Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture Agency is organizing the 1st International Artist Initiatives Istanbul Meeting in cooperation with Art Pie as a parallel event to the 11th International Istanbul Biennial on 2 - 6 October 2009 in Istanbul 2010 Art Production Center Kadırga. It will include a fair, discussions and presentations. The general aim of the meeting is to constitute a communication platform for sharing information, experience and best practices among artist initiatives from various European and other countries; and to promote new cooperation endeavors in the process of Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture. As it is the parallel event of 11th International Istanbul Biennial, the fair will also serve as a showcase for the participating artist initiatives in the international art scene.

“Alternative to What?”
What is an “artist initiative?” Is there only one definition of it? Most of the artist initiatives claim to be “alternative”. What are they alternative to? What is their role in society and in the art world? These basic questions will be raised in order to lead to further questions to be discussed.

Friday, October 2
10:00 - 18:00 Arrival of artist initiatives. Building the stands in the fair
19:00 Public Opening Cocktail
Opening Remarks
Beral Madra (2010 European Capital of Culture Agency Visual Arts Directorate)
Introduction of Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture

Saturday, October 3
10:00 - 18:00 Fair open to the Public
10:00 - 13:00 Meeting
Every initiative will introduce themselves for three minutes
13:00 - 14:00 Lunch Break
14:00 - 14:30 Opening Remarks
Beral Madra, 2010 European Capital of Culture Agency Visual Arts Directorate
Tike Assemblers, Art Pie – Kunstvlaai
14:30 - 14:45 Funda Oral briefing on ‘Open Space Technology’
14:45 - 16:00 Announcement of Session Headlines
16:00 - 17:40 Concert

Melting Pot Improvised Music Event

Korhan Erel and Umut Çağlar, two members of the Turkish improvised music scene, will bring together during the 2009-2010 season under the title “Melting Pot” performers and composers from Istanbul, who have various backgrounds, as well as from abroad, who are improvisers engaged in contemporary music, with the contributions of Teoman Madra, renown for his works blending digital music and contemporary music.

Improvised and contemporary music concerts which will be organized every month, will bring together under the same roof visual arts, dance and music which have always been feeding one another aesthetically and conceptually. The first of these concert series will be realized within the scope of the 1st Istanbul Artist Initiatives Meeting on 3 October between16:00 - 18:00 at Istanbul 2010 Art Production Center Kadırga. During this event Konstruct and Islak Köpek (Wet Dog) will perform concerts.

Concert Program – 3 October 2009

16:00-16:40 Konstrukt
Umut Çağlar –Guitar
Özün Usta –Percussion
Korhan Argüden –Drums
17:00-17:40 Islak Köpek
Robert Reigle - Tenor saxophone
Volkan Terzioğlu - Tenor saxophone
Şevket Akıncı –Guitar
Kevin Davis –Cello
Korhan Erel - Electronic, Melodica

Sunday, October 4

10:00 - 18:00 Fair open to the Public
10:00 - 10:30 Announcement of Session Headlines
10:30 - 11:45 Discussion session 01
11:45 - 12:00 Coffee break
12:00 - 13:00 Discussion session 02
13:00 - 14:00 Lunch
14:00 - 15:15 Discussion session 03
15:15 - 16:00 Coffee break
16:00 - 16:30 Closing of the day
17:00 - 18:00 Video screenings

Monday, October 5

10:00 - 18:00 Fair open to the Public
10:00 - 10:30 Announcement of Session Headlines
10:30 - 11:45 Discussion session 04
11:45 - 12:00 Coffee break
12:00 - 13:00 Discussion session 05
13:00 - 14:00 Lunch
14:00 - 15:15 Discussion session 06
15:15 - 16:00 Coffee break
16:00 - 16:30 Closing of the sessions
17:00 - 18:00 Video screenings

Tuesday, October 6

10:00 - 13:00 Presentations and video screenings


Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture Agency reserves the right to change program and the event