Established: 1989
Address: Fulya Mahallesi, Mevlüt Pehlivan Sokak, No: 23/B, Gayrettepe/İstanbul
Number of Employees: 455
Capital: USD 2,600,000.-
Share holders: Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, Istanbul Halk Ekmek A.Ş., Kartal Halk Ekmek A.Ş., ISBAK A.Ş. ISFALT A.Ş.
Objectives
Istanbul Cultural and Artistic Products Company (Istanbul Kültür ve Sanat Ürünleri Ticaret A.Ş. or Kültür A.Ş. in short) was established on 10 October 1989. Its purpose as an enterprise of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality is to produce services and organize activities in the fields of culture and arts.
The city of Istanbul is among the world’s cultural capitals in that it organizes many world-class cultural events and hosts the most famous artists of the world. It has been one of the main goals of Kültür A.Ş. to create a cultural atmosphere based on multiculturalism, and civil and democratic participation. In accordance with this goal, Kültür A.Ş. has succeeded in attracting audience from all sectors of the society to its cultural events and activities.
Major Cultural Events Organized by Kültür A.Ş.
Over the years Kültür A.Ş. has organized cultural and artistic events at international levels. The events take place in the following forms; exhibitions, periodical lectures, audio-visuals, cinema projections, periodical lectures, audio-visuals, cinema projections, concerts, panels, fairs, special weeks, cinema weeks, special days, memorial meetings, round tables, books and periodicals publication, international special events, and country cultural days. Kültür A.Ş. has also organized a number of international activities on behalf the Metropolitan Municipality of Istanbul, like the international conference on the Islamic thought, series of conferences, “from the East and West”, Kosova Culture Days, Istanbul 2010 City Summit, the conference on “Istanbul and Earthquake”.
The cultural activities take place within the facilities of Kültür A.Ş. The distinguished cultural centers of the company include Cemal Reşit Rey (CRR) Concert Hall, the Basilica Cistern, and a number of well-known theaters and cultural centers. With its 860 seat capacity the CRR Concert Hall is among the most distinguished in its kind in the world. It is known as the cultural shop-window of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. The intensity of activities here is from October till May. In the winter season the hall hosts numerous concerts and festivals. During the summer season, various festivals and special events take place. In addition to this the hall possesses a Symphonic Orchestra and an Opera of its own. Located in the historical peninsula of Istanbul The Basilica Cistern is one of the architectural examples of the East Roman Empire.
It was built by Emperor Justunian in the 6th century AD in order to supply the water requirement of the royal palace. Today, this magnificent underground building is run as a museum by Kültür A.Ş
The number of annual visitors is 700,000 on average. The Cistern is also used as an exhibition center. The company has a Coordination Center for Cultural Activities, which is in charge of planning and organizing all these events,
which are held in various cultural centers theaters and museums within the company. On average 70-80 activities are organized with the participation of scientists and artists. Annual number of audience amounts to 100,000.
Kültür A.Ş. owns a bookstore as well, where books and other audiovisuals about Istanbul are sold. Also within the company there is a Center for Istanbul Studies. The Center publishes historical documentaries related to economic, administrative, social and cultural life of Istanbul and serves as an archive of historical materiel on the city.
The well-known public relations department of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, the White Desk, is also part of Kültür A.Ş.
The New Projects For The Year 2000
The Building of a Miniature City in Istanbul
There are tens of miniature cities in the world today. A miniature city stands as an emblem for the rest of a country with its miniaturized historical buildings. With over 1 million visitors every year, the miniature city of Madurodam in the Netherlands attracts the highest number of visitors in the world. It contains 166 miniaturized buildings, in a 1/25 scale, from all over the country. The aims of Kültür A.Ş.’s miniature city project is to grant the city of Istanbul a new cultural atmosphere in the form of a miniature city or, in other words, a “mini Turkey”.
The project for this has been prepared and presented to the Metropolitan Municipality of Istanbul, and waiting for approval as part of official construction award.
The construction of this 16 million USD project is expected to be completed within two years. The miniature city will include 108 miniaturized historical heritage buildings from all over Turkey.
There will also be some 15 miniatures from the past Ottoman architectural treasures that are now outside Turkey. Those who will visit this mini city will certainly have a sense of Turkey, with its past and present cultural richness. The range of the miniatures will be very wide, from the Saint Sophia Museum to the Bosphorus Bridge; the Topkapı Palace to the Blue Mosque; Saint Anthony Church to Greek Orthodox Patriarchy; Trojan Horse to Mount Ararat.
For further information please visit www.kultursanat.org