The First Centre for Contemporary Arts
On September 6, Centre for Contemporary Arts Tashkent (CCA Tashkent), Uzbekistan’s first permanent institution dedicated to contemporary art, will open in the city.
This center will be located in a renovated diesel power plant built in 1912 and will combine exhibition, educational, and research functions. The project is carried out by the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation.
The center’s structure will include exhibition halls, a library, educational spaces, a concept store, a restaurant, and public recreation areas. The project developers expect the center to become a meeting place for artists, curators, researchers, and viewers, and to help establish closer ties between Uzbekistan and the international art community.
The historic building’s architectural transformation was carried out by Studio KO bureau. The specialists sought to preserve the industrial appearance of the former power plant while adapting the space to the needs of a modern cultural institution.
Gayane Umerova, Chairperson of the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation, called the event a significant step for the country’s cultural infrastructure and an embodiment of a long-term strategy to create a sustainable environment for contemporary art. According to her, CCA Tashkent is intended to become a platform for dialogue among artists, researchers, curators, and diverse communities, to promote the development of educational and research programs, and to strengthen international cooperation.
Orash Akaboyev, UzA
