THE FOREWORD*

“As the year of European Capital of Culture is just over for Istanbul with the end of the 2010, the culture scene of the city is more active than ever, endeavoring to project its future and sustainability. Today, in Istanbul, not the state but the arts and cultural organizations of the civil society and the private sector lead the way to a dynamic creativity in the local and international artistic and cultural scene and start becoming a major driving force lobbying for the local cultural policies as well as strengthening the civil society. The driving force behind the entrepreneurship of these “new arts institutions” of the 21st century in Istanbul though seem to lie the dichotomies of the local cultural scene.

Six years after the visit of Dragan Klaic, Istanbul is still “a booming and rapidly developing metropolis with a cultural infrastructure that is grossly inadequate for its 16 million inhabitants, and with high unemployment rates despite the city’s visible economic vitality”.1 Even though cultural policies have had a major effect on the establishment of the contemporary Republic of Turkey, the culture and arts sector as of today is unfortunately underdeveloped compared to other industries and services.2 Not only the contemporary but also the current art and cultural scene in Turkey function within an inadequate state support deprived of the necessary cultural policies. It should be emphasized that the coup d’état in 1980 left the civil society weak implying serious legal restrictions, creating a big gap among the state officials and the professionals of the culture sector.3

The experience of having the Istanbul 2010 ECOC Agency, too, widened afore mentioned gap with the many controversial discussions that it raised. Even though the acclamation of the ECOC title by Istanbul had been declared as the strength of the civil society and a symbol of bottom- up approach, the tenure of the 2010 ECOC witnessed many disappointments with lack of a strong effect on the existing cultural policies4.

1 http://www.labforculture.org/en/directory/contents/region-in-focus/turkey/istanbul-s-cultural- constellation-and-its-european-prospects-by-dragan-klaic (Online, 20.04.2011) 2 Seçkin, A. 2009. “The Economic politics of Cultural Policies in Turkey,” in Türkiye’de Kültür Politikalarına Giriş, S. Ada and H. A. İnce, eds.,Istanbul: Istanbul Bilgi Yayınları, p. 111-127. 3 http://anibellek.org/en/?p=488 (Online, 20.04.2011)

*Exerpt from the conference paper presented at Looking At The Independent Art Scene Of Istanbul As A Possible Case Study For The Future Positioning Of European Cultural Institutions”, AIMAC 2011, Antwerp. 4 Karaca, B. Forthcoming “Europeanization from the Margins? Istanbul’s Cultural Capital Initiative and the Formation of European Cultural Policies.” In: Creating a Common Cultural Past

Instead of formulating a public fund to allocate resources and support to the artistic creation in the city in a system where grant giving foundations rarely exist or are poorly funded themselves, the state is willingly leaving the public domain to the hands of the private investors. The recent cultural entrepreneurship of the private companies establishing their own cultural institutions, creating an indisputable hegemony over the cultural scene is apparent. The Turkish counterparts of the DiMaggio’s ‘cultural capitalists’5 are now pursuing their own cultural entrepreneurship. Involvement and ‘intervention’ of the Turkish corporations into the arts is inline with the neoliberal model in USA and UK in 1980’s, with the aim of regeneration of monetary capital through cultural capital (Wu, 2002:23). Simultaneously with this privatization, Turkey is still at a stage of phrasing its cultural policy for the first time and only as a result of an imposed necessity through its accession period of EU membership.6

On the other hand, the relevance of culture and the arts to the needs of the society is still discussed on behalf of the government: The Prime Minister provoking the demolishing of an statue that he finds ‘freakish’7 or Minister of Culture and Tourism phrasing a discussion about a possible termination of state theaters8 as the most recent of so many. And it can also be observed that there is a general opinion prevalent among art professionals that the state’s relationship with contemporary art today will not undergo any reforms. The necessity for a funding model that would enable the emergence of independent organizations that would not pursue the policy of any government or private corporation and would be formed by artists or cultural management professionals has yet to emerge as a discussion topic.9”

and Present? The EU, its Cultural Capitals, and the Effects of Europeanization. Edited by Kiran Klaus Patel. 5 DiMaggio, P. J.1986. “Cultural Entrepreneurship in Nineteenth Century Boston,” in Non-Profit Enterprise in the Arts: Studies in Mission and Constraint, Paul J Dimaggio, New York: Oxford University Press, p. 41 – 61. 6 As Turkey will be the 29th member state to take part in a Council of Europe Cultural Policy Report, an Alternative Report for Cultural Policy in Turkey is initiated by AK and BILGI together with a number of leading NGOs inorder to include the contribution of civil society to the national report and that of independent experts. 7 The “Monument to Humanity” that was erected by the Turkish Sculptor Mehmet Aksoy as a commissioned work in 2006 in Kars close to the Armenian border is being demolished with an order from the Prime Minister Erdoğan who called the 30-meter unfinished concrete statue, “freakish”. 8 http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=culture-minister-makes-u-turn-amid-oppositional- reactions-2011-04-15 (Online, 18.04.2011) 9 Aysun, E.A. 2010. “Leaps of Contemporary Art in the New Era and the Case of A77.” Cultural Policy and Management (KPY) Yearbook 2010, 2010, p.156-169.

THE TOUR AMONG THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN CRISIS karaköy-tophane-galata-tünel by Esra A. Aysun

Being a creative city has its costs as well as its benefits. Ironically enough, we have been witnessing in Istanbul as well that the arts community, which is the essential content provider of this creativity making the city an attraction point, is slowly being forced to leave its premises to those of the real estate investors.

The other community that is being banished is of course the low-income Anatolian immigrants of the Turkish Republic who had once squatted the abandoned dwellings of the prior residents -the non-Muslim Ottoman bourgeoisie. The recent experiences though have been a proof that the communities in jeopardy of loosing their premises are also in conflict with each other.

Our tour will be a pedestrian walk in the area trying to empathize with the actors at stake: The conservative, pro-Islamic attitude of the closed communities; the urban creative class and the local and global real estate investors.

KARAKÖY AND THE GALATA PORT PROJECT

Galata Port Project (Salıpazarı- 2005 was abolished and the new Karaköy Cruiser Port Complex) since tender is expected to take place in its introduction by the Turkish 2011. Maritime Organization as of 1998 is among the projects that have raised many discussions regarding the urban renewal and future positioning of the city. The project embodies the Karaköy Port, an area of more than 1.2 kilometers, being transformed into a cruise port / a marina with luxury hotels, shopping malls, restaurants, cafés, and places of social recreation as well as underground car parks. It is expected to raise the number of tourists visiting Istanbul by five to sixfold, with predominantly high-income groups, contributing to further regeneration of the district.The http://www.tabanlioglu.com/prj-galata.html tender for the operating rights to the Galata Port project that was held in

GALLERY MANA

century and features 400 square meters of exhibition space. The gallery founded by Mehves Ariburnu and Suzanne Egeran in 2011 has a program of multi-generational (emerging, mid-career and established) international and Turkish artists.

Kemankeş Mahallesi Ali Paşa Değirmeni Sokak, no 16–18 Beyoğlu http://galerimana.com/

[email protected] Galeri Manâ, located in the Tophane +90 212 243 66 66 district of Istanbul, is a converted wheat mill that dates to the 19th

DEPO

space with a focus on hosting collaborative projects and an open venue to different groups for screenings, discussions, performances and rehearsals. As a space for critical debate and cultural exchange in the city center of Istanbul, Depo is the first initiative in Turkey to focus on regional collaborations among Turkey and countries in the Caucasus, the Middle East and the Balkans. Located in a former tobacco warehouse in Tophane, Depo - a not for profit initiative of Anadolu Kültür Tütün Deposu Lüleci Hendek (http://www.anadolukultur.org/) that Caddesi No.12 Tophane İstanbul has been a driving force in facilitating http://www.depoistanbul.net/ cross-cultural collaborations and [email protected] circulating art through Anatolia since +90 212 292 39 56 its establishment - is an alternative

TOPHANE ART WALK

Galleries involved in the “Tophane Art Walk” map keep their doors open on one Sunday for each exhibition since March 2010. PRESS RELEASE FOR THE ATTACKS ON TOPHANE ART st GALLERIES IN ISTANBUL on September 21 2010

In an organized attack on art galleries in the Tophane neighbourhood of Istanbul, guests attending exhibition openings were physically assaulted in a lynch attempt by a gang of 40-50 people. The audience subjected to this atmosphere of total terror featured artists, academicians, students, writers, local and international journalists and cultural attaches from consulates. The attackers used knives, batons, broken bottles and pepper spray. The injured include Polish, Dutch, German and English guests.

We have witnessed for a time now the actions of a certain group to disrupt the openings, exhibitions and events of art galleries in Tophane and to create an atmosphere of intimidation. Galleries, artists and guests have been harassed and threatened numerous times. We know that these actions are carried out by a group organized via certain web sites and around certain localities in the neighbourhood.

We have always had a strong bond of communication with all our neighbours, with children, parents and other commercial enterprises in the neighbourhood, and carried out community projects. We believe we are a part of the cultural and social scene in Tophane. These organized attacks cannot be attributed to the Tophane community. These assailants constitute a serious threat to the security of our neighbourhood.

This organized attack in the centre of Istanbul, a cultural capital, is in no manner acceptable. This attack spells a clear and genuine warning to all art institutions. A serious investigation into the organizers and perpetrators of this attack is necessary for the safety of our neighbourhood and city.

Participants in protests against the IMF had previously been attacked in a similar manner in what can only be described as a lynching attempt. However, this attack remained uninvestigated, providing an instance of encouragement for the groups carrying out such violent attacks.

We believe these attacks can be prevented if the governor’s office, the police forces and political parties treat this incident with appropriate sensitivity. Failing that, such incidents will take on more perilous proportions and form a grave threat for the social and cultural life of our city.

Tophane galleries, artists and art audience Contact: [email protected]

THE GALATA FASHION DISTRICT

“Once home to rich bankers in the late 19th century, Galata suffered a dramatic deterioration in the middle of the 20th century. After the former wealthy inhabitants of the neighborhood left the area for various reasons, it became a magnet for poor families migrating from Anatolia. Lacking any repair or restoration all this time, the tumbledown buildings of Galata, despite their magnificence and glorious past, were left to their destiny with no one finding it safe to wander through the streets.

This situation changed noticeably in the 1990s when an enthusiastic renovation project kicked off in Galata. Streets were paved with bricks, an alluring square was built around the majestic tower, historic buildings started to be restored to regain their glory days and chic shops opened their doors to serve a new customer group, which has gradually evolved into an increasingly upper income class. According to data from the İstanbul Chamber of Commerce (İTO), the number of firms operating in Galata more than doubled in the past 10 years. This, simultaneously, resulted in a striking increase in demand for housing in the area, as well as a remarkable price surge, a natural outcome in compliance with the rules of economics. The local realtors say that one who is willing to live in the area now must be prepared to sacrifice around $1 million to own a decent house or to pay thousands of dollars per month in rent.“

Zeynep Kalkavan,Port Renovation Projects Fuel Real Estate Boom in Galata, Today’s Zaman, 17 October 2010, Sunday.

TÜNEL SQUARE

October 3, 2005 the destruction of the Ayşe Erkmen’s statue within the Pedestrian Exhibition.

ASMALIMESCİT QUARTER

Beyoğlu Municipality’s and Greater Municipality of Istanbul’s recent (July 2011) outdoor table and seating ban on the restautants have affected Beyoğlu and Cihangir districts. Asmalımescit, a historical neighbourhood that has become the symbol of the cultural and the social life in Taksim has been hit hardest.

REMAKING OF A CULTURAL HUB – THE TEPEBAŞI EXPEDITION

The Tepebaşı Theatre Complex

TRT Building at Tepebaşı

The proposed Suna Kıraç Cultural Centre by Frank O. Gehry