In recent years, Almaty has increasingly established itself as the cultural heart not only of Kazakhstan, but of the entire Central Asian region. Traditionally associated with mountains, natural attractions and Soviet architectural heritage, the city is today actively transforming into a point of attraction for connoisseurs of art, theater and museum culture.

One of the most notable phenomena has been the opening and renovation of cultural institutions.

For example, recently the art public and cultural communities discussed the opening of the Almaty Museum ofArts, which began its work on September 12 and collected about 700 works of art by domestic and foreign authors. It opened its doors with two bright exhibitions at once: an exposition from the personal collection of the founder Nurlan Smagulov called “Қonaқtar” and a retrospective of the Kazakh artist Almagul Menlibayeva “I understand everything”.

Kazakh artist Aigerim Karibaeva, who combines tradition and innovation in creating original works in the ethno-modern style, notes that the opening of new large-scale museums indicates the development of cultural heritage. “We are only just starting to gain momentum; the first 10 years will be indicative for museums and their practices, and this especially affects the development of artists, artisans and cultural figures. I believe that the development of an ecosystem in the art business makes it possible for talents to grow, and for novice masters this is a special motivation to create and declare themselves,” Karibaeva emphasized.

It should be noted that the opening ceremony of the Almaty Museum ofArts was attended by the head of the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan Aida Balayeva, who emphasized that the opening of the museum would give a new impetus to the life of the southern capital and increase the growth of tourism potential and interest in cultural art objects.

- I am sure that the new museum will not only contribute to the development of culture and art, but also give a powerful impetus to the growth of the tourist potential of the southern capital, and make a significant contribution to the promotion of art in Kazakhstan and Central Asia on the international stage, Balayeva said.

The Minister of Culture and Information also paid attention to the modernization of cultural facilities, announcing that as part of a large-scale state program to modernize and preserve cultural facilities throughout the country, active repair and restoration work has begun in one of the main art centers of Kazakhstan - the Abylkhan Kasteev State Museum of Arts in the southern capital.

Today, modern exhibition projects, international collaborations and interactive formats are being implemented here, attracting not only Almaty residents, but also tourists from all over the world. According to representatives of the museum's press service, restoration work in the museum will last until December of this year.

Honored Worker of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Candidate of Art History and Scientific Secretary of the Kasteev Museum Ekaterina Reznikova noted that the museum’s history is unique and spans 90 years, with more than 26 thousand exhibits on display. As for the opening of the art museum, according to Reznikova, this is a good start and an opportunity for cooperation and new projects in the future to support contemporary art.

- The existence of such an institution is a factor of prestige and level of development of the state and society, its focus on culture and art, and an incentive for tourist attractiveness. The opening of the Almaty Museum of Art is an event whose scale and importance are invaluable for the country and the city. A magnificent building, a beautiful exposition, top world names alongside art classics create a space with a special energy of attraction, an atmosphere of progressive museums combined with regional specificity, Reznikova said.

Residents and guests of Almaty can visit not only museums, but also centers of contemporary art.

So, this month, after a long reconstruction, the Tselinny Center for Contemporary Art opened, which over several years has become a symbol of cultural modernization of Kazakhstan. This is not just an exhibition space, but a platform for dialogue between tradition and contemporary art forms, a place where young artists can reach the international level, and foreign curators can discover Kazakh culture.

Despite various opinions, over three days the cultural center was visited by more than 12 thousand citizens, noting the cultural concept, architecture and special history of the building.

The director of Tselinny, Jamila Nurkalieva, was born and lives in Almaty. The city is especially dear to her, because she is a witness to the cultural and economic development of the southern capital.

- The opening of museums today plays a key role in the development of cultural projects: we see a growing interest of society in art and modern practices. Our activities are not limited to exhibitions; we also develop research initiatives and strive to form a body of critical texts about contemporary art in the region. This is an important task, because for a long time the artistic environment remained in the shadows due to a lack of infrastructure. We dream that Kazakhstan will be recognizable on the international art map, and Almaty will strengthen its status as a city of intellectual and creative communities. It is a great honor for us to be part of this process, said Nurkalieva.

The theatrical life of the city is of no less interest to Almaty residents and foreign guests. The Abay Opera and Ballet Theater, the M. Auezov Kazakh Drama Theater, independent theater groups and art festivals create a rich calendar of events that can compete with the cultural programs of the largest cities in the region. All this turns Almaty into a destination not only for art lovers, but also for cultural tourists, forming a new tourist flow.

It is worth saying that tourists come to Almaty not only for the sake of art. The cultural map of the city is organically intertwined with the sacred: not far from the metropolis there are ancient sacred sites - mausoleums, shrines and monuments of archaeological heritage, which lead to an understanding of the history and traditions of the people of Kazakhstan.

According to culturologists and experts in the field of cultural policy, it is logical that Almaty is becoming the driver of cultural renewal. They note that Almaty has historically been the center of the country's intellectual and artistic life, a place of attraction for writers, artists, architects and theater figures. Today, the city not only preserves this tradition, but is also gradually turning into a cultural hub of regional level.

At the same time, the state views culture as a strategic resource: it forms national identity, influences the international image of Kazakhstan and becomes an important driver of tourist attractiveness.

It is also pleasing that Kazakhstan today is ahead of many countries in Central Asia in matters of cultural reform: the state and private initiatives together create new cultural spaces, support projects and introduce modern approaches to museum work and the theater stage.

Thus, Almaty is confidently moving towards becoming the cultural capital not only of Kazakhstan, but of all of Central Asia. Museums, theaters, sacred places and new art hubs form a unique ecosystem where culture becomes not just a sphere of leisure, but a driving force for the development of society.