ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev advocated in his Sept. 1 state-of-the-nation address for expansive growth in the creative economy, encompassing fields such as media, cinema, music, design, education, and information technology. He also emphasized the need for establishing a legal framework to protect intellectual property, according to the Akorda press service.
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Tokayev stressed that in today’s world, the creative potential and intellectual capital of citizens serve as key drivers for developing a genuinely inclusive economy.
“The creative economy is fueling the growth of large cities that become magnets for talented, creative individuals. However, this sector remains underdeveloped in Kazakhstan. The contribution of the creative industry to our GDP is less than 1%, and its share in employment is even lower. Yet, we have numerous citizens who have achieved global recognition for their talents,” he said.
President Tokayev also recommended expanding the reach of the creative industry beyond its current concentration in just three cities in Kazakhstan: Astana, Almaty, and Shymkent.
“Centers of creative industry—’talent magnets,’ if you will—should exist in every regional center and major city. Participants in these hubs should receive assistance in commercializing their products. Traditional business support programs often do not cater to the unique characteristics of the creative industry, preventing it from fully benefiting from existing funding mechanisms. Therefore, I believe a separate package of measures is necessary to support creative professionals,” he concluded.
