European festivals Association

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism in Türkiye launched the Culture Route Festivals, an art and culture route comprising a continuous series of events held in various Turkish cities, in 2021. The itinerary originating in Istanbul has since undergone a significant expansion, with the inclusion of prestigious festivals hosted in Ankara, Izmir, Antalya, Trabzon, Diyarbakir, Nevşehir, Çanakkale, Konya, Gaziantep and Erzurum. The series of festivals, inspired by Anatolia’s rich ancient cultural
heritage, will continue in 35 cities over the next few years. Our cultural and artistic experiences in the historical continuity of the Seljuk, Ottoman, and Republican periods are reinterpreted in the vision of the Century of Turkey. The Cultural Route Festivals’ route, which is open to both domestic and foreign participants, provides local and foreign festival guests – mostly city dwellers – with opportunities for cultural encounters. The festivals, which mainly focus on raising awareness about the heritage factors of Türkiye’s cultural geography, offer people with new opportunities to use the historical parts of the cities, the art and culture spaces, as well as the natural heritage sites where they take place. Historical artefacts and land-specific heritage values on the festival route are examined, and conservation–restoration, re-adaptation, and promotion strategies of these elements are brought up to date with contemporary standards.

The festival programmes showcase contemporary and traditional works of art in unique combinations, promoting a dialogue between global cultural values, academic works, crafts, design practices, gastronomic productions, elements of popular culture and everyday experiences. The Ministry-affiliated art and culture institutions organise unique and qualified events that demonstrate Türkiye’s proficiency in the field of arts and culture. Cultural experiences are broadened through collaborative cultural mobility projects with international partners and art events by worldrenowned artists and art communities. Various arrangements are being made to ensure that the festival events are accessible and sustainable to all societal groups.

Culture Route Festivals display contemporary and traditional art elements including tours to visit all festival cities and location-specific projects. The Ministry and its institutions maintain artists, art groups and institutions to support their art projects. Independent artists and designers working in the creative sector can participate in the festival programmes and even directly collaborate with well-established art organisations because of the absence of cultural hierarchies. The festival’s programming caters to people of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds, with a particular focus on fostering a greater interest and participation in art among children and teenagers. The festival events provide various opportunities for young artists to showcase their works to the public through organised competitions.

The Festivals bring together common values, creating a more diverse, dynamic and inclusive vision of cultural heritage. They promote social awareness about the sustainable management of the interactive relationship between cultural heritage, contemporary art events and tourism for both the present and future generations.