Higher educational institutions of Almaty -
Student TV studios in Kazakhstan -
The Temirbek Zhurgenov Kazakh National Academy of Arts is one of the oldest and most prestigious creative educational institutions in Kazakhstan. Located in the heart of Almaty, the academy is the main training center for actors, directors, artists, musicians, and professionals in the fields of film, television, theater, and design. It is a place where traditions and innovation, national and world art, inspiration and professional skills combine.
The Academy is named after Temirbek Karaevich Zhurgenov, an outstanding statesman, People's Commissar of Education of the Kazakh SSR, who played an important role in the development of national culture and education in the 1930s. His name has become a symbol of enlightenment, national pride and spiritual rebirth of Kazakhstan. A monument to Temirbek Zhurgenov has been erected on the territory of the academy.
History
The history of the Academy dates back to 1938, when the Alma Ata Theater Institute was established on the initiative of the outstanding statesman Temirbek Karaevich Zhurgenov. It was he who stood at the origins of the formation of professional art in Kazakhstan, realizing that the nation needs its own actors, directors and artists who can express the spirit and culture of their people. Later, the institute was transformed into the Kazakh State Conservatory, and in 1977 it received the status of a theater and art institute. In 2001, the educational institution was transformed into the Kazakh National Academy of Arts and proudly began to bear the name of its founder, Temirbek Zhurgenov.
Over the years, the academy has educated thousands of talented masters of stage and cinema, artists and teachers who have become the pride of Kazakhstan. Among its graduates are famous theater and film actors, directors, artists, as well as cultural figures who have made a huge contribution to the development of national art. Many famous personalities studied and taught here: actors Asanali Yeshimov, Nurzhuman Ikhtymbayev, director Ermek Tursunov, artists Kamil Mullashev and Salihitdin Aitbayev, composers and choreographers whose names are known far beyond the borders of the country.
Architecture
The Academy of Arts building is a striking example of Soviet period architecture with elements of monumental classicism. It is located on Panfilov Street and stands out for its majestic facade and simplicity of architecture. A large spacious courtyard in front of the entrance invites the future student of this institution to plunge into the world of creativity. The academy building has three floors and basements.
Inside, the building is filled with light and space. There are auditoriums, painting studios, theater halls, sculpture workshops, make-up and costume rooms, as well as small and large stages where graduation performances and concerts take place. The atmosphere of the academy is saturated with the spirit of creativity – students everywhere rehearse, paint, dance and make short films.
Of particular artistic value is the courtyard of the academy, where sculptures and decorative compositions created by students and graduates are installed. It is a living space where every stone and corner seems to be filled with art.
Who is Temirbek Karaevich Zhurgenov?
Temirbek Karaevich Zhurgenov (1898-1938) was an outstanding statesman, teacher, cultural reformer and one of the founders of Kazakh art and education. His name is forever inscribed in the history of Kazakhstan as a symbol of enlightenment, spiritual rebirth and cultural unity of the people.
He was born in 1898 in the village of Akkozi, now Zhalagashsky district of Kyzylorda region. From an early age, he was distinguished by his curiosity and desire for knowledge. After graduating from the Tashkent Real College, then the Central Asian State University, Zhurgenov received a broad education, which allowed him to take an active role in public and state life.
Since the early 1920s, he held senior positions in public education, actively participated in the development of the Kazakh language, literature and culture. In 1933, he was appointed People's Commissar of Education of the Kazakh ASSR. It was under his leadership that the system of national schools, theaters, art schools and cultural centers was created.
Zhurgenov played a key role in the creation of the Kazakh State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater, as well as in the development of musical and dramatic art. He supported creative youth, encouraged the development of the national intelligentsia and believed that art should unite the people and awaken in them a sense of dignity.
During the years of Stalinist repression, Temirbek Karaevich was unfairly accused and shot in 1938. He was rehabilitated posthumously in 1957.
Today, the Kazakh National Academy of Arts bears Zhurgenov's name as a tribute to his great contribution to the cultural heritage of the country. His life and work became an example of service to the people and faith in the power of education and art.
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How to get there and visit -
T. Zhurgenov Kazakh National Academy of Arts is located in Almaty at 127 Panfilov Street, corner of Karasai Batyr Street, Almaly district, Republic of Kazakhstan.
GPS coordinates: 43°15'06"N 76°56'40"E
It is most convenient to get to the academy by taxi or private car, since public transport does not run along Panfilov Street itself. However, you can get there without any problems by choosing one of the routes to the neighboring streets:
1. Along Nazarbayev Avenue: Buses No. 2, 3 (night), 63, 79, 86, 118, 127. Get off at the stop "Karasai Batyr Street". It's only a 3–minute walk from the academy.
2. Along Abylai Khan Avenue: take bus No. 12, 98 or trolleybus No. 5, 6. Your stop is Kabanbai Batyr Street. The walk from it will take no more than 5 minutes (about 350 meters).
Don't forget to download 2GIS or the taxi app – your reliable assistant in Almaty trips!
Working hours: Monday-Friday from 09:00 to 18:00 (Saturday-Sunday-weekend)
Contacts: +7 727 272 46 74; + 7 727 272 43 98
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Legend
There is a beautiful legend associated with the Temirbek Zhurgenov Academy of Arts, which students and teachers tell with a smile. It is said that during the construction of the future building, an old clay mask of an actor was found on the site of the current academy – a symbol of the ancient theater. It was carefully preserved, and since then it is believed that the spirit of art has settled here forever.
According to legend, if you touch this mask in the auditorium before the exam and wish for inspiration, the muse will definitely help on stage. The older generation of students assures that the mask preserves the energy of many talented people who studied and worked within these walls.
There is another version of the legend: allegedly, in the days of the founding of the institute, one of the first teachers uttered the words that became prophetic – "Let this house become a temple of art, where the soul of the people will sound." Since then, the building has truly become a place where great creators are born, and the spirit of inspiration never leaves its walls.
Modernity and significance
Today, the Temirbek Zhurgenov Kazakh National Academy of Arts remains the main cultural center of the country. Festivals, exhibitions, screenings, scientific conferences and creative laboratories are held here. The Academy is a platform for the development of contemporary art and the preservation of national traditions, bringing together the younger generation of artists and stage masters under the slogan "Creativity in the name of culture and inspiration."
Every corner of this educational institution preserves the memory of a great man who devoted his life to serving the people and culture. Zhurgenov Academy is not just a university, but a living legacy where the past meets the future, and art becomes the language of the soul and heart of Kazakhstan.
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