Istanbul’s newest art event announced

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

(L to R) Ali Güreli, Ertuğrul Günay and Timur Bayındır pose at the press conference, during which they launched the newest contemporary art event of Istanbul.

Istanbul is set to welcome a new project called “Art Istanbul” that aims to make Istanbul better known in the contemporary art world and draw art circles to the city, Contemporary Istanbul’s executive board chairman said late last week.

“This project will take place between Nov. 19 and 25 this year. The organizations [galleries, art institutions, museums, theaters] that will participate in the project will share all their events with international public opinion during the event. The accommodation sector will also support the event,” Ali Güreli said June 1 during a Turkish Hotel Association (TUROB) at a press conference titled “New art and culture destination of the world: Istanbul.”

Güreli said the increase of art lovers and collectors visiting Turkey from all around the world would also increase the revenue of hotels and restaurants in the city.

“International fairs, events, art organizations and auctions in the world bring a large mass of people to the country in which they are organized. These quality visitors of a certain income level make a big economic contribution to the region they visit,” Güreli said, adding that all these developments made big contributions to the contemporary art world.

He also said the value of Turkish art market was about $300 million.

‘Contemporary art should be promoted better’

Culture and Tourism Minister Ertuğrul Günay, who also participated in the press conference, said Turkish contemporary art had been developing in recent years and that it should be better promoted to the world.

He also said the Art Istanbul project would accelerate the city’s artistic, cultural and tourism life.
At the end of the meeting, TUROB Executive Board Chairman Timur Bayındır presented a plaque to Güreli for his contributions to culture and tourism.