May 2012
Cultural rights proposed for new charter
The prominent Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) has presented a draft proposal on culture policies and related issues of discrimination to Parliament’s Constitutional Reconciliation Commission, as part of ongoing efforts to frame a new constitution. more >
April 2012
Turkish Prime Minister’s Bid to Privatize Theaters Stirs Uproar
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan promised yesterday to propose the privatization of state-funded theaters following a row over the administration of Istanbul’s playhouses, sparking fury from opponents who say the move could severely weaken the art. more >
January 2012
Icom drops Turkish committee
The International Council of Museums (Icom) has ditched its Turkish committee, which is backed by the country’s ministry of culture. Julien Anfruns, the director general of Icom, which is backed by Unesco, says that the accredited Turkish arm, established in the 1960s, “has unfortunately not moved with the times, despite discussions since 2010”. more >
August 2011
“The Role of Cultural Industries in Cultural Diversity”: Interview with Serhan Ada following the Istanbul symposium
The conference on ‘The Role of Cultural Industries in Cultural Diversity’ was held in Istanbul last July 12, bringing together about 75 participants from various regions of Turkey, as well as guest speakers from Belgium, Germany and Canada. more >
December 2010
Turkey Scrambles to Protect National Anthem
The Turkish government is rushing to legally protect the country's national anthem after realizing Turkey does not actually own the copyright on the work. more >
August 2010
Turkey goes global as cultural outreach follows foreign policy forays
A new Turkish cultural center joins airline flights and radio and television broadcasts in expanding the country's reach around the globe, with a UK office on the way and more planned for Moscow and Damascus. Experts say such 'public diplomacy' efforts complement Ankara's ambitious foreign policy by helping present Turkey's changing image to the world. more >
January 2010
Istanbul begins celebrations as European Capital of Culture 2010
Istanbul began celebrating its year as European Capital of Culture with spectacular light shows around the city. Ceremonies began with a protocol event at the Haliç Congress Centre, where Ministers from Turkey and neighboring countries participated, along with high level statesmen and diplomats, leading members of the business, culture and arts world. more >
December 2009
S.European culture ministers to meet in Turkey
The Southeast European Countries Cooperation Process culture ministers' meeting will take place on December 17under the title of 'New Policies for Preservation of Cultural Heritage'. more >
November 2009
City of Culture 2010
There was little interest in the European City of Culture scheme when Greek Minister of Culture, Melina Mercouri, introduced it in 1985, but over the years it has proved a catalyst for real cultural uplift. Whirling dervishes will be doing their speedy thing as Istanbul begins a year-long programme of events embracing its unique status as the city where Europe and Asia meet. more >
October 2009
Young filmmakers: Turkey does not have a policy on cinema
The Turkish cinema industry has recently experienced one of its richest periods in terms of movie production in various genres, and the number of moviegoers in Turkey is on the rise. more >
September 2009
Publishers angry over increased paperwork against pirated books
Law-abiding publishers have to go through the ordeal of preparing and obtaining 13 documents and certificates in order to obtain tax stamps from the authorities while pirated book publishers continue to operate unhindered. more >
August 2009
Archaeologists find cache of tablets in 2,700-year old Turkish Temple
Excavations led by a University of Toronto archaeologist at the site of a recently discovered temple in southeastern Turkey have uncovered a cache of cuneiform tablets dating back to the Iron Age period between 1200 and 600 BCE. more >
July 2009
Ministry cuts museums’ entrance fees, but will it achieve intended purpose?
A new initiative by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism aims to help bring visitors in. Eighty-three museums under the auspices of the ministry in 43 Turkish cities have free admission as of July 15. Under the new initiative, all Turkish and foreign tourists are now able to visit these museums and historical sites for free. more >
June 2009
Turkish novelist cleared of inciting religious hatred
An Istanbul court has acquitted the Turkish novelist Nedim Gürsel of inciting religious hatred with the publication of his novel The Daughters of Islam. more >
Police raids hit four pirate gangs in Turkey
Turkish police have conducted major anti-piracy operations against four organised criminal syndicates that effectively collapsed due to the numbers of arrests made and illegal product seized. more >
April 2009
Movie laws discourage foreign directors
Making movies in Turkey can be quite a challenge, particularly for foreign directors, due to Turkey's filmmaking regulations, which significantly bring down the number of foreign-made movies shot in Turkey. Experts agree that if Turkey's regulations were changed to be less discouraging, moviemakers would be lining up in front of Turkey's Ministry of Culture and Tourism for filming permits. more >
The Second Forum of the Alliance of Civilizations
On 6-7 April 2009, the second Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations was held in Istanbul, Turkey. The Forum is the world’s premier event aimed at advancing intercultural understanding. more >
Segundo Foro de la Alianza de Civilizaciones
El 6 y 7 de abril de 2009, el segundo Foro de la Alianza de Civilizaciones de las Naciones Unidas se llevó a cabo en Istanbul, Turquía. El Foro es el más importante evento mundial que busca promover el entendimiento intercultural. more >
February 2009
Cinema, TV artists gather under one roof
Turkish cinema and TVartists join forces under the roof of an organization named the United Artists Occupational Group. The goal is to protect rights and demand royalties for films and TV series they work on. more >
Economic crisis hits mountain film festival
The annual Mountain Film Festival, which features films themed around mountains, mountain culture, the environment and nature, is hit by the economic crisis this year. Because of a lack of sponsors, some sections of the festival have been canceled. more >
January 2009
Turksoy celebrating its anniversary in Ankara
The Joint Administration of Turkic Culture and Arts (TURKSOY) celebrated its 15th anniversary at the Bilkent Concert Hall in Ankara. The event was attended by Azerbaijan Minister for Culture and Tourism Abulfaz Garayev, and Head of the Azerbaijan Union of Writers Anar. more >
November 2008
Turkish film producers call for sponsor support
Turkish movie production industry currently attracts $15 million annually from the private sector. The movie production firms need more sponsorship to continue to develop, particularly during a time of global economic crisis, urged industry representatives.
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Ministry of Culture provides guidelines for ‘sema’ programs
A notice sent out by Minister of Culture and Tourism Ertuğrul Günay detailing new guidelines on conditions under which "sema" (whirling dervish ceremony) programs can take place has been well received by experts in Mevlevi cultural history. more >
July 2008
Ministry of Culture and Tourism investigates 11 artists
Action has been taken by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to stop the abuse of national symphony orchestra laws by launching an inquiry into 11 artists alleged to not be fully performing their duties. more >
What will the artistic face of İstanbul look like in 2010?
İstanbul is gearing up for the year 2010, when it will assume the title of the European Capital of Culture, and the projects to be carried out in connection with this have already started blossoming. more >
The runaway success of Müzekart
The Müzekart (museum card), recently introduced by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to boost people's interest in Turkish museums, has proven far more popular than expected. more >
May 2008
Turkic states convene to forge common culture and elect new head
Ankara will host the 24th meeting of culture ministers from 14 Turkic states, which together form TÜRKSOY, an international organization that aims to 'consolidate Turkic culture’s place in world civilization,' in the words of its deputy director general. more >
March 2008
Turkey at the heart of European music
In April Turkey will sign the Arts Festivals' Declaration on Intercultural Dialogue initiated by the European Festivals Association. more >
January 2008
Minister of Culture and Tourism Ertuğrul Günay
Ertuğrul Günay was once a tourist with an interest in archaeology, but now he is the minister of culture and tourism. more >
Let art and culture surround Istanbul
Already amid a flurry of preparations, Istanbul is gearing up to show its dynamism and artistic depth as the 2010 European Capital of Culture. more >
November 2007
Turkey to introduce new promotional campaign
Traditional handicrafts and cuisine will be the cornerstones of a new campaign by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to promote the image of Turkey internationally. more >
October 2007
Ministry revamps website
Turkey's Ministry of Culture and Tourism is revamping its website into one of the most "advanced" of any country in the world. more >
September 2007
Putting dreams into action
An interview with Spyros Mercouris on cultural policy, the role of culture, inter-cultural dialog, cultural event planning, culture and economy. more >
July 2007
Black Sea State Culture Ministers meet for first time
Black Sea State Culture Ministers met in Athens to consider proposals, strategies and finances to promote cultural activities around the Black Sea. more >
February 2007
Armenian diaspora invited to church opening
Turkey has invited members of the Armenian diaspora and Armenian religious leaders to the opening of a restored ancient Armenian church in April. more >
September 2006
Novelist cleared of
Bestselling Turkish novelist Elif Shafak has been acquitted of the charges of "insulting Turkishness" brought against her under Article 301 of Turkish law. more >
June 2006
Contemporary Art: Istanbul set to stamp its culture credentials
The European Union and its bureaucracy are sometimes lampooned for living in a parallel universe. Looking at the voluminous proceedings of its committees that decide on the annual European cities of culture, you could be forgiven for thinking that in 2010 the eyes of the Continent will turn to the German mining city of Essen and the obscure Hungarian city of Pecs. more >
May 2006
Reader Interest in Turkish Authors Increases
Statistics from Turkey suggest that over the last six years there has been an increase in interest in Turkish authors and a decrease in publication of translated books. more >
November 2003
Turkey allows Kurdish conference
Turkey has allowed Kurdish writers to hold a conference in their own language for the first time in years. more >
January 2003
Turkish song competition announced
The Republic of Turkey's Ministry of Culture has announced an international song competition to commemorate the anniversary of the Gallipoli campaign. more >
September 2002
Linking intangible cultural heritage and cultural diversity
Some 80 ministers of culture and other relevant officials, representing around 100 nations, are currently meeting in Istanbul for what is thought to be the first round-table to discuss possible government action in preserving the world’s intangible cultural heritage, vested in languages, customs, songs, plays, dances, celebrations and craft skills. more >
Linking intangible cultural heritage and cultural diversity
Some 80 ministers of culture are to meet in Istanbul on September 16 and 17 to debate the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage, highlighting its importance in the maintenance of the world’s cultural diversity. more >
June 2002
Turkish government launches cultural e-commerce site
The Turkish Ministry for Culture has recently launched a new e-commerce site for local art and craft products. more >
November 2011
The International Turkish Folk Culture Congress
The International Turkish Folk Culture Congress was started in 1975 and has been held every five years since 1981. It is organized by Directorate General of Research and Training of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the VIII Congress will take place between 21-24 November 2011. more >
October 2011
Advanced training for festival executives in Izmir 2011
The European Festivals Association (EFA) offers you two one-week intensive courses: The first course will be on 14 to 21 May 2011 in Singapore, and the second course will be on 24 to 31 October 2011 in Izmir, Turkey. The aim of the Atelier for Young Festival Managers is to exchange experience and act as an agent to pass on knowledge to the next generation of festival executives. more >
February 2011
The Alternative Report
Before the 2011 autumn launch of Turkey’s Alternative Cultural Policy Report, a ‘work-in-progress debate’ will take place at Istanbul Bilgi University on 25 and 26 March. more >
June 2010
Third International Conference on the Inclusive Museum
The Museum conference invites museum and culture professionals, and interested scholars, to explore the current and future role of the museum in this era of tremendous global change. more >
November 2009
Cities as creative spaces for cultural tourism
An international conference inspired by Greg Richards’ and Crispin Raymond’s idea of “Creative Tourism” and Richard Florida’s concept of “Creative Cities”, and based on UNESCO’s (2006) working definition of creative tourism as: “travel directed towards an engaged and authentic experience, with participative learning in the arts, heritage, or special character of a place. It provides a connection with those who reside in this place and create this living culture.” more >
November 2008
UCLG Committee on Culture meeting
The Committee on culture of the World Council of United Cities and Local Governments will take place in Istanbul. more >
August 2008
June 2008
Exploring Cultural Perspectives
The objective of this conference is to address the realities of culture from an experiential perspective rather than the theoretical applications that are sometimes misleading. more >
November 2006
July 2006
April 2006
May 2004
September 2003
August 2011
Local Cultural Policies Handbook
Local Cultural Policies Handbook – Steps, Tools and Case studies is now available in English. Previously only available in Turkish (Istanbul Bilgi University Press, 2011), this publication pulls together new methodological tools and diverse practical experiences from civic participation in local cultural policy development from across Turkey. more >
The international who's who in cultural policy, planning and research >