TASHKENT — Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Culture has approved new rules for awarding grants to projects in culture and the arts, according to AN Podrobno.uz. Private companies, individual entrepreneurs, self-employed individuals and creative teams will be eligible for support, with funding levels depending on the category and competition results. The rules were approved by an order of the minister of culture dated October 28, 2026, and do not apply to non-state non-profit organizations.
Key Takeaways: Total grant funding for each category will range from 1 billion to 1.5 billion soums. Applications will be submitted through a dedicated platform using OneID, and each applicant may submit a project in only one category. The selection will run in five stages, with projects scoring at least 60 points recommended for financing.
Grants will be allocated from state budget funds earmarked for the Ministry of Culture. Competitions will cover theatre, circus, music, dance, film and animation, literature, cultural education and the safeguarding of intangible heritage. Separate support is envisaged for inclusive and social initiatives, start-ups, creative projects, innovations and solutions involving artificial intelligence and digitalization. The ministry says the scope is intended to broaden support for cultural initiatives and encourage modern technological approaches.
Eligible participants are Uzbekistan residents registered as non-state legal entities, individual entrepreneurs or self-employed persons, as well as creative teams. Applicants will have 30 calendar days to submit documents; if correctable shortcomings are found, they will receive an additional five working days. Evaluation criteria and procedures must be approved no later than 10 days before a competition is announced. Participation is free of charge.
After results are announced, a contract will be signed with the winner within 10 working days. Half of the grant will be transferred first, with the remaining funds paid in two tranches of 25 percent after interim targets are met and reports are approved; for projects lasting up to six months, the grant may be paid in full. Funds may be spent only on the purposes set out in the contract and approved estimate, and the Ministry of Culture will monitor implementation and spending. Participants who disagree with the process or results may file an appeal within 10 days and, if dissatisfied with the appeal commission’s decision, may go to court.
Copyright over project results will remain with the creators or other rights holders. The ministry may use project results only with the consent of rights holders and exclusively for non-commercial purposes. The announcement follows plans to change state financing for cinema in Uzbekistan, replacing the state order with a subsidy system and transferring film production fully to the private sector. The new grant rules are part of a wider effort to make public support for culture more transparent, competitive and results-oriented.
Source: podrobno.uz