Uzbek Gift Contest: Where Traditional Craftsmanship Meets Modern Design

The Tourism Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan, in cooperation with the Hunarmand Association and the Academy of Arts of Uzbekistan, is organizing the “Uzbek Gift Contest.”

The competition aims to promote traditional handicrafts as modern tourism gifts, support the creative potential of regional artisans, designers and other creative professionals, and develop compact, high-quality, attractive and affordable souvenirs for domestic and international tourists.

The competition will be held in two stages

The first stage will be held among designers from 24 July to 16 August 2026. Participants will submit sketches, design concepts and creative ideas for modern tourism gifts inspired by Uzbekistan’s traditional handicrafts.

Submitted projects should:

reflect Uzbekistan’s national values and traditions;
be suitable for practical production by artisans;
be compact, high-quality and visually appealing;
be convenient for tourists to carry and transport.

The second stage will be held among artisans from 20 August to 20 September 2026. During this stage, artisans will create finished products based on the sketches and designs selected as winners of the first stage.

The products will be evaluated based on their quality, craftsmanship, national character, compactness, affordability and convenience for tourists to transport.

Who can participate?

The competition is open to:

designers;
artists;
young creatives;
artisans who are members of the Hunarmand Association.

Each winner will receive a cash prize of UZS 5 million.

Online registration

For designers:
Register online

Applications will be accepted until 16 August 2026.

For artisans:
Register online

Applications will be accepted until 20 September 2026.

The “Uzbek Gift Contest” will bring together traditional craftsmanship and modern design, support the realization of new creative ideas and contribute to expanding the range of distinctive tourism gifts representing Uzbekistan.

Further information