The Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan established the Umai National Award in the field of art. This award is a hallmark of quality in the cultural community, and the national status makes it one of the most prestigious in Kazakhstan. In this regard, it is expected that the award will arouse the interest of creative people throughout the country. Astana Opera’s stage director Yerenbak Toikenov talks about this in his interview.
– You have many awards in republican and international competitions. What place do you think the Umai National Award will take for people of art?
– For people involved in creative work, it is very important that their work is appreciated, because a well-deserved award inspires and encourages new achievements. At the same time, I believe that the Umai National Award will give impetus to the work of Kazakh creative teams, soloists and other cultural figures. Participation is especially important for our colleagues from the regions, the most remote corners of the country, who delight the audience with their art and give the public spiritual sustenance. Because the first goal of any competition is to show talents to the people, to discover names that have not been mentioned anywhere before. I am glad that the Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan grants such an award, and I believe that it will be presented to truly deserving people.
At all times, contests are the spirit of healthy competitiveness. They are necessary because one cannot “stew in one’s own juices”; one needs an exchange of opinions, a view from competent people, professionals. It is also worth noting that Umai is a universal award in which everything is thought out to the smallest detail, while anyone, who works in theatrical art or is engaged in choreography, or music and stage arts, fine and decorative arts, can become a candidate for the award. It is good that the award includes a special prize for the Best Children’s Performance as part of the Year of Children in Kazakhstan.
– Are you planning to take part in it?
– According to the competition regulations, certain institutions, such as republican, regional or local authorities, cultural organizations, public organizations and associations, can nominate participants. If I were to receive an offer to participate, I would be glad. Since I have big projects that I am currently working on, I am sure that they will make a significant contribution to the development of the cultural sphere of our country.
As far as I know, there has never been such a national award in the cultural field in our country, and therefore Umai is a kind of historical event. I am sure that after the results are announced, new names and new talents will surely be discovered in the creative field.
As a reminder, the Umai award is presented in four main categories: Theatrical Art, Musical and Performing Arts, Choreographic Art, Fine and Decorative and Applied Arts, each of which has its own awards, the minimum size of which is from 2,000,000 Tenge up to a maximum of 10,000,000 Tenge. Applications are accepted until December 9.