Smithsonian Aims to Showcase Kazakhstan's Culture to Americans

The Smithsonian Institution is embarking on a mission to introduce Americans to the rich cultural tapestry of Kazakhstan, moving beyond typical political or economic narratives. Halle Butvin, director of strategic initiatives and external affairs at the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, explained in an interview with The Astana Times that their focus is on intangible cultural heritage, encompassing music, dance, food, and storytelling.

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The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum, research, and education complex. Our center is one part of it, and we are the part that handles intangible cultural heritage – music, dance, food, storytelling.

To facilitate this cultural exchange, the center established the Kazakhstan Cultural Heritage Fund in May 2025, with crucial support from Chevron. This fund is designed to encourage further study, documentation, and presentation of Kazakhstan's heritage, while also attracting additional donors and involving other Smithsonian departments. The first project under this fund, the Kazakhstan Artisan Initiative, has deepened the center's existing partnership with the Union of Artisans of Kazakhstan, a long-standing collaborator.

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The first initiative supported through the fund, the Kazakhstan Artisan Initiative, expanded the center’s ongoing collaboration with the Union of Artisans of Kazakhstan, one of its longest-standing partners in the country.

Butvin highlighted the growing momentum of these partnerships, noting the transition from virtual exchanges during the pandemic to more substantial in-person engagements. The collaborative efforts have gained significant recognition, including support pledged by Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during his U.S. visit in September 2025. Additional backing for the partnership comes from Kazakhstan's Samruk Kazyna sovereign wealth fund.

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We started out small, with a lot of exchanges taking place during the pandemic, and then started to do some more in-person engagements. Recently, we were really excited that this kind of long-term work was recognized and appreciated.

Key initiatives have included American artisans traveling to Kazakhstan in October 2025 for the ALA CRAFT International Crafts Festival and the March launch of "Heritage in Motion." This professional development program, a collaboration with Almaty-based Music Unbound and supported by Samruk Kazyna, aims to enhance skills and professional networks for cultural heritage practitioners in both Almaty and Tucson, Arizona. Butvin expressed excitement about the initiative's growth, stating, "I am happy to say that it is getting a lot of momentum. I am really excited about how it has grown over the last couple of years."

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I am happy to say that it is getting a lot of momentum. I am really excited about how it has grown over the last couple of years.