ASTANA – The Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), in collaboration with Dasco Group, has released a comprehensive review titled Creative Industries in Kazakhstan: Trends and Prospects, reported the AIFC press service on Jan 27.
Photo credit: aifc.kz
According to the review, Kazakhstan’s creative economy has grown 3.2 times nominally since 2017, but its contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) remains modest at around 1%.
The report underscores the role of creative industries, including digital advertising, music, filmmaking, and gaming, in driving economic and cultural development. In 2023, the creative economy’s gross value added (GVA) reached 1.2 trillion tenge (US$2.6 billion), and in the first half of 2024, it amounted to 498.7 billion tenge (US$1.15 billion).
IT and game development led the sector with 38% of its GVA, contributing 459 billion tenge (US$1 billion). Traditional industries such as architecture, fashion, and design followed, making up 24% of the sector’s GVA
GVA of the creative economy (in billion tenge) and its share in Kazakhstan’s GDP (in %), 2019-2024. Source: Bureau of National Statistics
Dasco Group Managing Partner Darmen Sadvakasov noted the launch of Tolqyn Film Fund OEIC Ltd., Kazakhstan’s first private film investment fund, with a target size of 5.5 billion tenge (US$12.1 million) to finance 15-20 projects over three years.
The National Development Plan for 2029 highlights creative industries as a strategic priority for diversifying Kazakhstan’s economy. AIFC proposes initiatives such as venture studios, crowdfunding platforms, and tokenized assets to accelerate growth in this dynamic sector.
AIFC Governor Renat Bekturov emphasized the center’s commitment to fostering an ecosystem for creators, startups, and investors, stating, “We aim to support innovation, intellectual property protection, and promote creative projects globally.”
