FLAGSHIP PROGRAMMES
National Network
Turkiye
Address
BEYAZ MEHMET SOKAK AKYOL MAHALLESİCountry
City
GAZİANTEPStreet address 2
ŞAHİNBEY GAZİANTEPMobile Phone
+905444516930Telephone
+90 538 284 83 69Telephone (other)
+90 538 284 83 69E-Mail (2)
mervekaratas1998@hotmail.comE-Mail (3)
ferdayilmazoglu15@gmail.comE-Mail (4)
cirkinmusic@gmail.comWebsite
Click HereYear of Establishment
2010Contact Person1
MERVE KARATAŞJob Title 1
ASSOCIATION CHAIRMANContact Person 2
FERDA YILMAZOĞLUJob Title 2
ASSOCIATION BOARD MEMBEROrganisation Type
Non-Governmental OrganizationFields of Activity
Arts, Democracy and community development, Human rights, International/Cultural relations, MediaGeneral Information
The association was founded in Gaziantep in 2010. It is managed by a five-member board of directors. The association has 31 official members and 30 volunteers who actively participate in its activities. There are four full-time and one part-time employees. The advisory board, consisting of 10 volunteers, includes two people responsible for theatre, three for cinema, one for music, and two for literature and language development work (Kurdish-English). Additionally, one person is responsible for press and publications, and another for communications and technical operations. Furthermore, 7 people take on the role of facilitators in the workshops.
Mission and Objectives
Nar Science, Culture and Arts Association; was established in Gaziantep in 2010 as a product of the need to make the most of all its constructive power to build a new and more beautiful life, drawing strength from all the positive accumulated knowledge and experience of humanity and history, against the barriers to science, culture and art in humanity's efforts to build a happier and better life.
Creating an alternative cultural and artistic space based on the principle that culture and art should be accessible and democratised for all citizens, Nar Art values the progressive role that culture and art play in perceiving and understanding life, overcoming wars, injustices and social inequalities, and developing social consciousness. It brings the full richness of art to the city's residents and ensures that this accumulation is carried forward, enabling new productions to emerge.
Main Projects / Activities
Nar Art Association organises film screenings, concerts, workshops and talks. It runs workshops in fields such as literature, social sciences, theatre, photography, cinema and music. It has been organising Kurdish language workshops for two years. It has been producing and staging its own plays with its Theatre Group for one year. It holds author signing and discussion events under the Ali Deniz Uzatmaz Library. The music groups Hayalband (2014) and Children's Choir (2023) perform multilingual works. It continues its work with the documentary production project In the Footsteps of Invisible Voices, the short film-discussion programme Kısaya Alan, and the music production project Solresol: Speaking Together. The association continues to create and support multi-voiced, participatory, and collective productions.
How can you contribute to the Network in your country?
Nar Art Association is a key player contributing to the strengthening of Turkey's cultural and artistic network through its unique approach and inclusive production philosophy. Drawing inspiration from local sources yet having a national impact, the association brings together diverse communities, artists, and cultural actors, thereby fostering the development of a pluralistic and collaborative cultural environment.
Centring a community-based approach to art, the association opens up production processes to participation, shared experience and collective creativity. In this way, it both increases the visibility of local culture and sets an example for the formation of inclusive cultural policies at the national level. With its programmes that create space for young artists, support the visibility of female producers, and strengthen multicultural structures, Nar Sanat brings diversity and dynamism to the country's creative ecosystem.
The association brings together the region's cultural heritage with contemporary art practices through documentary, archival and memory projects, increasing circulation within the national network by making these productions accessible to wider audiences via digital platforms. It also establishes a sustainable cultural communication channel through collaborations between art institutions, independent organisations and creative communities.
With its approach that prioritises the accessibility of art education, Nar Art Association contributes to strengthening equal opportunities in the field of culture and art, supporting the country's cultural network in becoming more visible, inclusive and supportive both locally and nationally.
Why do you want to join the ALF Network?
The main reason we wish to join the ALF network is that being part of a platform that strengthens intercultural dialogue, encourages collaborative production and supports the diverse cultural fabric of the Mediterranean region aligns with our association's vision. As Nar Sanat Association, we aim to increase experience sharing and develop new collaboration models by bringing our participatory art practices with local communities into an international context.
The mobility, joint events and networking opportunities offered by ALF will enable us to open up the cultural and artistic work we produce in our region to a broader Mediterranean perspective. At the same time, establishing communication with institutions from different countries will enrich the association's community-based production approach and enable us to work with new methods and tools.
We consider participation in this network an important opportunity to increase the visibility of local artists and communities and to sustain dialogue in the field of culture and arts. Together with ALF, we aim to actively contribute to the development of an inclusive, multicultural and collaborative cultural environment.
Additional Information
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