İKSV makes its own plan for future of Emek site
ISTANBUL- Hürriyet Daily News
İKSV aims to make the venue a non-profit center for arts and culture. Hürriyet photo
The Istanbul Culture and Arts Foundation (İKSV) has outlined a vision for the city’s historical Emek Theater in which the building would be saved from demolition so that it can remain a cinema and cultural center.“The remaking of the project and the restructuring of the building should be shared with the public. That’s why, given the fragile situation, İKSV aims to make the venue a non-profit center for arts and culture,” the foundation said in a written statement.
“The aim is to solve the problem of Istanbul’s cultural heritage and contribute to the arts and cultural life in a venue that is still ‘living’ with cinema,” it said.
The construction firm and the architect responsible for the renovation of Emek and the adjacent Cercle d’Orient building have dismissed concerns recently raised by the Chamber of Architects about an alleged plan to demolish the theater and instead outlined plans to move parts of the theater elsewhere, the Hürriyet Daily News reported Jan. 10.
The İKSV also said the new venue that it hoped to create would meet the needs of artistic life Turkey and would be open to different artistic disciplines.
“First of all, we think that the renewal project’s main aim should be discussed. For us, the right way is to do feasibility work with the cultural associations and institutions and make a long-term project with a non-profit venue,” said the written statement.
In order to realize the project, public and private capital should both be used, İKSV said, adding that it had already outlined its offer to the relevant ministries.
