Istanbul Theatre Festival begins in the shadow of economic crisis

Handan Uzal Dündar, Programming Manager of the Istanbul Theatre Festival organized by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) and starting on October 22, stated that economic conditions make art production and audience access to culture difficult.

Istanbul Theatre Festival Programming Manager Handan Uzal Dündar stated that the event, which has been held for 37 years, was organized biennially between 2000 and 2017 due to economic difficulties, and has started to be held annually again since 2017. Dündar expressed that artists' production processes in Turkey are affected by economic hardships, and young artists are supported through the İKSV Young Artists Fund. It was also noted that the number of international productions, which was between 10-12 in the early 2000s, has decreased following the pandemic.

While the Eczacıbaşı Young Ticket application continues to facilitate young people's access to art, students can purchase festival tickets for 50 TL this year. On the other hand, within the framework of the cooperation made with the Istanbul State Opera and Ballet (İDOB), the work titled "Rüzgâr Ağacı" (Wind Tree) will take place in the İDOB repertoire for two seasons following the festival.