Cultural Istanbul
January 5, 2010
Istanbul is one of Europe's three cultural capitals for 2010. Along with the Ruhr region in Germany and Pecs, Hungary, the Turkish city has been designated by the European Union as a center of cultural activity for the next 12 months. But with the Turkish government allocating a budget that dwarfs its fellow cities' allowances, the Istanbul organizers are already claiming it will be the largest and most successful. However, the project has become mired in politics and not everyone is buying into the hype.
"Energy from Istanbul" is the slogan for the festivities. The advertising campaign for Istanbul's reign as a cultural capital highlights the unique location of the city, which bridges the geographical frontier between Asia and Europe. Images of Istanbul's historical buildings - mosques, palaces and a grand German-built railway station dating back to the end of the Ottoman Empire - are featured in the campaign. Advertisements are being broadcast across Europe as well as in Turkey, all part of the organizers' efforts to get Europe excited about Istanbul.
Beral Madra, a curator and art critic involved in organizing arts events over the year, was upbeat about Istanbul's year as cultural capital. She said in an interview with Deutsche Welle that she was trying to spread the money between as many artists and projects as possible.
Aiding artists
"Most of those artists don't have money and they can't sell their work," Madra said. "There is no international art scene here; there are no funds here. So 2010 gives them a great opportunity."
Several projects are underway, with 12 internationally renowned artists spending a month in Istanbul working with young artists. Their work will be displayed later in the year.
Hundreds of school art teachers are also being trained. Nearly 500 projects have been commissioned, including documentaries, street theatre productions and concerts, as well as collaborative projects with previous and future cultural capitals. In July Orhan Pamuk will open his Museum of Innocence, named after a similarly titled book by the Turkish Nobel literature laureate. The museum will take a look at Istanbul's modern history through the author's eyes.
Follow the money
But critics are questioning how the 150-million-euro budget ($250 million) is being spent. Most of the original steering committee resigned en masse, accusing the Islamic-rooted government of pushing its political agenda. Allegations of corruption continue to grow.
The organizers admit that only 12 percent of the budget has been allocated to art and festivals, while 70 percent is being spent on restoring historical buildings, mainly mosques.
But there is little disagreement that one of the most popular events will be the multi-million-dollar firework displays, which are set to run throughout the year. The first will be on January 16, the official start of the event.
Author: Dorian Jones, Istanbul /sjt
Editor: Nancy Isenson