Irada Ayupova summed up the cultural results of 2025 and spoke about plans for 2026.

      A pre-New Year meeting of Tatarstan’s Minister of Culture Irada Ayupova with Kazan journalists was held at the Salikh Saydashev Museum.

      The most high-profile event of the outgoing year, the head of the Ministry of Culture of the RT called the resolution of the issue of copyright on Shurale, Su Anasy and other characters of Tatar folklore. The fight against so-called “patent trolls” began at the end of 2024, when the Ekiyat Theatre received two pre-trial claims over the use of intangible cultural heritage — the heroes of Tatar fairy tales.

      “This issue was resolved by the efforts of the Ministry of Culture. It even became a case in an MBA course (business administration — note by Tatar-inform) demonstrating how competent systematic work can bring results,” Ayupova stressed.

      The Ministry of Culture of Tatarstan places great hopes on the territory of the ancient Bilyar settlement. The department hopes to increase the appeal of Bilyar and two other ancient Bulgar cities — Juketau and Suvar.

      “Thanks to Mintimer Sharipovich [Shaymiyev] we were able to resolve the issue with Bolgar, and today it is a world-recognized treasury. I hope we can go further,” the minister explained.

      Next year the “Zemstvo Cultural Workers” program will be expanded — 50 people will take part. The program was launched in 2025 by order of the President of Russia Vladimir Putin. Support is provided to librarians, museum staff, leaders of creative teams, specialists at houses of culture, and supplementary education teachers.

      Ayupova said a few words about the Tinchurin Theatre building, which is currently occupied by the Kazan (Russian) Young Spectator Theatre. The future of this building is still under negotiation, but as soon as the Kazan Young Spectator Theatre returns to its native building after restoration, the former venue of the Tinchurin Theatre could become a place for “theatrical experiments.”

      The date has been set for the international Quran reciters’ competition in Kazan — it will be held on April 27.

      Speaking about the Ministry of Culture of the RT’s global strategy for 2026, Ayupova answered briefly: “We have Decree No. 809 of the President [‘On approval of the Fundamentals of state policy for the preservation and strengthening of traditional Russian spiritual and moral values’ — note by Tatar-inform].”

      Events to be held in Kazan next year are divided into three key directions: cultural, official and scientific. As part of the scientific direction, forums on Islamic architecture, calligraphy and archaeology will take place. With the city’s new status as the cultural capital of the Islamic world, the Altyn Minbar film festival and the Nauruz theatre festival will also be associated with it.

      Events within the declaration of Kazan as the Cultural Capital of the Islamic World 2026 will not be limited to the Republic of Tatarstan. For example, museums from across Russia will be presented, and a separate track related to the “spiritual culture of Islamic Russia” will be organized at the St. Petersburg Cultural Forum.

      “It is very important that there be no parochialism,” Ayupova characterized the organizing committee’s approach.

      Cinema, the minister noted, remains a very sensitive topic, and legal questions remain unresolved. There are colossal opportunities at the federal level, she added, but at the republic level film production cannot yet be mastered.

      “As for the Almetyevsk film studio, to be honest, it should be a form of public-private partnership,” Ayupova added.

      As part of the celebration of Gabdulla Tukay’s 140th anniversary next year, every Thursday of each week readings and memorization of poems by the founder of modern Tatar literature will be held at library venues. Fifty-two poems have already been selected for these readings.

      “We have prepared several similar projects on social architecture,” the speaker clarified.

      Children’s educational centers will be launched on the basis of museum centers, the main task of which is to “restore” the culture of speech through play.

      Photo: © Sultan Iskhakov / Tatar-inform

      More news about the event:

      Irada Ayupova summed up the results of 2025 in Tatarstan’s culture and revealed plans for 2026

      A pre-New Year meeting of Tatarstan’s Minister of Culture Irada Ayupova with Kazan journalists was held at the Salikh Saydashev Museum. 23:22 29.12.2025 Tatar-inform IA — Kazan

      Irada Ayupova summed up the cultural results of 2025 and talked about plans for 2026

      A pre-New Year meeting of Tatarstan’s Minister of Culture Irada Ayupova with Kazan journalists was held at the Salikh Saydashev Museum. 21:47 29.12.2025 Tatar-inform IA — Kazan