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Türkiye’s Aegean capital is pulsing with rhythm, color and creativity as the İzmir Culture Route Festival opened its third edition on Saturday, transforming the city into a sprawling stage for nine days of art, music, gastronomy and celebration.
The event, the 19th stop of the Türkiye Culture Route Festival series, is part of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s nationwide initiative that has evolved into one of the country’s most ambitious cultural mobilizations.
What began five years ago in Istanbul has grown into a movement spanning seven regions and 20 cities, spotlighting each location’s unique heritage and artistic spirit.
“This festival is not just a cultural event, it’s the heartbeat of Türkiye’s vision for art and tourism,” said Deputy Culture and Tourism Minister Gökhan Yazgı at the opening ceremony held at the İzmir Culture and Arts Factory, a 140-year-old industrial site restored into a vibrant cultural hub. “Each city adds its own voice and story to the cultural map of our nation and İzmir is one of its brightest notes.”
Art, heritage and unity
The 2025 İzmir Culture Route Festival will feature 602 events across 64 venues from Oct. 25 to Nov. 2.
The lineup blends concerts, theater, opera, ballet, exhibitions, children’s workshops and gastronomy showcases, with Republic Day on Oct. 29 set to bring the most festive moments.
At Gündoğdu Square, prominent artists will take the stage under the coastal night sky, while the Children’s Village will connect young visitors with art through interactive experiences.
Culinary enthusiasts will savor the flavors of the Aegean at ten gastronomic stops designed to showcase İzmir’s signature dishes and local chefs.
Yazgı emphasized that the festival’s spirit extends beyond entertainment: “Our aim is to build bridges between tradition and modernity, to turn art into a unifying force that celebrates our diversity. İzmir’s cultural fabric, from its ancient heritage to its modern vibrancy, embodies exactly that.”
Art as the voice of conscience
Among the festival’s most powerful exhibitions are those dedicated to Palestinian art and resilience.
The showcases “Ben Yıkılmayacağım” (“I Will Not Fall”), “Filistin Benim Vatanım” (“Palestine Is My Homeland”) and “Hâlâ Yaşıyorum – A Selection from Contemporary Palestinian Art” bring together works by Palestinian artists capturing their community’s struggle and perseverance through paint, sculpture and installation.
“Art is the voice of the voiceless, the purest expression of human conscience,” Yazgı said, describing the exhibitions as a call for empathy and unity amid global conflict.
Meanwhile, in the courtyard of the Culture and Arts Factory, ASELSAN’s 50th Anniversary Exhibition, titled “A Vision for an Upcycled Future,” merges innovation with sustainability, developed in collaboration with the Zero Waste Foundation.
The installation, focusing on renewable design and circular production, has already drawn significant attention from visitors.
İzmir’s cultural renaissance
The İzmir Culture and Arts Factory, which reopened in 2023 after a meticulous restoration, has emerged as a cornerstone of the city’s creative revival.
Once an abandoned industrial complex, it now houses museums, libraries, art workshops and open-air stages, welcoming thousands of visitors weekly.
In 2024 alone, it hosted 530 events and 655,000 guests, figures the ministry says have already been surpassed this year.
“This place embodies what we mean by sustainable culture,” Yazgı said. “A city’s memory reborn through art.”
İzmir’s identity
Governor Süleyman Elban praised the festival’s scale and significance: “İzmir will feast on art and culture for nine days. From concerts to ballet, from gastronomy to theater, the city will breathe creativity in every corner.”
He added that several exhibitions would remain open even after the festival ends, extending the artistic experience year-round.
AK Party İzmir Deputy Ceyda Bölünmez Çankırı underlined İzmir’s role as a tourism and culture leader: “From faith and sea tourism to health and heritage, İzmir shines as a mosaic of experiences. The festival atmosphere brings an energy that reaches every neighborhood, a true celebration of our shared spirit.”
Attending dignitaries included Fine Arts General Director Ömer Faruk Belviranlı, Culture Route Festival Director Selim Terzi and İzmir Provincial Culture and Tourism Director Sadık Doğruer, alongside artists, officials and cultural figures.
Following the speeches, they toured the exhibitions, marking the official start of İzmir’s most anticipated cultural week.
Culture Route vision
The Türkiye Culture Route Festivals aim to merge local identity with global art forms, strengthening cultural ties, boosting tourism and nurturing economic growth through creativity.
“This is more than a festival,” Yazgı concluded. “It’s a living bridge, between regions, between generations, between hearts. Through art, Türkiye tells its story to the world.”
