Gov’t rolls out new housing and healthcare benefits for cultural sector workers

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has announced a robust package of initiatives combining technological innovation with social welfare to support Uzbekistan's culture and arts sectors. During a meeting with representatives of the cultural community, the president stressed the pressing need to reform the country's intellectual property framework, responding directly to ongoing concerns from local creators regarding the enforcement of their authorial rights.

Photo: Presidential Press Service

Upholding copyright is a critical prerequisite for economic sustainability in the creative fields. Every piece of literature, artwork, musical composition, and song must generate proper income for its creator, and without total protection of these rights, the unauthorized exploitation of creative works will persist.

To address this challenge, the government plans to leverage rapid advancements in digital technologies and artificial intelligence. By tracking the digital footprints of creative assets, new AI systems will significantly enhance intellectual property guarantees and secure author revenues. Responsible ministries and agencies have been tasked with designing a comprehensive digital defense system to ensure full copyright compliance nationwide.

Alongside structural legal reforms, the government is rolling out new social support mechanisms for cultural workers. Under the new program, up to 1,000 poets, writers, painters, museum employees, and other cultural representatives will receive state subsidies annually to cover up to 50% of the down payment required for mortgage loans.

Furthermore, healthcare access for creative professionals will expand significantly. Each year, 1,000 workers from the culture and arts sectors will be eligible for free medical treatment funded by the State Medical Insurance Fund, while another 2,000 individuals will receive comprehensive state-sponsored medical insurance packages. The state will also provide rental housing assistance to ease relocation burdens; cultural figures moving to Tashkent will receive up to UZS 2,500,000 per month in rental compensation, while those working in other regions will receive up to UZS 1,600,000.

The state initiatives also emphasize expanding grassroots cultural infrastructure and supporting literary creation. By the end of this year, authorities aim to establish between 50 and 100 model neighborhood libraries and bookstores in remote regional communities across the country.

To boost national literature, the state will issue creative commissions for at least 50 outstanding literary works annually, and ten top-tier pieces of Uzbek literature will be selected for translation into foreign languages each year. Additionally, the government will fully cover all paper costs associated with publishing books that are officially recommended by the Writers' Union of Uzbekistan.