Sara Raza appointed Artistic Director and Chief Curator of the Centre for Contemporary Art in Tashkent

The Centre, an ACDF initiative, will serve as a global arts and culture hub, fostering artistic and creative exchange, empowering artists and designers through residencies, exhibitions, workshops and educational programmes, and contributing to Uzbekistan’s cultural ecosystem.

London-born, New-York-based Raza, an internationally celebrated curator, writer, and educator, is known for her critical curatorial and writing accomplishments and her ability to bridge diverse artistic and scholarly disciplines. Raza brings to the Centre two decades of curatorial experience across Asia, the Caucasus, the Middle East, Europe, and North America. She previously served as the Guggenheim UBS MAP Global Art Initiative curator for the Middle East and North Africa and has curated landmark exhibitions at institutions such as Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, the Rubin Museum of Art in New York, and the International Center of Photography. Her critically acclaimed book Punk Orientalism: The Art of Rebellion underscores her scholarly depth and commitment to rethinking contemporary art and spatial practices related to Central Asia, the Caucasus and the Middle East and North Africa. The newly appointed Artistic Director and Chief Curator will play a pivotal role in shaping the Centre’s creative mission to foster cultural and educational partnerships, support local, regional and international artists, and engage with Uzbekistan’s rich cultural heritage.

Raza says: “It is an honour to be invited to lead the artistic and creative vision for the Centre for Contemporary Art in Tashkent, a groundbreaking initiative that sits at the cultural intersection of the global art world. This role holds deep personal and professional significance: I am proud of my roots in the Greater Iran region, including ancient Uzbekistan, and as a curator and writer I have enjoyed working extensively in Uzbekistan and its neighbouring regions. I look forward to working alongside ACDF Chairperson Gayane Umerova and with local and international communities to develop programmes celebrating the country’s traditions and contemporary artistic practices, igniting fresh dialogues on a global stage.” 

Gayane Umerova, Chairperson of the ACDF, says: “We are delighted to welcome Sara Raza as the Artistic Director and Chief Curator of the Centre for Contemporary Art in Tashkent. Her vision, coupled with her scholarly expertise in global contemporary art, will ensure that the CCA becomes a vibrant cultural hub for Uzbekistan and the world over. Sara’s appointment comes at an exciting time for Tashkent and Uzbekistan, and we are looking forward to the broad range of contributions she will make in shaping the Centre as an invaluable cultural resource in Tashkent and beyond.”

Set to reopen later this year, the CCA is housed in a restored 1912 tram depot and diesel station, redesigned by the renowned French architectural firm Studio KO. As part of the Centre’s broader vision, it recently launched its Artist Residencies programme, exemplifying the CCA’s commitment to fostering collaboration and innovation. The residencies, located in the historic mahallas of Namuna and Khast Imom, provide spaces for local and international artists, curators, and researchers to engage deeply with the cultural and artistic heritage of Uzbekistan. Designed to run three times a year, these residencies facilitate meaningful exchanges with Uzbek artisans and offer opportunities to develop pioneering projects that blend tradition with contemporary practice.

Main Image: Sara Raza, Artistic Director and Chief Curator of the Centre for Contemporary Art in Tashkent. Image courtesy of ACDF.