Turkish arts and culture scene to get 1.6 million euros

Published 24 Jun,2021 via Hürriyet Daily News - Aiming to support NGOs, artists, initiatives and activists in Turkey’s arts and culture sector, CultureCIVIC will be supporting Turkey’s arts and culture scene with 1.6 million euros. The program and applications starts on June 30.

With a goal to reach beyond the major cultural hubs of Turkey, the program targets individuals and institutions nationwide with 14 open calls in four different need-based grant categories and expects to fund over 200 projects by March 2025. The institution organized an online press conference announcing its projects on June 23.

Initiated by Goethe-Institut Istanbul, Anadolu Kültür, Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (Ä°KSV), Institut Français de Turquie and the Danish Cultural Institute in Turkey, and in collaboration with the Embassy of the Netherlands in Turkey, CultureCIVIC is a European Union project that aims to foster civil society involvement in the field of arts and culture.

CultureCIVIC will support projects and individuals that encourage cultural dialogue and public engagement, tolerance, freedom of speech, non-discrimination, social cohesion, individual freedoms and democratic processes. Prioritizing the reach beyond the major urban centers to strengthen Turkey’s cultural infrastructure with a grassroots approach, the program is open to all cultural civil society organizations, initiatives, artists and any individuals, institutions and enterprises with a non-profit mindset.

The project will be implemented on two axes that complement each other: Grants Program and Capacity-Building Program.

Speaking to Hürriyet Daily News, Goethe-Institut Istanbul - CultureCIVIC: Culture and Arts Support Program Director AyÅŸe Utku Erarslan said: “The objective of the Culture for Fundamental Rights is to support cultural initiatives as a means to promote freedom of expression, dialogue, tolerance, and fight against discrimination.”

Through 14 open calls on four different categories there will be more than 200 institutional or individual grantees, and the total grant amount will be 1.6 million euros.

Goethe Institut Director Dr. Reimar Volker said that empowering artists and initiatives in these fascinating parts of the country makes CultureCIVIC so special, meaningful and relevant. Goethe-Institut has been active in Turkey for more than 60 years as a German cultural institute. I am delighted that we can join forces with other cultural institutes from the European Union as well as Turkish partners to work toward common goals through CultureCIVIC.

Ä°KSV director Bige Örer also stressed the importance of CultureCIVIC, noting that as Ä°KSV, within the scope of the Art Production Fund, they intent to support stand-alone productions by emerging visual artists, who will work in tandem with well-established mentors from the Turkish art scene throughout the implementation of their project. “By doing so, we aim to provide mentoring and cultural infrastructure development opportunities as well as artistic networks and career opportunities for emerging artists,” she said.

Grants and programs

The project aims to contribute to the development of dialogue, collaboration and communication in the arts and culture sector across the country by supporting especially emerging artists, new cultural initiatives and actors that have a strong presence beyond the major urban centers. The grant program that will provide funding for artists, art professionals and cultural institutions features four different categories: “Grassroots Projects,” “Structural Support,” “Inner-City Networking” and “Art Production.”

As part of the Grant Program, over 200 projects and works of art will receive funding following 14 open calls.

Priority will be given to those activities which support rights-based activities, bringing together actors from different ethnic, religious, linguistic backgrounds and giving special importance to cross-cutting issues such as promotion of gender equality, LGBTI+ rights, social cohesion, human rights, freedom of expression and children’s rights.

Designed to reach individuals and initiatives with an impact on local communities and audiences, the Grassroots Projects Grants will provide funding for CSOs, cultural producers and activists who are working in the field of arts and culture.

Encouraging nationwide interaction and network building opportunities, Inter-city Networking Grants will focus on fostering the dialogue and collaboration between actors from different cities. The aim of this program is supporting large-scale, inter-city projects.

Art Production Fund is intended to support stand-alone productions by emerging visual artists who will work in tandem with well-established mentors from the Turkish art scene throughout the implementation of their project.

Another one, the Capacity-Building Program aims to provide artists, cultural initiatives and civil society organizations the educational support they need to further their skills in cultural management and civic engagement while offering a common ground necessary for dialogue and collaboration between these actors.

The program will feature 12 distinct workshops on various aspects of arts and culture, all of which will be available to artists, cultural producers and civil society organizations from every corner of Turkey.

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