Web-based Mapping and Archive of contemporary independent initiatives in Turkey since 2000. In this document, we will use term initiative in a manner that covers any formal or informal entity including associations, organizations, artist groups, non-profit businesses, etc.  It is a map-based website that lists the contemporary independent initiatives, which have/had been active any period of time in the last decades -since 2000- in Turkey. 

 

With an expanded and contemporary understanding of the arts, Contemporary Independents targets the art initiatives that are working with contemporary methods and for the well being of the society. 

 

Contemporary independent initiatives can be in any form including association, foundations, cooperatives, artist-run spaces, self-defined groups, nonprofit businesses, etc., with or without space and in any terrain i.e. the commonplace contemporary art, visual arts, performing arts, participatory art, socially engaged arts, contemporary theatre, biennials, festivals,  architecture, urbanism, design, economy-focused, socially engaged or technology-centered.

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Independent Index will include all major cities as well as other Anatolian cities where an independent contemporary initiative based. 

 

Independent Index also hosts and maintains the archives of the initiatives that are not active anymore.

 

Contemporary Independents classifies the information of the initiatives in a way that allows users to filter accurately and access to the targeted records. Contemporary Independents will also provide customized data visualizations based on the classification scheme, i.e. type of the organizations, work-fields, projects’ focuses, supporting bodies, activity years, etc. Contemporary Independents will present irrefutable information on the mutual relation of the independent scene with the sociopolitical conditions we went through in the last decades. 

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Since the 1990s, the independents operate in the contemporary art scene of Turkey. Especially in the early 2000s, regulations in alignment with the European Union, the independent scene flourished enormously. Many new independent associations, artist-run spaces, artist groups, and initiatives are seen in a variety of fields of contemporary culture. Though this richened atmosphere has not been last long. In the 2010’s many of them are already failed to survive. 

 

We see independents in art and culture scene as a social necessity for democracy and diversity especially in the neoliberal condition and in the wider region we live.  

 

In Turkey, the art and culture scene is regulated by private institutions since the end of the ’80s. As Pelin Basaran stated in her research on privatization of culture in Turkey, in the last three decades “The state was minimized in accordance with neoliberal principles and lost its control over many spheres, including culture. (...) Since the 1980s, the leading families in Turkey have opened their own museums among them the Sadberk Hanım Museum, the Rahmi Koç Museum, the Istanbul Modern, the Pera Museum, the Sakıp Sabancı Museum, and the Çengelhan Museum. They exhibit their large private collections either in their old mansions or in other historical buildings. In addition, corporations like Garanti Bank, Akbank, Yapı Kredi Bank, Siemens, and Borusan Holding have established their own cultural centers and galleries.” (Basaran)

 

Although the independent art scene is not visible, not supported and mostly composed of entities with a short lifetime in our cultural ecology, we believe in the importance of the independents in enriching the art and culture scene, increasing the diversity, and democratizing the society in general. We want to show the richness of the independent scene in Turkey in order to increase the recognition of the scene to reclaim its share publicly as well as increasing its accessibility and possibilities for collaborations. 

 

Goals and Objectives:

Contemporary Independents aims at creating and maintaining the current list of independent nonprofit initiatives and organizations working in the art and culture scene in order to

• provide visibility and recognition to the independent scene

• let the initiatives be accessible independent of the location

• map the working fields and research topics of independents

• democratize the contemporary art scene by empowering independents 

• create a platform for networking among the independent initiatives

• create a resource for studies on the independent art scene of Turkey

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Contemporary independent initiatives can be in any form including association, foundations, cooperatives, artist-run spaces, self-defined groups, nonprofit businesses, etc., with or without space and in any terrain i.e. the commonplace contemporary art, visual arts, performing arts, participatory art, socially engaged arts, contemporary theatre, biennials, festivals,  architecture, urbanism, design, economy-focused, socially engaged or technology-centered. 

 

A table (MASA project), a room (Oda Projesi), a local snack bar (PASAJ Tarlabaşı), a website (m-est), a grocery store (49A), a publisher (Suimasen) can be the initiatives listed in Contemporary Independents.

 

Although a frame is drawn here, the definitions and eligibility criteria will be studied by the project team and consultants listed in the team section of this document.  

 

Flexibility and restructuring according to time and conditions is another characteristic of independent art organizations. 

 

The project will be iteratively designed and developed during the one-year funded period and will continue as a self-sustained application afterward. 

 

The advisory group and call meetings will be held for the clarifying the definitions and criteria for the inclusion.