Any Kazakhstani artist has the right to propose their own mural design for placement on the wall of a residential building. The departments of architecture, urban planning and land relations of Astana and Almaty, in response to a request from Kursiv, explained where to apply for this, reports infohub.kz.

To get your mural approved, you must contact the district akimat in whose territory it is planned to be implemented. It is through the district akimat that the placement location and work organization issues are coordinated. Additionally, the mural design must be approved by the limited liability partnership "Astana Urbanism Center." When reviewing the design, the artistic solution, compliance with the architectural appearance of the building and its combination with the surrounding urban environment are assessed.

"District akimats annually plan a list of facades where murals can be placed," the department noted.

The Almaty department added that murals must be applied in agreement with the owners of apartments and non-residential premises and in accordance with the city's design code.

The Astana Department of Architecture and Urban Planning reported that the placement of murals containing branding or advertising information is not prohibited. However, they must be coordinated with local executive bodies.

"The commercial or advertising nature of a mural does not exempt it from the procedure of coordinating the placement location and design solution," the department emphasized.

The Almaty department clarified that for the presence of a brand on a mural, a fee is charged for the placement of outdoor advertising in accordance with paragraph 3 of Article 11 of the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On Advertising." At the same time, branding is assessed taking into account the content and purpose of the specific image.

Earlier, Kursiv wrote that the legendary mural "Father of Apples" could be removed in Almaty. In photos shared by residents, the mural is covered with scaffolding. It has already undergone several restorations, but it is possible that it could be painted over as part of the "from facade to facade" program. Then one of the city's iconic street art objects will become history.