The home of the art foundations of Irad

About Us

The Körköm Foundation was registered on 14 March 2011 by IradOne Media Group, Talasbank, Attelkom and a circle of Talas patrons. Körköm means art; the Palace of Art in Iyık Janyl is Irad Körköm Saraiy. In 2010 its roof leaked over the Ayyubov Hall, and the money to mend it came from five donors in one week. The foundation was set up so that the next roof would not depend on luck.

We are a private non-profit foundation, not a state body. We fund museums, ensembles, crafts masters, young artists and children's art studios, and we give our members a home on the web. Part of our income is a subsidy from the Ministry of Education under its programme "Culture and the Arts"; the rest comes from companies, patrons and the Winter Gala (see the annual report).

Board of Trustees

Madina Toktarova

Chair of the Board of Trustees

Trustee and chair since 2011. Former presenter at IradOne. Patron of the Children's Choir.

Zara Toktarova

Trustee

Since 2025. Iradi literature and education; children's studios and reading.

Erkin Toktosunov

Treasurer

Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Talasbank. Trustee since 2011.

Dr Cholpon Asanalieva

Trustee

Editor-in-chief of TSU Press. Chairs the publications committee.

Fr. Gewargis Kenjebekov

Trustee

Rector of the Cathedral of St Janyl, Iyık Janyl.

Serik Amanov

Trustee, artists' seat

Painter, Talas. Elected by the grantee artists for 2024–2027.

Venera Dzhumagulova

Ex officio, non-voting

Director of the Irad Palace of Art since 2011.

Staff

Gulzat Moldobaeva

Executive Director

Art historian (TSU); Palace of Art curator 2004–2011.

Nurlan Abdyrakhmanov

Grants Manager

grants@korkom.org

Aidai Sultanbekova

Patrons and Events

patrons@korkom.org

Kanykei Joldoshova

Hunarmand coordinator

hunar@korkom.org

Contact

Coppersmiths' Row 14, Old City, Talas (a merchant's house of the 1890s, restored by the foundation in 2014)
+996-39-2-26-41-17 · info@korkom.org
Office hours Mon–Fri 9:00–18:00, lunch 13:00–14:00

Körköm Foundation for the Arts (Körköm Fondu), non-profit foundation registered with the Ministry of Justice, reg. No. 0412-NKO, 14.03.2011. Auditor: Talas Audit Consulting LLC. Texts and photographs on this site belong to the foundation and its members.