Effects of Pandemic

İstanbul’s cultural sector was badly affected by the economic crisis caused by the global pandemic. The number of people employed in the field of culture in Turkey was 631,000 in 2019, and this decreased to 592,000 in 2020. The city government is currently conducting major research into the long-term impacts on the cultural life of İstanbul.

Contemporary Arts

Contemporary art and design are becoming increasingly important. The İstanbul Biennial, a major event on the international visual art circuit, returned post-pandemic in 2022 with over 500 contributors and 500,000 visitors. Along with this, the establishment in 2012 of the İstanbul Design Biennial has helped to promote the city as a centre for contemporary architecture and a range of design practices.

Ecological Crisis

The role of culture in relation to the ecological crisis is being given increased prominence. This is reflected in the green spaces and infrastructure being implemented in the city and new cultural policies that give much greater consideration to the crisis.

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