Istanbul’s year as “European Capital of Culture” is continuing with an exciting lineup of exhibitions, performances, and events to celebrate the arts, culture & history of the vibrant city. As fall nears, Istanbul will enter the final stage of its “A City of Four Elements” themed year. “Fire,” taking place from September 23 through December 31, symbolizes the future of Istanbul and focuses on Turkey’s
contemporary art to showcase how the cultural torch continues to pass from generation to generation in a city whose history spans several millennia.

“Fire” will feature “Lives and Works in Istanbul” which showcases 10 prominent international artists working with 10 noted Turkish artists and 100 young talents to create art inspired by the city; an “Architectural Biennial” which brings together architects, artists and students to work on urban projects; and “Design 2010,” which broadens the scope of the acclaimed Istanbul Design Week with projects in a multitude of venues. Below are a variety of other events taking place during the remainder of Istanbul 2010 “European Capital of Culture”:


Istanbul 2010- The Arts
• Huseyin Cagayan: 1994-2010; through October 24, 2010 – The Istanbul Modern is hosting a comprehensive exhibition by progressive fashion designer, Hüseyin Çaðlayan, whose works are motivated by social and political events and bring together disciplines such as anthropology, history, science, philosophy and technology. The exhibition, which is organized by the Istanbul Textile and Apparel Exporter Associations (ITKIB), will feature the artist’s fashion collections, as well as his art and film projects created between 1994 and 2009 and will explore this creative approach, sources of inspiration, and ideas on genetics, technological progress, displacement, immigration and cultural identity.

• Dance Platform; September 15 to 22 & December 16 to 17, 2010 at CRR Concert Hall and Muhsin Ertugrul Theater – Dance Platform Istanbul is a multi-track international event and residency project hosting a series of individual programs throughout the year. Dance Platform Istanbul brings together choreographers, directors, performers, cultural managers, academicians, researchers, instructors and students working in the fields of contemporary dance and classical ballet in Turkey and creates an international platform for creating new choreographies and connections through a collective focus on the present and future of dance.

• The Hulda Festival: An Art and Science Journey; September 25 to 27, 2010 at Haskoy Beyoglu Sailing School – The 1905 Swedish-built, twin-masted Baltic trader and cargo ship, the M/S Hulda, which was restored by the celebrated sculptor Ilhan Koman in 1965, is concluding it cultural and artistic journey from Barcelona in Istanbul on September 25. Housing an exhibition of Ilhan Koman’s works and providing a venue for thematic youth-oriented workshops combining art and science, the M/S Hulda will serve as an Istanbul-based mobile culture and science center.

• Cihangir Insomnia; September 23 to 27, 2010 – Cihangir Insomnia is a musical theater show that focuses on the residents of a dilapidated house in Tarlabaþý, a neighborhood in the Beyoðlu district in Istanbul, and depicts the insomnia of secret lovers, the mysterious death of a young actor and the feelings of being a stranger in a foreign country. Developed by the Austrian group SUPER16, which was founded by Stefan Bohun (director) and Johannes Bohun (member of STOMP), Cihangir Insomnia brings together artists from Turkey, Austria, Germany and Denmark who performed in the world-famous stage show, STOMP. As a part of the Cihangir Insomnia project, STOMP-members will be holding workshops to share their expertise with children on September 29-30 and October 1, 4, & 5.

• 2nd Lezzet Istanbul Culinary Festival; September 25, 2010 at Feshane Dake – Featuring the finest examples of Turkish and Ottoman cuisine, for the first time ever in Turkey, the Lezzet Istanbul Culinary Festival will offer Istanbul residents and visitors the opportunity to sample 2010 different dishes. The festival will also feature a variety of panels discussing Turkish and Ottoman cuisine, as well as several
cake competitions.

• The Exhibition of Tradition Turkish Book Arts, Today’s Masters; October through December 2010 – In Istanbul today, there are more than 200 artisan masters working on traditional Turkish book arts such as calligraphy, gilding, marbling, bookbinding, and miniatures. The aim of this project is to bring these masters together through a comprehensive exhibition covering 72 works of 50 reputable masters of the book arts from Istanbul and Anatolia. The exhibition is taking place October 1 to November 1 at CRR Exhibition Center and November 1 to December 26 at Fatih Ali Emiri Cultural Center.

• Grand Opening of the Princes’ Islands Museum; September 10, 2010 at Hongar, Aya Nikola, Buyukada – Istanbul’s first contemporary city museum, located in the old helicopter hangar in the Aya Nikola district of Buyukada, will open its doors for the first time on September 10. The museum tells the story of Princes’ Islands six million years of history with exhibitions on themes ranging from the geological formation to the architecture, authors, and characteristic dishes of the islands.


Istanbul 2010- History & Culture
• The Exhibition of Theodosius Port: Trade and Transportation; November 2010 – The Istanbul Archaeology Museum’s exhibition will display discoveries from the excavations of the Port of Theodosius during Marmaray metro construction in 2004. These discoveries include traces of Neolithic settlements and architectural remnants from archaic, classical, Hellenistic and Roman times.

Istanbul 2010- Music
• Yorgo Bacanos Istanbul International Oud Festival; October 25 - 31, 2010 - Marking a first in Turkey, the International Yorgo Bacanos Oud Festival of Istanbul will be held under the auspices of the Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture program. The festival will be hosting world-class oud masters from Turkey and other countries throughout the world. Workshops, conferences and panels will shine a new light on oud, while concerts by prominent oud musicians will create unforgettable musical experiences. Planning to turn it into a traditional annual event, the festival is dedicated this year to Yorgo Bacanos, who not only excelled in oud, but also inspired many oud masters to follow him by creating a unique school focusing on the instrument.

• Archive of Turkish Musical Culture; September 29, 2010 – The wealth of works that constitute the centuries of musical heritage of Istanbul, the capital of the Turkish music world, are now just a click away. The Archive of Turkish Musical Culture’ project provides easy access to the scores of every version of over 70,000 different pieces from both public and private collections. The archive is available free-of-charge at www.turkmusikisivakfi.org and www.devletkorosu.com beginning on September 29.


• Istanbul 1910-2010: City Built Environment and Architectural Culture Exhibition; September 15 to November 20, 2010 – Over the past century, the population of Istanbul has grown 19-fold, and its built area has increased 30 times. Starting from 1910, this exhibition examines the city’s transformation, depicting the social and structural changes in the city using an interactive, map-based technique. Visitors can discover the formation of both social and political geography and the built environment, along with the processes of consolidation and disintegration. Visit www.istanbul2010.org or www.goturkey.com for more information on “Istanbul: 2010 European Capital of Culture” events.

Dates and times may vary so check back frequently to verify. For more information on Turkey, call (877) FOR-TURKEY or contact the Turkish Culture and Tourism Offices in New York at (212) 687-2194 or in Washington, D.C., at (202) 612-6800, and in Los Angeles at (323) 937-8066 and visit their Web sites at www.tourismturkey.org or www.kulturturizm.gov.tr.