In all successful models, interagency coordination is in place. No single ministry can develop this sector on its own: it is connected with culture, education, digitalisation, trade and exports, entrepreneurship and tourism. Therefore, the new document covers education, legal regulation, taxation, finance, investment and infrastructure. It is currently at the final stage of the coordination process..

– Which areas of the creative economy have the greatest export potential?

– The priority depends on the objective: creating jobs, attracting foreign-currency revenue, or addressing cultural and social issues. If we are talking about exports, digital products are particularly promising - film, music, computer games and other digital content. They are easier to bring to foreign markets because they do not require traditional logistics and can be scaled easily.

A successful product can recoup its development costs many times over and continue generating revenue for years. Kazakhstan already has studios with annual revenue of USD 30-40 million, while teams of 30-60 people may work on the product. This demonstrates the kind of returns a business based on intellectual property can generate.

– Where is the boundary between creativity and creative entrepreneurship?

– A work of art may have independent artistic or cultural value. A creative product emerges when a market, a buyer, a sales model and intellectual property rights are added to the idea. For example, national merchandise conveys our identity and cultural code, but once it enters the market, it becomes a product that needs to be promoted, priced and protected.

A creative entrepreneur must understand who will buy the product, how much the buyer is willing to pay, and how to build distribution. It is precisely the ability to combine an original idea with a sustainable business model that distinguishes creative entrepreneurship from creative activity pursued for its own sake.

– What kind of capital is needed to get started, and what difficulties does a creator face as the business grows?

– It is possible to start with a small investment. Let us imagine a craftswoman named Karlygash who makes original acrylic jewellery. At the first stage, she needs materials, a social media page and high-quality visual presentation. She then receives a large corporate order, for example for 6,000 items, hires assistants and gradually builds a team.

When demand becomes regular, a home workshop is no longer enough. Premises, equipment, employees and an appropriate legal form are required. A person who started as a creator is forced to deal simultaneously with accounting, law, personnel management, procurement and logistics.

The next level involves taxes, marketplaces, customs requirements and exports. A lack of knowledge of certain rules can lead to financial losses or failed deliveries. Therefore, one of the main problems for creative entrepreneurs is the lack of clear information about legal, financial and administrative requirements. Sometimes mistakes turn out to be so costly that a person gives up on further developing the business.

– What support measures could help creative businesses go through this journey?

– Financial instruments are needed that take the specifics of the sector into account. A bank usually asks for collateral, whereas the main assets of a creative entrepreneur are an idea, intellectual property, orders and a client base. At the stage of a large order, the same Karlygash does not need a grant; she needs working capital secured against the contract and a clear procedure for obtaining it. For entrepreneurs who are just starting out, accessible financing should be considered, including preferential instruments and, possibly, interest-free loans.

Money alone is not enough. An entrepreneur needs knowledge of unit economics, accounting, taxation, law, marketing and exports. Such support helps identify risks in advance and move from one-off sales to a sustainable business.

– What practical assistance does the Alliance provide to creators?

– We have educational and mentoring projects and hold professional meetings. Participants can communicate with entrepreneurs who have already gone from an idea to an operating company. The Alliance does not build a separate commercial business around this: its work is supported by membership fees.

We are preparing an online course on creative entrepreneurship, scheduled for release in October 2026. The first pilot of the programme has already taken place in Tajikistan. In addition, incubation and acceleration programmes have been developed. The Creative Start pilot incubator involved 100 teenagers: they learned to create comics, books, videos and computer games, including with the use of artificial intelligence. The work begins with finding an idea, after which participants move on to the product and the business model.

– You also mentioned a new technology partnership. What will it provide to Kazakhstani creators?

– Creata Ventures Studio Ltd., registered in the AIFC, has signed an agreement with BytePlus, the B2B division of ByteDance. Thanks to this, Kazakhstani creators gain access to image and video generation models, including Seedance and Seedream, on partner terms and without a chain of resellers, making the tools more affordable.

At the same time, we are preparing educational materials. Access to the technology alone is not enough: it is important to teach people how to use it properly and achieve high-quality results. We see this agreement as an opportunity to expand access to modern tools not only in Kazakhstan, but also in Central Asia.