Istanbul 2010 for European Capital Of Culture

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The idea of having a European Capital of Culture was first put forward in 1985 when Melina Mercouri was Greek Minister for Culture. In the same year the European Union Council of Ministers determined the scope of the project and put it into implementation. From 1985 to 2000 one city from the countries which were members of the European Union was selected each year as European Capital of Culture. To mark the start of the new millennium, from 2000 onwards the title of European Capital of Culture began to be given both to more than one city each year and to cities in countries which were candidates for EU membership.

THE STORY OF ISTANBUL
The story begins with the Four Elements: earth, water, air and fire. The idea that these make up the universe – an idea as old as the history of thought - has strong roots in Anatolia (Asia Minor), which is today part of Turkey. The ancient city of Miletus, in western Anatolia, is considered to be the precise birthplace of the long tradition of "Western Philosophy". The city's three most famous ancient philosophers - Thales (624-546 BC), Anaximander (610-546 BC) and Anaximenes (585-528 BC) - all tried to understand the universe through the Four Elements. Thales considered water to be the source of everything. Anaximander thought infinity was the originating source and that the four basic elements derived from infinity. Anaximenes believed that air was the source of everything, including the other three elements: earth, fire and water. Heraclitus (6th century BC), a philosopher from Ephesus –another significant ancient city in western Anatolia, considered that the cosmos is an ever-living fire and that fire is the archetypal form of matter. Aristotle himself (384-322 BC), who spent time in Assos, another ancient city in western Anatolia, considered earth, water, air and fire as the four basic elements of nature and believed that dry, wet, cold and heat were their essential characteristics. Aristotle's thoughts remained influential for thousands of years in both "western" and "eastern" intellectual, scientific, philosophical and theological circles.

It was around the third millennium BCE that people first inhabited the site of what was to become Istanbul. Over the years it accumulated many cultural layers. During the Roman era, Istanbul became a cosmopolitan city nurtured by a variety of lands and peoples - a legacy it bequeathed to the empires of which it was capital. An accumulation of minorities were virtually in the majority; under the Ottomans this harmonious social structure flourished uninterrupted for six hundred years. Until the establishment of nation states in the 19th century, this unique system protected the identities not only of those living in a particular region but of those whose populations were scattered and which were not even united by a single language.

Throughout history, then, Istanbul has been home to countless societies and cultures. Yet this "beautiful harmony", which is embedded in the city's foundations and entwined in the branches of its family tree, is not just a pleasant memento from a bygone era. Istanbul retains still its rich cosmopolitan character, sometimes concealing and sometimes revealing the evidence of its unrivalled physical and cultural legacy. The city is a living example of the much sought-after meeting of civilisations – something so desperately missing in the modern world that the search for it seems almost utopian. For more than two thousand years, as if inspired by Aristotle's theory of the four elements, the city has captivated humankind's attention.

Once it was gold that people saw as the perfect blend of the four elements. Istanbul, which once ruled lands on three continents, throughout the ages has served as a magnet for migrants for whom its streets are paved with that proverbial gold. After all the traumas it has experienced since its foundation, symbolically guided by the four elements, Istanbul is now promising to revitalise the formula imprinted in its genes. In cultural and in artistic terms it will be worth its weight in gold to the world as a European Capital of Culture.

CULTURAL LIFE IN ISTANBUL
The organizational underpinning of Istanbul's cultural life is composed of the full gambit of organizations one would find in any European city today: governmental institutions, non-profit foundations and associations, national and local cultural organisations, commercial companies involved in organisation and promotion, culture and arts departments of private companies, and individual artists.

With the declaration of the Republic in 1923, the state took the primary role in guiding and investing in organised cultural activity. This was seen as part and parcel of making a break with the past and giving the new Republic a clear identity as Turkish (supporting a revival of Turkish folk forms) and secular Western (promoting western classical music, ballet and opera). However, today the
non-governmental and private sectors play an increasingly influential role in the cultural field and, in many cultural areas, a leading role.

This is particularly the case in Istanbul. The state or the local government authority built, and continues to operate, most of the major cultural centres and performance areas (concert halls, theatres, etc) in Istanbul. However, during the last 10 years, private companies have started to open their own art centres and spaces on a scale previously unseen. As regards filling these spaces, the state at a national or local level still makes a major input in the traditional areas of its
involvement (for example, Turkish folk music and western classical music, though this has broadened to include Ottoman music).

The non-state sector puts the spice in this mix by extending the areas covered by the state (for example, through inviting leading foreign musicians and artists to perform or exhibit in Istanbul, sponsoring and setting up or giving continuing financial support to institutions) and by filling areas the state has not ventured into (for example Turkish and international popular music, avant- garde theatre, etc.). NGOs now set the pace of Istanbul's cultural life through broadening the variety of arts and sponsoring or organising festivals and other major events.

EFES PILSEN ONE LOVE FESTIVAL (June)
For the last four years, this festival has brought the cult and alternative stars of the global pop music scene (such as Peter Gabriel,Manu Chao and the Chemical Brothers) to Istanbul along with other less well-known but important local and international acts.

ROCKISTANBUL (June)
The Rockistanbul festival brings the famous names of rock and heavy metal music scene to a young audience on a beach on the outskirts of Istanbul. Music lovers have the chance to listen to more than 45 live performances over three days, in addition to a variety of activities and outdoor events.

INTERNATIONAL ISTANBUL JAZZ FESTIVAL (July)
In addition to jazz music, this festival includes concerts from other musical genres such as pop, rock, blues and world music, while still maintaining the distinction of being Europe’s best organized jazz festival. Artists who have performed at the International Istanbul Jazz Festival include Keith Jarrett, Charlie Haden, Herbie Hancock, Eric Clapton, Sting, Elvis Costello, Tori Amos and Ibrahim Ferrer.

ISTANBUL INTERNATIONAL BIENNIAL (August)
Founded in 1997 by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and the Arts, this modern art event has always been based on a central theme. Close to 500 members of the press and over 2,000 critics, museum and art curators and gallery managers participate in the event. A total of 90 artists from 42 countries took part in the 8th Biannual.

INT. ISTANBUL MEKAN THEATRE FESTIVAL (August)
The Istanbul Mekan Theatre Festival is a very young theatre festival organized under the auspices of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. Theatre companies from different parts of the world take part in this festival.

ROCK FOR PEACE (BARIŞA ROCK) FESIVAL (August)
Started as an alternative event to sponsored rock festivals, Barışa Rock is a medium-scale open air rock festival organized with a do-it-yourself approach.

ROCK’N’COKE (August)
Turkey’s biggest open-air festival Rock’n’Coke is held at a small airport located 50 km outside Istanbul. For the past three years, a huge 30-hectare ‘Musical Village’ has been constructed to meet the needs of the 50,000 people of all ages who come to the festival. In addition to many famous foreign groups and DJs, local musicians participate in the festival, where people can enjoy live music for 48 hours.

ELECTRONICA FESTIVAL ISTANBUL (September)
The other important electronic music event in Istanbul, Electronica Festival Istanbul focuses more on DJ and dance acts.

PEDESTRIAN EXHIBITIONS (September) First held in 2002, this international arts exhibition aims to bring art and cultural activities out of their conventional spaces and take them to the people on the streets.

FILM OCTOBER (October)
This festival is a one week event by the same team which runs the International Istanbul Film Festival. Film October mainly concentrates on award winning films of the previous season and first screenings of the hottest films by important directors.

AKBANK JAZZ FESTIVAL (October)
The longest-lived jazz festival on Istanbul’s music scene, Akbank Jazz Festival has now celebrated its 15th year. This festival hosts some of the cult and upcoming names of the jazz scene.

BONUS CARD INT. COMEDY FILMS FESTIVAL (October)
One of the younger film festivals in Istanbul, this festival shows upcoming and classic comedy films from Turkey and abroad. The festival also organizes an international comedy films competition and presents the ‘most serious comedy film award’.

PERA FEST (November)
The objective of the festival is to emphasize the multicultural dimension of Pera, the old city centre of Istanbul, which is now called Beyoğlu. With its Jewish, Greek and Armenian population, Pera has had a special place in the history of Istanbul. It was – and still is - the arts and entertainment centre of the city. The festival takes place in the first week of November every year and includes around 50 artistic events. Every year artistic performances by Greek, Jewish and Armenian artists are included in the programme of the festival, as well as performances from European countries. The main theme of the festival is ‘multicultural life’.

EFES PILSEN BLUES FESTIVAL (December)
One of the older festivals in Istanbul, the Efes Pilsen Blues Festival has hosted both legends and gifted newcomers of the genre since 1990. The festival also tours other major cities in Turkey and even some of the hot spots in East Europe.

AKBANK SHORT FILM FESTIVAL (December)
Besides many international and national short films, this festival also includes a short film competition, workshops and talks.


For more information, please visit www.istanbul2010.org