KPY

What we do

BILGI Projects


New Cultural Practices and Public Art for Trans-European Dialogue, 2005-2007
As part of the project which was carried out with the support of European Union Culture 2000 Programme, a series of events were organized during the period of 2006-2007 in order to encourage the discussion of “new tendencies and strategies in public art practice”. The partners of this project which tried to open the issue of public art to discussion in the public realm through artists' speeches, panels, exhibitions and publications, included ArtBOX.gr (Thessaloniki, Greece), University of Art and Design Helsinki (Helsinki, Finland), Maison de métallos (Paris, France) and Anadolu Kültür (Istanbul, Turkey).  The speeches given under the scope of the project went beyond the boundaries of Istanbul; expanding to Thessaloniki, Helsinki, Paris, Eskişehir and Diyarbakır inviting numerous artists, academicians, students, critics and audience groups from different professions to think more and discuss the concept of 'new wave public art'.  At the end of the project, an edited volume entitled Possibilities, Stances, Negotiation: public sphere discussions in contemporary art and a project book entitled Public Sphere and Contemporary Art were published.
Key words: art in public sphere, public sphere, public art, contemporary arty.

 

Developing Local Cultural Policy in Turkey, 2006-2007
This project was financed by European Culture Foundation (ECF- Amsterdam) and Chrest Foundation and it was carried out with the aim to establish a research library in Turkey within the field of cultural policy, develop collaborations between experts, institutions, academic and research organizations both in Turkey and in Europe within the field of cultural policy, encourage conducting new research in this field and support joint studies between policy makers and academic institutions.  Meetings were held with local cultural policy actors in a number of cities across Turkey and research was conducted on the opportunities for the advancement of academic studies and policy development efforts within the field of cultural policy in Turkey within the scope of a research center under Istanbul Bilgi University. 
Key words: Cultural policies, local cultural policy stakeholders, Cultural Policy and Management Research Center.

Light, Illumination, Electricity, 2006-2008
This project was supported by Anna Lindh Europe-Mediterranean Intercultural Dialogue Foundation and entailed the implementation of a 'artist-in-residence' program and the organization of presentation sessions, workshops and a closing exhibition.  The partners of the project included Contemporary Art Gallery (Cairo, Egypt), ZINC/ECM La Friche La Belle de Mai (Marseilles, France), NOMAD (Istanbul, Turkey) and SCCA Ljubljana, Contemporary Art Center (Ljubljana, Slovenia) and the artists who participated in the program were Cynthia Zaven, Collective Position( Rémy Rivoire, Renaud Vercey, Bruno Voillot), Adham Hafez, Marko A. Kovacic, Borut Savski and Ceren Oykut and Cevdet Erek.  This project which brought different cultures from the Mediterranean basin together, was on the consideration of the concepts of light and electricity mesmerizing us from Ancient Greece to date.  Within the scope of the transformation of the first power plant in Istanbul established during the Ottoman era into a museum and cultural center with the name santralistanbul, the concept of electricity was discussed as a transformative metaphor. A publication with the same name as the project was published at the end of the project explaining the process. 
Key words: Contemporary art, artist in residence, Mediterranean basin countries, electricity, technology, inter-cultural dialogue.

CIVICWEB- Web-based Civic Participation by Young People, 2006-2009
The project carried out by the Institute of Education, University of London and funded by the European Union Framework 6 (FP6) program, conducts research on how internet motivates young people to become more civically engaged.   The partners of this multi-national project, Turkey leg of which is undertaken by BİLGİ were Lund University (Sweden), Universitait van Amsterdam (Netherlands), Central European University (Hungary) Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona (Spain) and University of Ljubljana (Slovenia). The primary objectives of the project included collecting data and conducting analysis on the production of civic sites, the nature and characteristics of the sites, how different social groups of young people use and interpret such sites and in this framework, investigating the relationship between online activity and real time civic participation.  A wide-scale survey was conducted in all of the countries participating in the project on how the internet which is a medium where young people spend most of their time, affects civic participation and the results were discussed from a comparative perspective.  A project report was published at the end of the project along with various articles making use of the outputs of the project.
Key words: Civic participation, youth, youth culture, quantitative technologies and democratization.

Meetings with Neighbors, 2007
Under the scope of the project which aims to conduct research on culture and arts policies of eight countries from the Middle East and Caucasus and to form partnerships between these countries, research trips were organized to Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Iran, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan and the project ended with a round-table meeting that took place with the participation of cultural institutions, artists and curators from neighboring countries.  The main issue that the project concentrated on, was new creative circles establishing different structures by transforming old form which started to sprout and develop in a geography where the sustainability of independent artistic efforts is under risk.   At the end of the project, a book entitled ‘Emerging Cultural Continent: Actors and Networks’ which constituted a guide for the independent cultural institutions in the countries neighboring Turkey  was published. 
Key words: Neighboring countries of Turkey, Middle East, Caucasus, cultural policy, contemporary art, independent art initiatives.

Directlink: Turkey-Europe Arts Networking for Intercultural Dialogue, 2007-2008
The project which was funded by the European Union Civil Society Dialogue Program started out with the aim to create international networks and establish partnerships.  The partners of the project included La Friche La Belle de Mai (a cultural complex transformed from an old tobacco factory - Marseilles, France), Duncan Centre Conservatory (Prague, Czech Republic), Red House Culture and Debate Center (Sofia, Bulgaria) and Anadolu Kültür (Istanbul, Turkey).  Under the scope of the project, artistic practitioners and art managers from different cities in Anatolia came together with various artistic bodies and practitioners from Europe for exchanging ideas.  Additionally, a comprehensive research constructing the cultural and artistic profile of Anatolian cities was conducted, a website and web-based communication infrastructure to enable direct communication between the participants of the project were established.  A publication was made with the same name as the project discussing the project process and the first results obtained.
Key words: culture and arts policy, cities, local cultural policies, local cultural infrastructure, inter-cultural dialogue.


Explaining the Value of Contemporary Art, 2008-2009
The aim of this project which was financed by Paul Getty Foundation, was to prepare an action plan on how to implement viewer development studies in order to develop the capacities of exhibition and training units of santralistanbul museum and contemporary art center established by BİLGİ.
Key words: Contemporary art, viewer development studies, contemporary art training.

Building Capacities for Local Cultural Policy Transformation in Turkey, 2008-2010
Under the scope of the project financed by the Social Transformation Program (MATRA) of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs in cooperation with Anadolu Kültür (Istanbul), European Cultural Foundation (Amsterdam) and Boekman Foundation, various training sessions, meetings and projects (contemporary art workshops, city excursions, oral history workshops) were organized in the cities of Antakya, Çanakkale and Kars in order to encourage participatory local cultural policies.  The project aimed to take a step towards the support of existing culture-arts programs of local administrations in their cities from a more comprehensive framework and to open the way for active participation of independent art initiatives in these regions in the process of cultural policy development.   Together with the project, intercity collaborations were formed, joint projects that would open an area of artistic expression for especially young people and children were implemented. 
Key words: cultural policies, local administration, cultural heritage

KPY Since Its Foundation To Date
Realized Projects

Istanbul 2010 Cultural Heritage and Cultural Economy Inventory, 2010
Under the scope of the project realized in partnership of Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture Agency, Ministry of Culture and Tourism and TÜBA, the most comprehensive research, documentation and archiving study related to Istanbul's cultural heritage and cultural economy realized to date was compiled at the address www.istanbulkulturenvanteri.gov.tr . As one of the subject matters of the project, under the scope of Istanbul Cultural Economy Inventory numerous research reports were published and the properties of the fields of activity of Istanbul's cultural economy as an industry and their economic magnitudes were tried to be determined. Supported by Istanbul French Anatolia Research Institute (IFEA) and Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, this project was conducted with the participation of 48 scientists comprised of archeology, urban architecture, folk culture, cultural economy and database study groups.  Within the scope of the project, 18 publications in relation to the culture-arts industry and cultural heritage were made most of which were first in the industry.
Key words: cultural heritage, cultural economy, cultural policies, inventory, mapping, local administration

Istanbul Cultural Economy Analysis, 2011
Funded by Istanbul Development Agency and implemented under the coordination of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, this project constituted the second and complementary leg of Istanbul 2010 Cultural Heritage and Cultural Economy Inventory project. The objective of this study which analyzed the sectoral dynamics of Istanbul's cultural economy in a detailed manner was to generate the strategies that would build and develop the capacity of a growing cultural economy in Istanbul and across the country.   Within the scope of the project, the stakeholders of Istanbul's culture and arts sphere, sectoral dynamics and the performance of selected cultural economy industries were analyzed on the basis of production, consumption, employment, commerce, investment, revenue and capacity indicators.  The contribution of Istanbul's cultural economy to the city was considered in the context of both cultural participation and culture tourism.
Key words: Cultural economy in Istanbul, cultural heritage, culture tourism, cultural industries, cultural policies, inventory, mapping, local administration.

Economic Impact of Arts in Istanbul, 2012
The project which was carried out in partnership of İKSV-GfK aimed to explain the contribution of cultural responsibility oriented and non-profit cultural institutions in Istanbul in the economy and to present policy recommendations with regard to the required public support accordingly.    Under the scope of the project, the volume and diversity of the contribution of these institutions in Istanbul's economy and the employment opportunities created were researched.   This study set forth arguments related to the development of cultural policies that would encourage and diversify cultural investments as supported by survey results.
Key words: cultural investments, non-profit artistic institutions, city and arts, contribution of artistic investments in urban economy, cultural economy, cultural policies, development, advancement.

Study on the Function of Historical City Walls of Diyarbakır Together with the surrounding area, 2012-2013
The project conducted with the partnership of Diyarbakir Metropolitan Municipality and ITU Faculty of Architecture, aimed for the historical city walls preparing for a candidacy for being included in the World Heritage List to acquire a function in accordance with integrated protection principles.  The functioning project planned in compliance with international declarations and current protection tendencies in the field aimed to consider the demands and needs of all stakeholders and adopted the principle of utilizing globally recognized scientific restoration methods.    A report having the same title as the project which aimed to ensure sustainability within the framework of a balance between protection and utilization for the city walls, was submitted for the evaluation of the Conservation Board as an output of the project.  
Key words: Diyarbakir City Walls, cultural heritage, cultural policies, urban development.
 
Creative Istanbul Workshops Project: Istanbul Creative Economy Studies Workshop, 2013-2014
The organization of Creative Economy Studies Workshops and research part of the project which was funded by Istanbul Development Agency and implemented by YEKON (Creative Industries Council) in partnership with the Municipality of Beyoğlu, ITU, Istanbul City University and KPY, was undertaken by KPY.  Creative Economy Studies Workshop which essentially aim to discuss what needs to be done in order for Istanbul to stand out in global competition with its creative economy and a roadmap, brought the representatives of the industry together. Istanbul Creative Economy Studies Workshop conducted research on what kinds of adjustments and initiatives could be undertaken by local administrations in order to develop Istanbul's creative economy.  The project focused on music, film, publishing and advertisement as well as public relations industries and discussed the added value of these industries within urban economy and their impact on employment based on data.  As a result of the Workshop which brought forward proposals on how it would be possible to increase the added value of the creative industries in question, a Report was published.
Key words: Istanbul cultural economy, creative industries, urban development, urban and creative economy, creative industries and added value.

Arnavutköy Hadımköy Living Environment Museum and Surrounding Area Display and Coordination Service Procurement Project, 2013-2015
Under the scope of the project carried out in partnership of Arnavutköy Municipality and Superpool, conceptual and spatial design study for a local history museum that would be opened at the 19th century train station building in Istanbul, Hadımköy that is not in use, was conducted.   The museum to be established in a historical station building aims to record the memory of the town of Arnavutköy which is getting closer to the city center of Istanbul and is changing as a result of urban development and expansion process while making it accessible. Under the scope of the project, not only were concrete natural and historical values from the geological period to date brought together in order to be displayed at the station building that was active until the 1980s, carrying traces of the last period of the Ottoman Empire and the Republican era but also oral history research studies were conducted.  As the restoration activities are completed, the museum building is planned to be opened for visitors in 2015.
Key words: historical station, local history museum, Hadımköy, abstract cultural heritage, museum management.

Accessing Arts and Culture: Comparative Analysis of European Countries and Policy Recommendations, 2013-2015
The project which was organized with the leadership of EDUCULT Austria and funded by European Union Culture Program, was initiated with the objective of collecting data on cultural policies related to participation and accessing culture-arts in Europe.  The partners of the project, where KPY Research Center participated in the research network as the Turkey leg, included the Institute for Development and International Relations (IRMO- Croatia), Interarts (Spain), Telemark Research Institute (Norway) and The Nordic Centre for Heritage Learning and Creativity (Sweden). Under the scope of the project, the data related to cultural participation in Turkey were considered and the cultural participation policies implemented by the Ministry, Municipalities and cultural institutions were examined.  The results obtained from the research will demonstrate how the cultural policies have to be revised both at the national and European Union level. Two researchers were employed under KPY for the project. 
Key words: Cultural participation in Turkey, EU cultural participation policies, culture and democracy, cultural development, cultural policies.


Strategy and Action Plan Study on the Promotion and Branding of Southeastern Anatolian Cities for GAP Administration, 2014
The project implemented by GAP Administration and involved experts from KPY entailed a strategy and action plan study concentrating on cultural values related to the promotion and branding of the cities in the region. GAP Promotion & Branding Action Plan aimed to protect and promote the entire cultural heritage and touristic values of the region, accurately evaluate the social, cultural and economic impacts of tourism, develop the right relations between agriculture, industry, services, small production, crafts and artistic activities and cultural tourism and finally steer the touristic investments based on a sustainability approach.  GAP Promotion & Branding Action Plan tried to describe the steps towards branding instead of creating an image that would ensure the sustainable development of the region, increased visibility of regional and local values, protection of cultural heritage values and their accurate interpretation and therefore the steps towards making them accessible.

Key words: GAP, regional development, cultural heritage, culture tourism, branding, promotion, cultural policies, local administrations, development agencies, local tourism destination units. 

Digital Experiences Collective: Innovative Talent and Entrepreneurship Incubator Project, 2014-2015
Funded by Istanbul Development Agency Innovative Istanbul Program and developed with the contribution and mentorship of Istanbul Bilgi University Visual Communication Design and Culture and Art Management Departments, aim to create an ecosystem that would form a school within the field of new media arts. Under the scope of the project, a "New Media Arts Laboratory" with the name DECOL Cooperative (Digital Experience Collective) that adopts a participative creation process constituting a new form of administration for Turkey, was established.  The cooperative was structured to act as a bridge between the university, industry and students.  The need to create resources for research-development and creative innovations within the industry tried to be developed by bringing young creative artists and entrepreneurs under a cooperative roof.
Key words: creative industries, cultural economy, entrepreneurship in creative industries, cooperative as an administration model.


Eyüp Urban Archeological Site Historical Center Management Plan Study Service Provision Project, 2014-2015
Under the scope of the project conducted in partnership with Eyüp Municipality, a new administration plan was prepared for Eyüp historical center which is a major center of attraction in terms of both spiritual reasons and culture tourism and one of the oldest settlements of Istanbul outside the walls.   The administration plan which is concentrated on protecting the cultural heritage aims for the better promotion of Eyüp's cultural heritage values with their different aspects, improvement of the experiences of the current visitors of the area, amelioration of the quality of life of the residents in the area, ensuring the participation of all civil society organization in protection studies, determining the protection, landscaping, functioning and promotion requirements of the area and considering them effectively within the framework of a plan.  The project describes the steps that have to be taken together with the stakeholders for the management of the area in accordance with the Cultural and Natural Properties Law Regional Administration Regulation numbered 2863. 
Key words: Eyüp, regional administration, visitor management, cultural tourism, local administration. 

Conferences

2008, KPY Conferences 1 / Winning Hearts and Minds: The Potential of Cultural Diplomacy to Strengthen European Union – Turkish Relations”. This international conference organized during foundation stage of KPY, hosted European Security Research and Innovation Forum Director Gijs de Vries as one of the speakers.  During his speech, Gijs de Vries highlighted the strategy of benefiting from cultural collaborations in order to overcome the cultural difference perception within the European Union membership process.

2009, KPY Conferences 2/ “City, Culture and Identity: The Urban as Third Space” –Academician Hans Mommaas and urban planner Professor Murat Güvenç known for their studies on urban culture, creative ecosystems and urban dynamics participated in this international conference organized during the establishment stage of KPY as speakers. The speakers pointed out the potential impact of Istanbul's selection as 2010 European Capital of Culture on cultural policies, creative economy potential in the city and the cultural changes Istanbul has undergone since the past until the present day. 

2010, during the conference on “Cultural Diversity” where national and international participants were invited for the first time and organized after the foundation of KPY Research Center UNESCO German Commission, Head of Division for Culture, Memory of the World Christine M. Merkel and our famous author Adalet Ağaoğlu were among the speakers.

2010, “U40 - Cultural Diversity” international conference organized in partnership of German National UNESCO Commission and International Federation of Cultural Coalitions Diversity (IFCCD) regarding the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions signed in 2005, aimed to contribute to the application of the requirements of the convention and constitute a platform for young scholars and experts (-40) where they can discuss this issue.

2011, “Cultural Policy Development in Turkey: A Civic Perspective” - International conference, was the preliminary presentation of the ‘Report on Turkey's Cultural Policy from a Civic Perspective’.  Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Turkey Marc Pierini, Consulate General of Netherlands Onno Kerves, Ministry of Culture and Tourism General Director of Research and Training Mahmut Evkuran and İKSV General Director Görgün Taner gave opening speeches during the event and the authors of the report entitled Cultural Policy Development in Turkey: A Civic Perspective gave presentations.

2011, KPY Conferences 3 /“Issues in Participation to Arts and Culture” – Professor Franco Bianchini from Leeds Metropolitan University Cultural Policies and Planning Department and Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Department of Cultural and Social Affairs Director of Culture Hüseyin Öztürk participated as speakers in the international conference where problems related to participation in culture in Northern England and Istanbul were discussed from the perspective of economic and social conditions as well as institutional and socio-economic factors.

2011, “The Role of Cultural Industries in Cultural Diversity” –  The international conference, organized in partnership with McGill University in Canada analyzed the role that cultural industries may play within the scope of the recognition of cultural diversity policies. KPY Director Asu Aksoy, McGill University Media Department Chair Professor Marc Raboy and Ministry of Culture and Tourism Copyrights and Cinema Director Abdurrahman Çelik gave opening speeches during the conference where UNESCO Turkish National Commission President Professor Öcal Oğuz presented the main declaration.


2011, “Floating Land: Migrant World” –organized with the participation of sociologist Prof. Michel Maffesoli known for the studies on daily life and social ties in contemporary societies, the international conference concentrated on the concept of cultural migration.

2012, KPY Conferences 4  /“Cultural Management Education in Europe”– During the International Conference funded by UNESCO and European Council, Association Marcel Hicter pour la Démocratie Culturelle’s (Marcel Hicter Association for Cultural Democracy) director Jean Pierre Deru explained the Cultural Management European Diploma Program where he is the coordinator. 

2012, KPY Conferences 5 / “Cultural Autonomy: Revisiting an Old Concept” –cultural activist and art manager Basma El Husseiny (with a video conference) and cultural researcher and consultant Yudhishtir Raj Isar participated as speakers to the international conference where the issues related to the role of culture in participation in democratic life and sustainable lives, cultural mobility in Northern Africa and Middle East, autonomy of cultural acts and cultural activism were discussed.

2013, “Aesthetization of Citizen's Protests” – During the conference where cultural anthropology professor Ivaylo Ditchev attended as a sepaker, the civil society protest waves that started at Arab countries and expanded to the rest of the world and the creative expression methods adopted by current civil society protests were investigated over the speaker's own country Bulgaria.

2014, “New Pursuits in Art Management: Art Council Model” – the aim of the conference attended by national and international participants where the draft law on Turkey Arts Institution (TÜSAK) was discussed, was to consider the details of the draft law on TÜSAK proposed by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism together with the representatives of arts industry and point out the significance of current state policies on supporting the art industry, while examining the 'Art Council' model being applied in several countries in a number of countries for the support and management of arts. During the conference, journalists, academicians, speakers invited from the United Kingdom, Ministry of Culture and Tourism officials and representatives of civil society organizations active in the field of culture and arts, representatives of governmental art institutions and artistic practitioners gave speeches and obtained the floor.

2014, Access to Culture, during the conference attended by national and international participants, the results of the research conducted as part of the project entitled  Access to Arts and Culture: Comparative Analysis of European Countries and Policy Proposals were presented and the issue was opened to discussion with the speeches of local stakeholders. Apart from the presentations of project partners, representatives from the General Directorate of Libraries and Publications, General Directorate of Museums and Cultural Assets, Cultural Contact Point, DÖSSİM, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Department of Cultural and Social Affairs, TURSAB, Bilkent Cultural Initiative gave speeches.

2014, KPY Conferences 6 / “State's Role in Culture: New Approaches from Central and Eastern Europe” –Dr. Nina Obuljen Koržinek known for her studies in cultural and media policies and the former Undersecretariat for the Ministry of Culture in Croatia attended the conference as a speaker.  Obuljen Koržinek analyzed the transformation that state-affiliated cultural institutions have undergone as part of the transformation processes over the past 20 years in Central and Eastern Europe during her presentation. 

KPY Visiting Researchers

2014-2015 Academic Year
-Slavka Karakusheva, Sofia University, St. Kliment Ohridsky PhD Student, Department of History and Theory of Culture, her studies concentrate on ethnic and national identities, memory studies, migration and media anthropology and particularly the role of social media in collective identity building.


2013-2014 Academic Year
-Deniz Yardımcı, Royal Halloway, University of London PhD Student, Media Arts Department, focuses on minorities, representation of migrants in cinema and cultural hybridism. DAAD Scholarship
-Maria Adami, Athens University of Economics and Business Postgraduate Student, Cultural Heritage Management Department, concentrates on tourism. Erasmus Exchange Program
-Theodora Tsitoura, University of Kent & Athens University of Business and Economics Postgraduate Student, Cultural Heritage Management Department, concentrates on cultural heritage management and particularly urban heritage.
- Stella Kladou, Hellenic Open University PhD Student , Marketing Department, her studies focus on sustainable development, cultural tourism and especially the impact of culture on the process of becoming a brand city.  TUBITAK Award

2011-2012 Academic Year
-Helen Human, Stanford University PhD Student, Anthropology Department, her studies concentrate on the areas where cultural policies, development and state intersect.  Fulbright Scholarship