Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) has published its 11th report titled Local Cultural Ecosystem in Türkiye which is the culmination of a year-long field research carried out within the scope of Ortaklaşa: Culture, Dialogue and Support Programme implemented by İKSV with the support of the European Union. Written by Assoc. Prof. Ulaş Bayraktar, the report aims to initiate a discussion to establish a strong dialogue and collaboration between local authorities and civil arts and culture organizations, thus enabling the co-creation of local cultural policies through a long-term perspective.
The findings of the “Local Cultural Ecosystem in Türkiye” report were presented to the public on February 1 in a meeting at Salon İKSV. During the event, Assoc. Prof. Ulaş Bayraktar, General Director of İKSV Görgün Taner, and İKSV Cultural Policy Studies Director Özlem Ece delivered speeches.
In his opening remarks, Görgün Taner emphasized the importance of shaping cultural policies collaboratively, stating, “Support projects that highlight collaboration and dialogue are imperative for the continuation of arts and culture under all circumstances.” Özlem Ece highlighted the pivotal role of local authorities in steering cultural policies, both nationally and internationally, underscoring the significance of collaboration between municipalities and cultural organizations.
Assoc. Prof. Ulaş Bayraktar provided insights into the report, stating, “The report examines the state of cultural democracy in Türkiye, treating the cultural life of each city as an ecosystem. Inspired by the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment of the United Nations, we have analyzed how cultural services are determined, their purpose, and the roles of local authorities and civil actors in making cultural policies democratic, participatory, and transparent across diverse cities with unique cultural characteristics.”
