Turkish theater eyes global stages with new plan
ANKARA
In a bold move to enhance cultural activities, Türkiye is set to elevate the effectiveness of its theater scene, with ambitious plans extending beyond national borders.
The General Directorate of State Theaters has unveiled a strategic plan that aims to popularize theater within Türkiye, promote Turkish playwrights internationally and bolster cultural cooperation with key countries.
As a part of its expansive vision, Türkiye will embark on cultural ventures in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Russia and Japan.
These countries, which have not yet hosted Turkish theater projects, will experience the richness of Turkish drama and performance art.
The strategic plan aims to bridge cultural divides and introduce Turkish narratives to a broader audience.
Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy emphasized the transformative approach of this plan in his presentation article.
"With the understanding that theater is in life, we will increase the number of stages, move plays from traditional halls to alternative venues and improve mobile options such as truck, bus and wagon stages," Ersoy wrote.
"This will significantly improve the public's access to the theater," making theater more integrated into the social fabric to foster public respect and unity, the minister said.
The strategic plan also outlined initiatives such as playwrighting competitions and providing cast support for new works debuting in the repertoire.
The directorate and the ministry's ambitious goals include increasing the number of theatergoers from the current 1.3 million to 3 million this year, with a further target of 5 million by 2028.
According to the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), there were 808 theater halls and 326,000 theater seats in the 2022-2023 season.
Audience numbers saw a 15.2 percent increase, reaching 6.2 million. Although the number of audiences for theatrical works surged by 37.5 percent to 1.7 million, while attendance for copyrighted works rose by 8.5 percent to 4.5 million, the data said.
The plan also specifies criteria for leadership within the directorate. The general director must hold a bachelor’s degree in acting from a conservatory or theater department, possess advanced knowledge of at least one foreign language and have demonstrated professional excellence both in Türkiye and abroad. Previously, the criteria were vaguely defined as “special qualifications.”
Türkiye's premier theater awards, the Afife Jale Theater Awards, were presented for the 26th time last month at the Haliç Congress Center, where the Kocaeli City Threaters' production of "To Live or Die" won the award for the most successful play of the year.