Culture and Art Factory new venue in İzmir

İZMİR

The Culture and Tourism Ministry has restored the 140-year Alsancak Tekel (Monopoly) Factory in İzmir and transformed it into the İzmir Culture and Art Factory, which has recently become one of the popular destinations for residents.

Noting that Culture and Art Factory is located on the main axis of the city, Şirin Ertem, its director, said, “This place has become the new meeting point and attraction center of the people of İzmir. Visitors’ interest is too high since the opening.”

The Alsancak Tekel Factory was opened on April 29 with the participation of the Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy on April 29, following the restoration, renovation and reconstruction works carried out by the Culture and Tourism Ministry.

Founded in the late 19th century, Alsancak Tekel Factory has been a part of the city’s industrial heritage with a history of about 140 years. The factory is now offering a wide range of facilities for users of all ages, including museums that shed light on the history and artistic memory of the city and the region, libraries that open the doors to knowledge with a rich collection of resources, cultural and art workshops, and an extensive landscaped area suitable for outdoor activities.

“The İzmir Culture and Art Factory is also home to some materials donated to us by the employees of the factory and retirees. We display them by creating a ‘monopoly memory room.’ Especially, people, who retired from Tekel Factory, are very interested in the venue,” Ertem said.

Stating that the factory was made ready within a short time of a year, Ertem said, “The structure, which has a history of 140 years, also has an important value for the people of İzmir as an industrial heritage. We have a large landscape area of 9,200 square meters and a closed area of approximately 20,000 square meters. As the factory is an accessible and easy destination, it is a new generation cultural center project that considers the comfort of the visitors.”

Ertem said that there are units affiliated with the ministry in the Culture and Art Factory, adding, “The main production building of the factory is the Archeology and Ethnography Museum on an area of 7,200 square meters. Some 6,000 works, all of which are from İzmir and its surroundings, are displayed there. A new generation thematic exhibition concept has been designed in the museum, where the rich cultural history of the city is reflected. The ground floor and the first floor consist of archaeological artifacts and the second floor consists of ethnographic artifacts. We aim to bring together visitors of all ages with culture and art. Free events are being held here for a month. Many activities such as concerts, opera, theater, concerts and puppet workshops for children are being organized.”

Speaking about the workshops in the İzmir Culture and Art Factory, Ertem said, “We call these workshops as Art Street. An area has been created where artists of all branches give educational training. At the same time, the Culture and Art Factory hosts the largest Atatürk Library in the Aegean region. Nearly 100,000 books and magazines can be found here. There is also the İzmir Painting and Sculpture Museum located in the İzmir Culture and Art Factory.”