ASTANA – Kazakh singer, composer and producer Dimash Qudaibergen called for greater investment, infrastructure and legal support for Kazakhstan’s creative industries during the opening ceremony of Astana Finance Days (AFD) 2026 on Sept. 9. Dimash Qudaibergen performs his song “Aqerke.” Photo credit: AFD 2026 AFD 2026 is a two-day event bringing together more than 5,500 participants from over 80 countries to discuss capital markets, investment, artificial intelligence, innovation, real-economy financing and cross-border capital.
While on stage, Qudaibergen performed “Aqerke,” “Stranger” and “Weekend,” as well as the traditional Kazakh kui “Adai” on dombra. Following the performance, Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) Governor Renat Bekturov spoke with Qudaibergen about the potential of Kazakhstan’s creative economy, attracting investment to the sector, intellectual property protection and the challenges artists face when entering international markets.
Qudaibergen said the development of the creative industry requires not only investment, but also stronger legal protection for artists and mechanisms to connect creators with investors. “Artists need legal protection and support from creative industry development funds.
These funds can become a bridge between investors and new creative projects,” Qudaibergen said. Bekturov noted that Kazakhstan’s creative sector brings together thousands of companies and more than 140,000 people, while its contribution to the economy remains relatively small, highlighting the need to develop the sector as a source of future growth.
When asked why investors should consider creative industries, Qudaibergen pointed to Kazakhstan’s culture, history and music as assets with strong international appeal. “Our culture, our history and the music are truly unique, and that makes them interesting to an international audience,” he said, drawing on his experience of performing around the world.
For Qudaibergen, attracting investment should not come at the expense of an artist’s independence or ownership of intellectual property. He said the decision to share rights with investors or business partners is ultimately personal, but artists should understand the financial and contractual side of their profession before making such decisions.