Abstract

Creative labor functions both as a cultural expression and a driving force for structural change in the society in Kazakhstan. This panel aims to examine how women construct Kazakhstan's modern identity by not only producing aesthetic value but also reshaping social norms. It will also explore how women from diverse disciplines active in fields such as literature, painting, film, music, and fashion, and engaged in entrepreneurship within creative industries, transform creativity into a tool for social change. Drawing on theory of “inclusive institutions,” women’s participation in creative industries demonstrates how institutional frameworks, market openness, and secure economic rights enable broader participation and innovation, allowing creative labor to function as both a cultural expression and a driver of structural and economic change through art. In this way, women’s participation reflects not only individual agency but also the capacity of liberalized economic structures to promote sustainable social and economic development. From a feminist theoretical perspective, the increasing visibility of women artists and entrepreneurs in Kazakhstan’s creative industries signals both processes of emancipation and the reconfiguration of gendered social roles. We will also address Judith Butler’s idea of gender performance, which argues that art functions as a subversive act that questions norms in a society. This panel brings the voices of curators, singers, designers, and painters to the ongoing discussion of social change in Kazakhstan.