Open call: Aiel Tizginde –– a national art competition about the contemporary woman of Kazakhstan

Äiel Tizginde is a cultural project focused on interpreting the image of the modern Kazakhstani woman through the lens of art. The project's name carries a dual meaning: while literally referencing the image of a woman driver, it metaphorically speaks of a woman in control of the course of her life, aware of her strength and independence.

Over two years of development, the project has transformed from an author's art project into a state initiative. In 2024, the exhibition was organized as a photography project under the guidance of the acclaimed photographer Ospan Ali, merging paintings by Kazakhstani artists with photographic reinterpretations of the artworks. In 2025, the project's second exhibition opened in the capital and attracted significant public attention, showcasing the works of Kazakhstani artists in Astana.

The 2026 competition features an unprecedented prize fund of 3,000,000 tenge for Kazakh art initiatives. First place is valued at 1,000,000 tenge. The remainder of the fund is distributed among other prize-winning places. The scale of funding reflects the serious institutional commitment of Allur company to the development of the Kazakh artistic community.

The best works of the competition will be presented at the National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Astana, which gives the exhibition the status of a state cultural event and allows the works to achieve maximum audience reach.

Participation Criteria

Citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan aged 16 and above are invited to participate. This is a broad age range, including both young creators and experienced artists with established practices.

Formats and Requirements for Works

The competition accepts entries in the following formats:​

• Painting — traditional and mixed techniques of the fine art of painting
• Photography — black and white and color photographic works
• Video art — short films and video installations
• Open formats — the declared absence of restrictions on formats implies the possibility of participating with innovative and experimental works in the field of contemporary art.

This range of formats reflects a contemporary approach to defining the boundaries of artistic expression, allowing participants to work in mediums familiar to them or to experiment with new technologies and methods.

Application Process

Registration is open on the official project website aieltizginde.allur.kz/2026. Detailed information about file requirements, work dimensions, technical parameters, and submission deadlines is available directly on the competition portal, as well as through the project's official Instagram account @aiel.tizginde.

Project Target Direction

• Her professional identity
• Personal agency and independence
• Attitude towards mobility and movement (both in the literal and metaphorical sense)
• Balance of Tradition and Modernity
• Inner strength and external self-expression.