A CORNER IN THE WORLD

As the pandemic and the subsequent social, economic and political crises provided a unique opportunity to evaluate previous practices in a new light, arts and culture actors reexamine how cultural practices and activities can have a positive impact on the live of individuals and on wider communities along the fundamental questions of what needs to be done, how and why to create sustainable impact.

In Turkey, a large part of the recent cultural dynamics is fuelled by project-based grants and funds for organizations from various sources. Within this dynamic framework, arts advocates, actors and researchers are discussing how the cultural sector can reorganize itself to enhance its contribution to communities and find its essential place in it in the light of the last two years. Measuring the actual value of arts and culture to society is notoriously difficult, as their impact is complex and far reaching. Still, just as a stone creates small circles of waves in the water, each culture and art project does have an area of impact. These circles travel to the shore and come back. They will weaken when they cross paths, but if the various circles are vibing with each other, their energies will be added and increased. Similarly, the ability of the actors in different fields and agencies of art and culture to attune their perspectives towards a common and cooperative future will enhance their impact and their scope of operation. The question how this can be achieved successfully will be the leading thread for Cultural Encounters this year.

While coronavirus has put a mark on the cultural year of 2020 and the third cycle of Spaces of Culture, it also revealed the relevance and new facets the projects in action are bringing to the arts and culture environment. Amidst the current crisis where the world of arts and culture seems to harbour more uncertainty than ever, we propose to take up the idea of culture as a system parallel to ecology, a living organism rather than a mechanism, to gain a wider perspective on the status quo of cultural activity, and how to continue from here. The concept is inspired from the report “The Ecology of Culture” by John Holden.

The term ‘ecology of culture’ implies that culture is a communal phenomenon, with various elements coming together to produce a whole. As with the natural ecosystem, the cultural ecosystem cannot be considered as separate from any of its individual elements – cultural organizations, operators, artists, audiences – , but rather as an interconnected system, dependent on complex relations, in which each part shapes the system and is influenced by it in return.

‘Spaces of Culture’ has been a significant actor within the cultural scenes in and around İzmir, Gaziantep and Diyarbakır for the last 3 years. Due to concerns over Covid-19, the program will take place digitally and focus on general topics, as well as the specific micro-ecologies of each region’s context that has nurtured ‘Spaces of Culture’ and has been nurtured in return over the last 3 years,and discuss the possibilities and challenges at hand.

In Turkey, culture and arts professionals operate in a context defined by a diverse range of actors: from public policies to local actions led by municipalities, privately funded institutions, independent artist-led initiatives or cultural and creative industries, to the role of foreign institutions, the cultural landscape in the country is extremely broad. Therefore, the shaping of cultural policies and practices takes various forms, from local to national levels depending on the connections that are possible to build on a given territory. How, in the context of Turkey at large, are cultural practices constructed and implemented? How do interactions between various actors involved form and reform it? What are the effects of those activities, sometimes devised and construed together in collaboration, sometimes made up of by individual efforts?

The Future Is Now: Constructing and Reconstructing Cultural Practices in Turkey aims to address these questions with the involvement of leading as well as emerging culture and arts operators in Turkey. Featuring exemplary projects supported by Spaces of Culture in Izmir, Diyarbakır, Gaziantep and beyond, we will meditate on perspectives and experiences of cultural actors to facilitate an inspiring discussion with a focus on the contemporary issues of urban transformation, heritage and access to arts and culture in local and global contexts.

Through a calibration of creative meeting methods and thought-provoking discussions, showcasing exemplary artworks and talks and working sessions, the program aims to provide a free space for the actors to exchange knowledge and experiences.

In the context of ongoing social and political transformations, arts and cultural initiatives are a priority as they present opportunities for exchange, experimentation, innovative research and creativity. This contributes to developing meaningful social cohesion, better understanding and create new ways of including diverse communities.

With this context in mind, “Re-thinking Spaces” examines the notion of “Space” itself: what are the “spaces” we need to work towards more inclusivity, diversity and creativity? Who are the change-makers and the actors of transformation? How do we engage our communities? How do we foster communication and exchange among the diversity of actors, peers and projects to encourage emulation and creativity?

“Re-thinking Spaces” is conceived as an opportunity to look at practices and questions that can allow us to create opportunities, open shared places and offer a sense of belonging in a globally challenging time for spaces of culture.