Artist Funding in Turkey

Anadolu Kültür is an independent non-profit dedicated to supporting cultural projects that foster dialogue, diversity and regional cooperation, especially beyond Turkey’s main metropolitan centres. It often develops co-produced projects, exhibitions and residencies with visual artists and cultural initiatives, sometimes offering modest production budgets, travel support and curatorial mentoring, frequently in partnership with international funders such as CultureCIVIC. Priority is given to rights-based, community-oriented and cross-regional collaborations.

The British Council’s Creative Collaborations Grant Call supports partnerships between creative institutions in Turkey and counterparts in the UK, across disciplines including visual arts, creative technologies, film, music, literature, theatre and dance. Recent editions have offered two funding bands, with selected institutions receiving up to around £17,500 or £7,500 to develop collaborative projects that address themes such as ecology, gender equality, accessibility and diversity. Funds generally cover artist fees, production, travel and dissemination, with Turkish and UK artists participating through host institutions.

CultureCIVIC is a European Union-funded programme managed by Goethe-Institut Istanbul that supports civil society organisations, initiatives, artists and activists across Turkey’s culture and arts field. It runs structured open calls in four categories—Grassroots Projects, Structural Support, Inter-city Networking and Art Production—aiming to fund over 170 projects until 2029, often including visual art production, exhibitions, and community-based art. Grants typically cover project production, fees, travel and capacity building, and place strong emphasis on cultural dialogue, rights-based work and activity outside major urban centres.

The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality’s Department of Culture supports cultural venues, festivals, public art and local artistic production in Istanbul, including contemporary visual arts. Support can include project grants, commissioning opportunities, in‑kind venue support, and open calls for exhibitions or public space interventions routed through municipal cultural centres and museums. Calls tend to prioritise projects that engage local communities and public space across different districts of the city.

İKSV is a major non-profit that organises the Istanbul Biennial and several international festivals, and it also runs support schemes for artists and cultural initiatives, often in collaboration with public bodies and private sponsors. Its programmes can offer production grants, commissions, awards and international residency opportunities for visual artists, particularly in connection with biennial or festival projects. Many opportunities are competitive open calls and focus on experimental, research-based and site-specific work.

The Civil Society Support Foundation runs various grant programmes for NGOs and initiatives in Turkey, including the Culture and Art Fund implemented with Türkiye Mozaik Foundation and other donors. These grants support festivals, public cultural events, local collaboration among artists and organisations, and efforts that strengthen the arts ecosystem, often including visual arts-focused projects. Funding is project-based and usually targets registered civil-society organisations, but artist-led collectives often apply through an organisational structure.

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism is the main national public body for culture, supporting museums, heritage, performing arts and, to a lesser extent, contemporary visual arts. It offers project-based subsidies, exhibition support, and occasionally contests and awards that include production support or prizes for artists and curators. Support is usually tied to specific projects or events and often channelled via institutions, municipalities or associations rather than individuals.

The Turkish Cultural Foundation is a US-based public charitable organisation that provides grants for projects related to Turkish culture and heritage, including visual arts, exhibitions, educational programmes and cultural events. Both individuals and organisations can apply, with event grants typically needing to be requested at least eight weeks in advance; grant sizes vary depending on project scope. Support often goes to projects that promote Turkish culture internationally or foster cultural exchange.

Turkish Philanthropy Funds (TPF) is a US-based philanthropic organisation that channels donations from the Turkish diaspora and other donors into grants for NGOs in Turkey, including in the arts and culture field. Within its Arts & Culture impact area, it supports community-based cultural programmes, festivals, educational initiatives and heritage and arts projects that often include visual arts components. Funding is generally re-granted to Turkish non-profits, which then commission or employ artists.

The Culture and Art Fund is run by Türkiye Mozaik Foundation in cooperation with the Civil Society Support Foundation, supporting civil-society organisations that strengthen the culture and arts field in Turkey. The 2024 round focuses on festivals and public cultural events, local collaboration and solidarity activities, and efforts to support the field and/or artists, which can include visual arts projects. Funding is usually project-based and channelled via organisations rather than individual artists, but artists often benefit as project leaders or core collaborators.