AGP Executive Report

Arts Access: Kazakhstan has built 312 cultural facilities as part of a drive to widen access to the arts and raise the country’s cultural profile. Music and Memory: A musical celebrating singer Roza Baglanova was staged in Astana, while writer Rollan Seisenbayev’s 80th birthday renewed attention to a literary voice that carried Kazakhstan abroad. Exhibitions: An exhibition dedicated to Dimash Qudaibergen has opened in the capital. Film: Jackie Chan has praised Kazakhstan’s potential as a film location after shooting there, and says he is considering another project in the country. Regional Collaboration: Four Kyrgyz music institutions are set to work with an Almaty college, opening new opportunities for artistic exchange.

Arts & Performance: Kazakhstan joined nine countries at the BRICS Theatre Festival in New Delhi, showcasing its work alongside international troupes. A musical celebrating singer Roza Baglanova was also staged in Astana. Kazakh Culture: A Dimash Qudaibergen exhibition opened in the capital, while Issatay Issabayev’s art explores dialogue with Kazakh tradition. Kazakhstan has built 312 cultural facilities as it expands access to the arts. Film: Kazakh feature Sasyq (Stinker) is among five premieres at the Ngilngig Asian Fantastic Film Festival. Jackie Chan has also praised Kazakhstan’s film potential after shooting there. Sport: Anvar Akylbekov won a historic bronze in freestyle inline slides at the World Skate Games.

Dimash Exhibition: An Astana exhibition celebrates singer Dimash Qudaibergen with his stage costumes, fan portraits and personal instruments, including a dombra gifted by his grandfather. Kazakh Cinema: Kazakhstan’s debut feature Sasyq (Stinker) is among five feature films at the Ngilngig Asian Fantastic Film Festival in the Philippines, running Oct. 24–28. Music Education: Almaty’s Tchaikovsky Music College has partnered with four Kyrgyz institutions on teacher exchanges, master classes, joint concerts and student festivals. Stage & Heritage: An Astana musical tells the story of legendary singer Roza Baglanova; the production has won two awards at an international festival in South Korea. A recent Asian Falconry Cup also brought 170 traditional hunters from 10 countries to showcase the Kazakh art. Arts Access: Kazakhstan says it has built 312 cultural facilities in seven years, while expanding libraries, theatres and arts education.

Music and Memory: An Astana exhibition celebrates Dimash Qudaibergen with his personal instruments, stage costumes and fan-made portraits, including the dombra gifted by his grandfather. Cultural Access: Kazakhstan says it has built 312 cultural facilities in seven years, including theatres, museums and libraries, and is expanding arts education beyond major cities. Music Education: Almaty’s Tchaikovsky Music College has partnered with four Kyrgyz institutions to exchange teachers, stage joint concerts and support young performers. Stage: A musical about legendary singer Roza Baglanova, recently honoured at an international festival in South Korea, has been staged in the capital. Heritage: Kazakhstan’s first Asian Falconry Cup drew 170 handlers from 10 countries, showcasing the centuries-old tradition of hunting with birds of prey. Literature: Writer Rollan Seisenbayev turns 80, marking a career that carried Kazakh stories to readers abroad.

Stage: A new Astana Musical production celebrates singer Roza Baglanova through songs and dramatic scenes from her life. The show won Best Foreign Musical and Best Female Performance at South Korea’s Daegu festival. Literature: Kazakhstan marked poet Kassym Amanzholov’s 115th birthday, honoring a writer whose work helped reshape modern Kazakh verse. Tradition and Art: An Astana exhibition explores betashar, the Kazakh bridal unveiling ritual, through artist Issatay Issabayev’s decades-long study of the custom. Film: Jackie Chan has praised Kazakhstan’s film potential after shooting Armour of God IV: Ultimatum in the country, and says he is considering another project there. AI Cinema: Astana’s AI Film Festival awarded its $450,000 grand prize to a Latvian filmmaker, while a Kazakhstani filmmaker also received a Best Character award.

Kazakh Poetry: Kazakhstan marked the 115th anniversary of poet and translator Kassym Amanzholov on Oct. 10, celebrating his wartime verse and role in shaping modern Kazakh literature. Tradition in Art: An Astana exhibition explores betashar, the Kazakh wedding ritual, through the work of artist Issatay Issabayev, whose lifelong series presents his own interpretation of nomadic culture. AI Cinema: The Astana AI Film Festival awarded its €450,000 Grand Prix to a Latvian filmmaker; a Kazakhstani filmmaker also received the Best Character award. On Location: Jackie Chan has praised Kazakhstan’s film potential after shooting Armour of God IV: Ultimatum in the country, and says he hopes to return.

Astana Arts Picks: This weekend’s programme includes a Saturday concert pairing Kazakh folk instruments with a symphony orchestra, an opera evening at Astana Opera and Sunday’s musical performance Ana Zholy, about mothers, daughters and difficult choices. Kazakh Cinema: 7 Bandits, now in cinemas, turns seven criminals into unlikely heroes on a mission to prevent a nuclear disaster at the Semipalatinsk Test Site. Film Festival: Astana’s AI Film Festival awarded its $450,000 grand prize to a Latvian filmmaker, while a Kazakhstani filmmaker won Best Character. On Location: Jackie Chan praised Kazakhstan’s film potential after shooting Armour of God IV: Ultimatum there and said he hopes to return.

AI Film Festival: Astana’s AI Film Festival awarded its top prize to a Latvian filmmaker, while a Kazakhstani filmmaker won Best Character and the documentary Man from Kulaly Island received special recognition. Kazakh Cinema: Jackie Chan praised Kazakhstan’s potential as a film location after shooting Armour of God IV there, and says he may return for another project. At the Movies: Local action thriller 7 Bandits, released in Kazakh cinemas in September, imagines seven criminals tasked with stopping a nuclear disaster at the Semipalatinsk Test Site. Women’s Football: Kazakhstan’s national team fell 8-0 to Ireland in the first leg of their World Cup playoff in Astana; the return match is Tuesday.

Tennis: Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina beat Aryna Sabalenka to win her first US Open title and become the first player representing Kazakhstan to reach No. 1 in the singles rankings. Film: Astana’s first AI Film Festival drew 8,067 entries from 125 countries. Latvian filmmaker Nikolay Shestak won the $450,000 grand prize, while Kazakh filmmaker Myrzakhan Zhumakhan took Best Character. Kazakhstan on Screen: Jackie Chan praised the country’s film-making potential after wrapping Armour of God IV: Ultimatum shoots in Almaty and Mangystau; the film is due for international release in 2027. Culture and Media: President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed a regional TV channel based on Kazakhstan’s Silk Way TV and called for more cultural exchanges and creative-community dialogue. Football: Ireland visits Astana for the first leg of its Women’s World Cup play-off against Kazakhstan, with the return match set for Cork on Tuesday.

Film: Jackie Chan says he plans to return to Kazakhstan for another project after filming Armour of God 4 there, praising the local crew as among the best he has worked with. AI Cinema: Astana’s AI Film Festival awarded its $450,000 grand prize to a Latvian filmmaker; a Kazakh filmmaker won Best Character, while the documentary Man from Kulaly Island received special recognition at Eurasia.DOC. Heritage: Kazakhstan’s National Museum is showcasing the history and culture of the Great Steppe. Fashion: Kazakh designers joined a Turkic-themed ethno-fashion showcase in Ankara, featuring collections inspired by regional traditions.

Film: Jackie Chan says he plans to return to Kazakhstan after praising the crew behind Armour of God 4: Ultimatum; he and local producers have already discussed another project. AI Cinema: Astana’s AI Film Festival awarded its grand prize to a Latvian filmmaker, while a Kazakh filmmaker won Best Character. Kazakhstan’s documentary Man from Kulaly Island also earned special recognition at Eurasia.DOC. Music & Culture: The new 9 Sada app offers about 11,000 Uyghur songs, including work by artists from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, giving listeners a new way to discover and share the region’s music. Film Festivals: Busan’s festival opened with a record 247 films and new A-list status, placing its top award among those eligible for Oscar consideration.

Film Industry: Jackie Chan and Kazakh producers discussed international film projects and AI’s role in cinema, building on Astana’s AI Film Festival, which drew more than 8,000 entries from 125 countries. A Kazakh filmmaker also won a character award at the festival. Festival Circuit: Kazakhstan is among the countries represented in Tallinn Black Nights’ newly announced competition lineup. Chess: President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev congratulated Timur Turlov on his election as FIDE president and called for stronger youth development and wider access to chess across Kazakhstan. Heritage: Kazakhstan’s National Museum is showcasing the history and culture of the Great Steppe. Sport: Kazakhstan finished eighth at the Asian Games with 84 medals; Elena Rybakina, meanwhile, withdrew from the Wuhan Open with an injury.

Arts & Culture: The Khatai Arts Center will open an exhibition of plein air works on Oct 10 at 17:00, featuring about 200 professional artists and 400+ submissions, with an “one artist – one work” rule to boost style diversity; an online catalogue is available. Film & Tech: Kazakhstan’s Vice President Erlan Karin met Jackie Chan’s production team to discuss international co-productions and highlighted the Astana AI Film Festival’s global scale, with 8,000+ entries from 125 countries. Cinema Spotlight: Chinese director Zhang Yimou teased his long-awaited “The Three-Body Problem” film at the Busan festival, saying he spent years polishing the script and gathered 400,000 fan comments to meet high expectations. Public Health: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan tightened border and airport checks after a suspected plague death in Russia, while Uzbekistan raised its alert level. Sports (Kazakhstan-linked): Elena Rybakina withdrew from the Wuhan Open with a foot injury; and Kazakhstan’s Aiganym Assylan won gold at the Sambo Cadet Worlds, with a Venezuelan athlete taking silver. Arts & Entertainment (Kazakhstan): Astana AI Film Festival crowned Latvia’s Nikolay Shestak with a $450,000 Grand Prix for an AI-made film, plus multiple Kazakh category wins.

Astana AI Film Festival: Latvian director Nikolay Shestak won the festival’s $450,000 Grand Prix for “The First Honest Day,” with Kazakh filmmaker Myrzakhan Zhumakhan taking Best Character for “It Was Just a Joke.” Cinema & Culture: MoMA opened “The Surrealist Book: Tomorrow Lives in Mirrors,” spotlighting Surrealist experiments with manuscripts, bindings, and image-text art. Sports (Kazakhstan ties): Republic of Ireland coach Carla Ward added Australian assistant Stephen Neligan to her staff as Ireland prepare for a World Cup playoff first leg in Astana against Kazakhstan. Regional Arts & Events: Kyrgyzstan’s “Bishkek Arena” is set to become a concert hub, with officials pointing to major international acts like Shakira as a coming test of the venue’s pull. Kazakhstan in the spotlight: A Kazakhstan-set heritage piece (“Farewell to Russia: A Journey Through the Former USSR”) highlights Karaganda’s coal-country landscape and labor struggles. International screen buzz: Zhang Yimou teased his “Three-Body Problem” film at the Busan Film Festival, using fan input to shape the adaptation.

Asian Games & Judo: A South Korean professor says spectators displayed the Rising Sun flag at the Japan–Kazakhstan judo mixed team final in Nagoya, urging the OCA to act after organizers allegedly allowed it. Sports & Culture: Turkmenistan marked the 78th anniversary of the Ashgabat earthquake with a staged memorial play, “Halk hakydasy,” at the Alp Arslan National Drama Theatre. Kazakhstan Sports Spotlight: Kazakhstan closed the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games with 84 medals (12 gold), finishing eighth overall, including major milestones like Alexey Lutsenko’s two cycling golds. Tech for Creative Industries: Kazakhstan’s Astana AI Film Festival highlighted AI’s potential for creative work, with coverage of the festival’s winners and industry impact. Finance & Entertainment Markets: Uralsib Bank launched international acquiring for foreign legal entities, aiming to let companies in countries including Kazakhstan accept payments tied to Russian bank cards. Fashion: Gulnara Khalilova’s collections are set to tour Turkey as part of the Turkic World fashion week circuit.

Astana AI Film Festival: Kazakhstan’s Myrzakhan Zhumakhan won Best Character at the Astana AI Film Festival, for the comedy It Was Just a Joke, as the event crowned Latvian filmmaker Nikolay Shestak with the $450,000 Grand Prix for The First Honest Day. Cultural Venues & Tourism: Kyrgyzstan’s “Bishkek Arena” is set to become a major concert hub, with officials saying it will help attract international stars like Shakira and boost local jobs and spending. Theatre Exchange: Azerbaijan’s Shaki hosted its 5th International Theatre Festival, bringing together companies from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Iran. Sports Meets Culture: In Baku, the World Judo Championships opening ceremony featured an artistic program and highlighted judo’s global growth, with 622 athletes from 93 countries. Kazakhstan in the Spotlight: Kazakhstan’s National Museum continues to draw visitors with exhibitions spanning archaeology, paleontology and artistic heritage. Sports Brief (Kazakhstan): Kazakhstan finished the Asian Games with 84 medals (12 gold) and eighth place, including cycling golds for Alexey Lutsenko.