Welcome Kit

Dear resident

WELCOME KIT

The Collective of the Bishkek School of Contemporary Art (BiSCA) is happy to welcome you to Bishkek and to your residency.
This guide contains practical information to help you navigate your stay comfortably and confidently.

Weather & Climate

Location

Besh-Kungei is located near the mountains, offering:

A cooler and more pleasant summer climate than the city
Much cleaner air during winter
Open fields, quiet surroundings, and mountain views
A safe, calm village environment perfect for concentrated work
Shops and basic services are within a short walking distance or a quick drive..

Our address is the Kyrgyz Republic, Besh-Kungei village, Ordobai uulu Karynbai Str 28/2
Location on 2GIS: https://2gis.kg/bishkek/geo/70000001079587063
Location on Google Map:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/gaH3ZqAqe9UTAQdo6

Curators

Syinat Zholdosheva

Curator

Artist, Writer, Zine-Curator
Co-Founder of Bishkek School of Contemporary Art, Co-Founder of Art-Residence of BiSCA "Bulbul", Brand Design Manager at University of Central Asia.
Ruslan Ismailov

Co-curator

Co-founder of Art-Residence "Bulbul", Engineer
BiSCA Team

Founders

Bishkek School of Contemporary Art is socially engaged art platform that offers to accumulate and promote art practices, reflections and experiences in their various manifestations, both at the level of mediums and at the level of artistic decisions / gestures / acts.

Mobile Communication & Internet

You can activate an eSIM directly at the airport after customs clearance.
There are mobile operator desks near the exit.
Recommended operator: O!

Weekly tariff options available
Payment by foreign bank cards (sometimes USD cash)

If needed, small amounts of cash can be exchanged at the airport (rates are not ideal — exchange later in the city).
Important:
Connecting an eSIM on Android differs by model — staff can assist.
iPhone instructions: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212780
Country code: +996
(Some local numbers may start with 0 instead.)

Calling landlines: +996-312-XX-XX-XX

Emergency numbers:

Fire: 101
Police: 102
Ambulance: 103

Currency & Payments

Best to bring USD or EUR in cash
Exchange money at banks or city exchange offices
ATMs are widely available

💡 Exchange offices near Mossovet bus stop usually offer good rates:
https://go.2gis.com/v78uh
Notes:

Only new, undamaged banknotes are accepted at good rates
Small shops and cafés often accept cash or transfers only
Keep some cash with you at all times

Live exchange rates: https://valuta.kg/
(Approximate rates, early October 2024)
USD — 84.2 KGS
EUR — 93.8 KGS

Visa cards are widely accepted; Mastercard less consistently.

City Navigation

Maps & Transport Apps2GIS — best option (offline maps, public transport routes)
Website version recommended for iOS users
APK for Android: https://apk.2gis.ru
Maps.me — good offline walking routes
Google Maps & Yandex Maps exist but may be unreliable for routes

Taxi Services

Yandex Taxi (app-based)
Payment: cash or linked card (Visa / Mastercard)
Website: https://go.yandex/ru_kg/?from=ytmenu
Jorgo Taxi (local service, slower)
📞 +996 701 112022
📞 +996 550 662022

Website: http://jorgo.kg

Public Transport

Marshrutka (minibus): 20 som, cash only (runs until ~21:00)
Bus & trolleybus:
20 som (cash)
17 som (Tulpar Card)

Tulpar cards:

Cost: 50 som
Available at post offices, mobile operator shops, buses
⚠️ Please be mindful of pickpockets on public transport.

Independent Art Spaces & Initiatives
(Selection of key contemporary art initiatives in Bishkek and beyond)

ArtEast / ArtEast Residency (Issyk-Kul)
https://www.facebook.com/arteast.kg/
📞 +996 777 953 065 (Murat)
✉️ mg.arteast@gmail.com
Zamanbap Art
https://www.instagram.com/zamanbap_art/
Kuduk Cultural Centre
Coworking / coliving / cultural space
119 Orozbekova St.
📞 +996 779 623 827 (Diana)
✉️ rahmanovadiana@gmail.com
https://www.instagram.com/cckuduk/
Museum Studio (Architecture & Contemporary Art)
✉️ ulan-museum@yandex.ru
https://www.facebook.com/MUSEUM.kg/
Museum of Feminist and Queer Art (MoFA+)
Project-based, no permanent building
📞 +996 555 408 940
✉️ altyn.kapalova@gmail.com
https://www.instagram.com/femmuseum/
Tolon Museum of Modern Art (Kuntuu)
https://tolonmuseum.art
WhatsApp: +996 550 160 250
Theatre Mesto D…
Experimental performative arts
📞 +996 778 661 633
✉️ gruzinshtern@gmail.com
Theatre 705
149 Bokonbaeva St.
📞 +996 771 783 026
✉️ 705theatre@gmail.com
https://www.instagram.com/stage_705/

Museums & Exhibition Spaces
(Major museums, galleries, and historical spaces)

National Museum of Arts (Gapar Aitiev)
Oak Park Gallery
National Historical Museum (Ala-Too Square)
House-Museums of Chuikov, Frunze, Razzakov, Manuilova
Open-Air Sculpture Museum (Oak Park)

💡 Many smaller museums have limited budgets — donations or publication purchases are appreciated.

Souvenirs & Local Crafts

Higher-EndTumar Art Salon — modern felt & design
Mountain Cedar Woolens — hand-woven textiles
Budget-FriendlyTSUM (3rd floor) — wide selection, bargaining welcome
Osh Bazaar — food, crafts, atmosphere (cash only)
Dordoi Market — massive regional market (cash only)

TRAVELING INFORMATION

Here you can find basic information for your stay and some tips for navigation.
Working languages: Kyrgyz, Russian, English (seldom)

Cellular communication. You can activate E-SIM in the airport at the mobile operator desks right after the customs check. Please try to connect your eSIM right at the airport. There are mobile operators' points of sale near the exit zone. “O!” mobile operator is the recommended one to connect to (it has the option of a weekly fee). You can pay with your foreign cards, maybe even with dollars in cash. If not, there are currency exchange offices in the airport (the currency rate is not the best one there, we advise you to exchange not much money).
Connecting to eSIM on Android differs from phone to phone. Mobile operator staff members can help you connect to eSIM. How to set up an eSIM on iPhone https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212780
Mobile numbers start with the code +996 in Kyrgyzstan, the code may be switched to 0 instead.
If you have difficulties calling starting dialing with 0 please dial the full number. If you are calling via mobile to a landline please dial +996-312-XX-XX-XX.
Emergency numbers: 101 - Fire Department / 102 - Police Department / 103 - Ambulance
Currency. It is better to bring dollars or euros in cash and exchange money here in any bank or any exchange bureau. You also can withdraw money from your card almost at any ATM with no problem. You can find currency exchange offices with the best currency rate in the Mossovet bus stop (https://go.2gis.com/v78uh )
Currency exchange offices normally take new undamaged dollar notes. Old or damaged notes exchange will be at an unfavorable rate.However small shops and cafes can take your payment by transferring or by cash only. Please keep some cash with you. You can track up-to-date currency rate in different banks here: https://valuta.kg/
National Bank in KR currency for the beginning of October 2024. USD-84.2 som / EUR-93,8 som
You can make purchases with your Visa cards or Mastercard (seldom) in most of the shops in Bishkek.

Navigation around the City. You can get the full information in the 2gis app. It works offline, shows places and shops, public transport routes, it also calculates the average time of your travel. The best feature of the app is that you can build a route considering the public transport routes including transport changes.You can also use Maps.me app (it works offline, can be used for building walking routes)
The American AppStore does not support 2gis application. If you struggle downloading it please use the website version. Android users can install apk-file https://apk.2gis.ru- use the green button to install.
There are Yandex and Google Maps however they work incorrectly sometimes. They do not have the option of building any routes- neighbor walking nor transport. It is possible to download also Maps.me app that work without internet connection.
Taxi Services. Yandex Taxi- works through an app and navigator. Payment methods - in cash (payment based on the taximeter), by card (if you link the card- Visa, Mastercard). If you do not have Yandex application and it was impossible to save it from Apple/PlayMarket, you can go to its website and download directly from https://go.yandex/ru_kg/?from=ytmenu , local service (can be longer) Jorgo Taxi, http://jorgo.kg, +996 701 112022, +996 550 662022

Public Transport. Minibuses (marshrutka) fare - 20 som, payment in cash. Trolleybus and bus fare - 20 som can be paid in cash and by the Tulpar Card (17 som). Marshrutkas run till 9 pm, trolleybuses and buses run till 8-9 pm. Please, mind pickpockets in the public transport vehicles. You can buy Tulpar cards in the local post offices, at mobile operators selling points, and in the trolleybuses and buses by the driver. The card costs 50 som.

Independent art spaces and initiatives

Public Association “ArtEast” and ArtEast art-residency at Issyk-Kul lake
ArtEast is a non-governmental organization founded by Kyrgyz freelance artists in 2002.
The main mission of the organization is to strengthen the role of the contemporary visual arts as an integral component for the harmonious development of civil society in Kyrgyzstan and to provide support to artists to create artworks that are free of ideological and commercial pressure.
https://www.facebook.com/arteast.kg/ Telephone: 0777 953 065 (Murat) / E-mail: mg.arteast@gmail.com

Zamanbap Art
Based in the house of artist Chingiz Aidarov, who had a heart attack 2 years ago and this space became a semi-public-site for supporting him artistically and financially.
https://www.instagram.com/zamanbap_art/
“Kuduk” Cultural Centre
Coworking / coliving / hostel / food / bar / cultural projects
Address: 119 Orozbekova st., Telephone: +996 779 623 827 (Diana)
E-mail: rahmanovadiana@gmail.com / https://www.instagram.com/cckuduk/
“Museum” Studio
Architecture, contemporary art. E-mail: ulan-museum@yandex.ru
https://www.facebook.com/MUSEUM.kg/?locale=ru_RU
https://astralnomads.net/institutions/studiya-museum.html
Museum of Feminist and Queer Art (MoFA+)
They have no museum building, they do different projects and collect feminist art works.
+996 555 408 940 altyn.kapalova@gmail.com https://www.instagram.com/femmuseum/

Tolon Museum of Modern Art In 2023, Tolon Museum of Modern Art found a home in the village of Kuntuu, 15 minutes away from the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek. Kuntuu Art Space is a museum and exhibition space for contemporary art from Kyrgyzstan and the region. It is located on the grounds of a Soviet winery whose buildings fit perfectly with the post-totalitarian theme of most of the exhibitions
WhatsApp с +996 550 160 250 https://www.facebook.com/tmumoart3000/
https://tolonmuseum.art
Theatre Mesto D…
Theatre of Performative Arts. A modern, independent theater, inclined to research and experiment
Telephone: 0778 661 633 (Olcha) / E-mail: gruzinshtern@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/teatrmestod/?locale=ru_RU
Theatre 705
Theatre 705 is an independent art space for experimental plays, performances, exhibitions, and other creative events, and art library. Address: 149 Bokonbaeva st., Telephone: +996 771 783 026 705theatre@gmail.com
https://www.instagram.com/stage_705/

Museums, exhibition halls:

Fine Art and Applied Art
National Museum of Arts named after Gapar Aitiev, 196 Abdrahmanova st.
Working hours: Tue - Thu: 10:00 - 17:30; Fri: 10:00 - 16:30; Mon: closed. Ticket Price: 160 Som (for foreign guests)
Olga Manuilova House Museum (Sculpture), 108 Kasyma Tynystanova st.
Working hours: Sat, Sun: closed; Mon - Fri: 9:00 - 17:00 / Telephone: +996 (312) 66‒11‒74
Ticket Price: free / We suggest buying small publications or leaving donations to support museums. They have very limited budgets for their work
S. Chuikov House Museum with room of Evgeniya Maleina (Painting), 87a Chuikova st.
Working hours: Sat, Sun: closed; Mon - Fri: 9:00 - 17:00 / Telephone: +996 (312) 30‒33‒64
Ticket Price: free / We suggest buying small publications or leaving donations to support museums. They have very limited budgets for their work
Gapar Aitiev House Museum (Painting), 78 K. Tynystanova st.
Working hours: Sat, Sun: closed; Mon - Fri: 9:00 - 17:00 / Telephone: +996 (312) 30‒03‒57
Oak Park Gallery owned by Union of Artist (the oldest and almost one gallery in Bishkek)
The legacy of institutions from Soviet time, fine art artists union – painting, sculpture, graphic.
They have a gallery, which is given for rent for exhibitions. The first art building in Bishkek since 1935. There was located the first fine art Museum in Kyrgyzstan. Originally the building was a Church.
Address: Pushkina Street 78A (in the middle of Oak park).
https://www.instagram.com/dubovy_gallery/ https://2gis.kg/bishkek/search/Галерея%20дубовый%20парк
https://www.facebook.com/ArtUnionKG/?locale=ru_RU
M Gallery (Sale of Pictures), 40 Manas pr., floor 2.
Working hours: Mon - Sat: 9:00 - 18:00, Sun: closed / Telephone: 0557 555 025, 0550 551 293
Open Air Sculpture Museum, Duboviy Park / Oak park in the city center
Working hours: 24/7
National Historical Museum, main square Ala-Too, Chui avenue 112
Working hours: Mon: closed; Tue - Sun: 9:00 - 17:30 / Ticket Price: 200 som
Iskhak Razzakov House Museum, 90 Chuikov st.
Working hours: Sat, Sun: closed; Mon - Fri: 9:00 - 17:00 / Telephone: +996 (312) 30–00–23
Ticket Price: free / We suggest buying small publications or leaving donations to support museums. They have very limited budgets for their work
House Museum named after M.V. Frunze, 364 Frunze st.
Working hours: Mon: closed; Tue - Sun: 9:30 - 17:30 / Ticket Price: 30 som

Souvenirs Purchase

At a higher price:
Tumar, art salon, Nasirdin Isanov st., 80, 1st floor ( https://go.2gis.com/ip1hqs ). Very stylish and modern souvenirs shop, with multiple felting products. There are cute magnets in the form of animals and amazing sleepers. If there is just one souvenir shop you want to go to and you have enough money, it is the best one to visit.
Mountain cedar woolens- a center of hand weaving. Erkindik ave., 23; Moskovskaya st., 91( https://go.2gis.com/nerr7). Fabric and felt products, woolen and cotton items. Products are made by local women in the mountainous areas from local materials. There are blankets and clothes in national style.
At a lower price:
TSUM, 3rd floor ( https://go.2gis.com/q50rw ). The widest choice of souvenirs of all kind but there is not something unique there. You are more than welcome to bargain there. If you are short on time and money, this is the best option.
Bazaars (Markets). Osh Market. There is a choice of souvenirs of all kinds, food, and clothes. Only cash is available.
Dordoi Market. One of the biggest market in Central Asia - clothes, food, shoes, domestic supplies, not only bazaar, but very important phenomenon for the whole Central Asian region. Cash only.