The Centre for Contemporary Arts Tashkent has been named among the world’s best places to visit in 2026 by TIME, highlighting Uzbekistan’s growing presence in the global art scene.
The new cultural hub is set to open this year in Tashkent, occupying a renovated former tram depot and diesel station redesigned by French architecture firm Studio KO.
The centre will launch with an international exhibition titled Hikmah, featuring artists from around the world, including Uzbek ceramicist Shokhrukh Rakhimov, Korean conceptual artist Kimsooja, Tunisian sculptor Nadia Kaabi-Linke, and Saudi artist Muhannad Shono.
The recognition follows the success of the Bukhara Biennale, which debuted last year in the historic Silk Road city of Bukhara.
Gayane Umerova, chair of the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation, said the new centre is part of a broader effort to strengthen the country’s cultural infrastructure and connect Central Asia to the global contemporary art network.
The opening of the centre reflects a wider cultural shift across the region, as Central Asian countries invest in museums, biennales and art institutions to raise their profile on the international cultural stage.
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