Ruslan Yakupov, experimental platform 'STYQ co-founder, took part in the Creative Producers programme and told us how it had influenced his creativity and professional development.
“I was interested to observe UK colleagues at work and attend festivals which I have heard a lot about before. The opportunity to take part in workshops for the first time in my career was an eyeopener. as I did not have any specific education and had to learn everything by myself. I had the opportunity to realise my professional growth and future options”.
Ruslan notes that the project helped him gain self-confidence and understanding of his profession as a creative producer.
“It was also great to travel to the UK and work with our mentor, Andy Bryden . This experience made me realise the prospects and potential locations for our projects, which I hope will extend beyond Almaty,” Ruslan notes.
After the programme, Ruslan and his team launched an open experimental platform - 'STYQ.
“It started with a small idea. And in less than a year after the completion, we started arrangements for our first big festival. The highlight of the festival was the performance of the headliner Hatis Noit, we listened to her during a trip to Manchester. It was also important for me to work with Robert Raths, founder of the “Erased Tapes”. All these meetings and collaborations influenced my vision of the future career,” recalls Ruslan as the project participant.
It is worth noting that Ruslan is also the co-founder and head of the independent musical association “Qazaq Indie”, as well as the art manager of the “Transforma” cultural space.
“I was born and raised in Almaty, then I moved to Russia to study at university and had no plans to return to Kazakhstan. But in 2017 I decided to make a documentary movie about Kazakh alternative music. Later I found myself in the role of active participant, and not an observer. At the same time we pulled together the team for our future project – “Qazaq Indie”.
We had an idea to continue to work in this sphere. I went headlong into the project which soon grew from a social media page to a full-fledged community. We started making our own concerts and collaborate with other artists and art associations. And this is how we came to the “Transforma” space, since then we have been working closely with modern theater and performance artists and poets. This is where the first idea of a future multidisciplinary project was born,” concluded Ruslan Yakupov.
To get more information on the Creative Producers 2020-2021 participants, please, follow the link.