GUIDE: Istanbul’s culture and arts calendar for September 2015
ISTANBUL
Istanbul offers a wide range of activities to serve Istanbulites with different tastes, from a cooking workshop to one focusing on the problems of single mothers; from a Tarkan concert to a Latin music festival. Here is a calendar for Istanbul’s culture and arts events for September 2015.
Sept. 1Studio Masterpiece - Pablo Picasso: Studio Masterpiece allows participants to paint amusing pictures in a friendly atmosphere with great music. You do not need to have attended any drawing lessons before, as this is not a course in drawing. However, after three hours of art and music, you will leave the studio with a painting of your own. The studio is located at Asmalımescit in Istanbul’s central Beyoğlu district. Tickets are sold for 75 Turkish Liras through Biletix.
Sept. 2Psychology Workshop with Films: The Istanbul Film Academy brings cinema therapy, which aims to use movies for healing and growth, to Istanbul. You do not need a background in cinema, but only those above age 18 are permitted to attend. The workshop continues for 12 weeks and focuses on two themes: relationships and the meaning of life. Scenes from a variety of movies are watched and discussed in order to understand what people want in life and in relationships. Tickets are sold for 900 liras on Biletix.
Sept. 3 Sertab Erener: One of Turkey’s most talented singers, a cross-over soprano and the winner of the Eurovision song contest in 2003, Erener will perform at the Cemil Topuzlu Open-air Amphitheatre. Tickets are available at Biletix.
Sept. 4Seljuks: The Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum in Istanbul’s Fatih district hosts an exhibition on the Seljuks, a dynasty of nomadic Turkish warriors that ruled segments of Central Asia, the Middle East and Anatolia from the 10th to the early 14th centuries. The first comprehensive exhibition of the Seljuks will run until Nov. 17.
Sept. 5İlhan İrem: A veteran of Turkey’s rock music scene, İrem will dazzle music lovers with his concert “Aşk sensin” (You are love). İrem will take the stage at the Cemil Topuzlu Open-air Amphitheatre at 9 p.m. Tickets are sold at Biletix.
Sept. 6Carnaval Latino: Carnaval Latino will bring together Turkey’s Latin music lovers on Sept. 6 at Life Park. The festival will feature the Mercadonegro Orchestra, Rodrigo and Ayhan Sicimoğlu & the Latin All Stars. The festival will also host Latin dance shows and workshops. Tickets are available at Biletix.
Sept. 7Guguk Kuşu / Cuckoo Bird: Guguk Kuşu is an adaptation of the Academy Award-winning film “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” to the theater stage and will be performed as the opening show of the Çolpan İlhan and Sadri Alışık Theater’s 20th anniversary. The play will be staged at the Cemil Topuzlu Open-air Amphitheatre and tickets are available on Biletix.
Sept. 8People's Palaces: Famous photographer Ziya Tacir will launch his latest exhibit entitled “People’s Palaces” on Sept. 5. The Old Bomonti Beer Factory will host the exhibit until Sept. 19.
Sept. 9Being a Working Mom: “Being a Working Mom” is a workshop organized by Figen Küçükkoner Kırca, Turkey’s first parenting coach. The workshop will be held in Yaşam Atölyesi and aims to support working mothers who have to deal with stress due to their work and parenting responsibilities. Tickets are available at Biletix.
Sept. 10Louise Bourgeois - Larger than Life: 58 artworks of the French-American artist Louise Bourgeois are on display at Akbank Sanat for the exhibit called “Larger than Life.” Often described as a feminist, Bourgeois argued her art preceded her gender. Akbank Sanat will also host films about the artist in its library.
Sept. 11Jessie J.: British singer Jessie J., who became a pop idol with her latest hit “Bang Bang,” will meet her Turkish fans at Istanbul’s Volkswagen Arena. The Grammy Award nominee’s concert will begin at 7 p.m. and tickets are available on Biletix.
Sept. 12Sobe: Gallery Merkur will host Sabire Susuz’s 8th solo exhibition named “Sobe.” The exposition focuses on women’s issues, primarily women who are victims of violence or femicides. Susuz handles these sensitive subjects with a hint of irony. The pieces are made up of price tags attached by a needle that the artist has collected.
Sept. 13Tarkan: Turkish “megastar” Tarkan is set to stage another concert at the Cemil Topuzlu Open-air Amphitheatre. Tickets have almost sold out for nine upcoming concerts in the same venue, despite the fact Tarkan has not released a new album in five years. Tickets are available at Biletix.
Sept. 14French Patisserie: In this workshop organized by the Chef’s Table Culinary Academy, signature French desserts will be made with the participants. The workshop is a wonderful opportunity to learn the secrets of making the perfect soufflé, éclair, or profiteroles. Tickets are available on Biletix.
Sept. 15İçimdeki Meleği Öldürdüm (I Killed My Inner Angel): The Akademililer Art Center hosts the exhibition “I Killed My Inner Angel,” which includes sculptures and photographs of ten international artists. The pieces focus on the internalization of violence in modern times. The exhibit will run until Oct. 17.
Sept. 16Ban Thai: The Chef’s Table Culinary Academy provides an opportunity for foodies with an interest in Thai cuisine. As part of its Ban Thai Workshop, participants are taught to prepare a meal with Thai dishes. Thai soup, fish balls, chicken and a salad are on the menu. The workshop begins at 7 p.m. and tickets are available at Biletix.
Sept. 17Demokratik Lüks (Democratic Luxury): Demokratik Lüks aims to make the visitor travel through the thought processes of artist and philosopher Hüseyin Bahri Alptekin, who passed away in 2007.The exhibit includes a selection of Alptekin’s works from his archive currently managed by SALT Istanbul. The exhibition will run until Nov. 14 and will be hosted by RAMPA Istanbul.
Ata and Turka Music Show by Ata Demirer: Famous stand-up artist and actor Ata Demirer will be on stage with his latest project, the “Ata & Turka Müzik Show” at the Cemil Topuzlu Open-air Amphitheatre. The show is set to start at 9 p.m. and tickets are available on Biletix.
Sept. 18Levent Yüksel: Famous pop musician Levent Yüksel will take the stage at Jolly Joker in Istanbul’s Beyoğlu district. The concert is set to start at 10 p.m. and tickets are available at Biletix.
Sept. 19Nilüfer Verdi, Ülkü Aybala Sunat and Apostolos Sideris: Jazz musicians Nilüfer Verdi, Ülkü Aybala Sunat and Apostolos Sideris will perform as part of the 2015 Jazz at the Sea events held at the Primetime Cruise. Joy Jazz and Zero Istanbul will organize the events. The cruise will leave the harbor at 7 p.m.
Sept. 20Minör Kahramanlıklar (Minor Heroisms): The group exhibition entitled “Minör Kahramanlıklar” was curated by Nat Muller and will be on display until Oct. 24 at Galeri Zilberman on İstiklal Avenue. The exhibition is a collection of selected works inspired by the Islamic miniature.
Sept. 21Sıla: Famous pop singer and songwriter Sıla will take the stage at the Cemil Topuzlu Open-air Amphitheatre. Sıla’s concert will be the last open-air concert at Cemil Topuzlu this season. Tickets are available at Biletix.
Sept. 22Öykülerden Oyunlar (Plays from Short Stories): Emrah Serbes, one of Turkey’s most popular writers, adapted his short stories to theater. The play will be on stage at the Borusan Oto Dolmabahçe venue. Tickets are available at Biletix and students are eligible to purchase tickets at reduced prices.
Sept. 23The Amy Kelliher Band: American Jazz singer Amy Kelliher will perform at the Nardis Jazz Club in Istanbul’s Galata neighborhood.
Sept. 24Mükemmel Bir Gün (The Perfect Day): Volkan Aslan, a Pi Artworks artist, will exhibit his works at the Istanbul Biennale between Sept. 1 and Oct. 31. For the exhibition, the artist has converted ordinary objects and made them functional.
Sept. 25Yeni Türkü: An important band in Turkish memory since its formation in 1978, Yeni Türkü (New Folk Song) will perform at Jolly Joker at 10 p.m. The concert will be a combination of the band’s new songs and old classics. Tickets are available at Biletix.
Sept. 26Oldies but Goldies: The classic event organized by Murat Abbas and Murat Başer will meet music lovers at its new venue, Babylon Bomonti, for the first time. Attendants will travel through time with hit songs by Depeche Mode, ABBA and Madonna. Tickets are available at Biletix.
Sept. 27Ve Yolun Her Adımı (And Every Single Step of the Way): Gizem Akkoyunoğlu’s first personal exhibition will open at Sanatorium on Sept. 1. The exhibit contains the works Akkoyunoğlu produced within the past year. It is made up of three sections and starts with the journey of an imaginary character. Each section covers a part of the story and through the exhibit viewers realize that the journey is not an end in itself but the means to an end.
Sept. 28Evvel Zaman Makinesi (Machines from Bygone Times): Bozlu Art Project will welcome the new season with the exhibit “Evvel Zaman Makinesi” by Server Demirtaş. The exposition demonstrates the relationship between humans and robots. It will run until Oct. 17.
Sept. 29Mamma Mia!: Istanbul will host the world famous musical “Mamma Mia!” at the Zorlu Center in Istanbul’s Gayrettepe district. The musical depicts the protagonist Sophie’s struggle to find her father before getting married - of course, accompanied by ABBA’s everlasting songs.
Sept. 30La Juan D’Arienzo – Rhythm of Tango: The La Juan D’Arienzo orchestra will perform at the TIM Show Center in Maslak for the benefit of Turkey’s breast foundation. The orchestra is made up of four bandoneons, four violins, a piano and a contrabass. The concert will begin at 8:30 p.m. and tickets are available at Biletix.
