Uzbekistan is undergoing a radical cultural transformation. Once at the heart of the Silk Road, it suffered decades of isolation and violent suppression under Soviet rule and was shunned by the international community in its early independence because of human rights violations. But in recent years, a sense of cautious optimism has accompanied the country’s reform efforts, especially in the cultural sector. The government-backed Art and Culture Development Foundation is spearheading projects that place Uzbekistan in conversation with the global art scene, such as the inaugural 2025 Bukhara Biennial and the Islamic Civilization Centre in Tashkent.

On March 21, Uzbekistan’s capital city will also open the doors to the region’s very first contemporary art museum. Like Tate Modern in London and Dia Beacon in New York, the Centre for Contemporary Arts Tashkent is housed in a building originally intended for industrial use. A survivor of the city’s catastrophic 1966 earthquake, the former diesel station and tram depot, dating to 1912, has been sensitively adapted by Paris-based architecture firm Studio KO.

The site was chosen because it had “the most potential,” says Studio KO co-founder Olivier Marty. “There were two buildings, a courtyard, a composition of spaces that was very dynamic.” Its location, a stone’s throw from three universities, is also significant: the CCA aims to serve as an active community hub rather than just a sometimes-destination for visitors.

Marty named the structure’s historic yellow bricks as the starting point for the design process. “These Nikolai bricks drove us into extending the expression of Uzbek materials – we wanted the place to feel both grounded and looking forward,” he says. Violet-tinted UV-filtered glass brings the complex’s contemporary ambitions into sharp focus, and the project has also included collaboration with Uzbek ceramicists and textile makers, highlighting the area’s storied and resilient craft culture.

The CCA will be led by curator Sara Raza, who brings international experience from London and New York. Her appointment signals the institution’s global ambitions, but Raza has emphasized supporting local artists, too. Her public programme aims to engage Uzbekistan’s most populous demographic – its youth – and nurture new creative communities in Tashkent.

With its mix of historic architecture, internationally minded leadership and a commitment to local voices, the CCA represents both the revival of a landmark building and a forward-looking investment in Uzbekistan’s creative future.

Once you have had your fill of art, explore the rest of this cosmopolitan city (preferably via its stunning metro), starting with food. The national dish is plov, a comforting, traditional rice pilaf meant to be shared. Tuck into hearty helpings of succulent lamb, beef or chicken and julienned vegetables in a bed of fragrant rice spiced with cumin and paprika. Local favourites for an authentic experience include Abdujalil Osh, Beshqozon and Payshanba Osh. One portion is usually sufficient for two people. Another must-see (unmissable, with its giant blue dome) is Chorsu Bazaar in the centre of the old town, where you can purchase impossibly sweet cherries, figs, melons, pomegranates, apricots and more.

However, “the best food is always in people’s houses,” says Lee Dekel, founder of 100% Silk Shop, a Toronto boutique that carries Uzbek labels such as J. Kim. When designing her own in-house line, Dekel sources ikat fabrics from Uzbekistan and collaborates with local artisans. While you work on procuring a lunch invitation from a local, stay at a guesthouse—former family homes, often with central courtyards, converted into multiple occupancy dwellings. Dekel’s favourite spot in Tashkent is the Ichan Qal’a Premium Class Hotel. “They always serve the most incredible breakfast,” she says, listing elements such as tea, fresh fruit, sour yogurt, eggs and “extremely decorative breads.”

Meals are often served on blue-and-white porcelain adorned with a motif of cotton flowers. Uzbekistan is the world’s sixth largest cotton producer, and the crop, revered locally as “white gold,” is also bound up in a long and controversial history of forced labour and human rights abuses. To learn about local folk and craft traditions, look for silk, which has also long been produced in the region since the 4th century. To create the blurred, intricate patterns that distinguish ikat fabrics, threads are dyed before being woven. Recently, Dekel imported vintage hand-embroidered suzani textiles to Canada, which she says “sold out in a matter of weeks,” and her store carries ceramics made by Abdulloh Narzullaev, whose family has been making pottery using traditional methods for three centuries.

“There’s something about these ancient symbols and art forms that speaks to our collective humanity and the human spirit,” Dekel says. In reclaiming its voice, Uzbekistan is weaving its past and present into a cultural renaissance that looks out at the world with confidence.

Images courtesy of BCDF Studio.