Through the İGA ART Art Project Competition, iGA Istanbul Airport aims to bring together the cultural heritage of Anatolia with the multifaceted identity of Istanbul, steeped in diverse cultures and artistic expressions. As a result, a second Art Project Competition is being organized, and İGA ART is proud to present a democratic platform that invites public participation from competitors. The grand prize for the competition is TRY 2 million. The winning artwork will be showcased to millions of national and international viewers.

iGA Istanbul Airport, Türkiye's premier international gateway, upholds its commitment to serving as a cultural hub where diverse cultures can meet and engage, while also maintaining its status as the pivotal global hub in the region. In 2021, iGA Istanbul Airport consolidated its cultural and artistic endeavors under the iGART umbrella, with the airport focusing on showcasing Turkish culture to a global audience. In light of this, iGA Istanbul Airport has devised art projects in 17 different fields as part of the Art Project Competition, this first of which has already taken place.

Accordingly, the second edition of the Art Projects Contest is being held within this framework. As you may remember, iGA announced its inaugural Art Project Competition in September 2021, receiving 221 project submissions for the competition that was open to both Turkish and international young artists and groups under the age of 35. Betül Kotil's "Saya's Voice" was the winner, earning a grand prize of TRY 1 million.

Anatolia's rich cultural heritage is introduced to the world through a contemporary art perspective.

İGA ART is introducing Anatolia's rich cultural heritage to the world through a contemporary perspective, and with this new proposal sets itself apart by its transparent, unencumbered nature, as well as its selection committee, comprised of experts from different disciplines. iGA Istanbul Airport is providing artists with a unique opportunity to showcase their artwork in a prominent public venue, allowing millions of visitors from all over the world to enjoy the exhibit as part of the İGA ART Art Projects. As such, İGA ART presents Istanbul, a city with a rich history, with a new artistic and cultural venue.

Under the auspices of İGA ART, a selection committee comprised of nine esteemed members, well-known in the art world, in disciplines ranging from painting to sculpture, architecture to criticism, and curation to academia (Professor Marcus Graf, Mehmet Ali Güveli, Professor Gülveli Kaya, Deniz Odabaş, Seçkin Pirim, Murat Tabanlıoğlu, Seyhun Topuz, and Nazlı Pektaş), under the leadership of Artist and Academic Professor Hüsamettin Koçan, are combining their forces to produce projects with an approach that seeks to benefit both the community and society at large.

The winning project will be announced on June 20th.

Entries that advance to the second round of the competition will receive a participation fee of TRY 50,000, and the owner of the winning project will receive the biggest prize ever awarded in the field of arts and culture in Türkiye, of an amount of TRY 2 million. The deadline for proposals to be accepted from an open call for the second-phase artwork selection, is scheduled for April 1, 2023. The winner of the project will be announced on June 20, 2023. The results will be announced on İGA ART official web channels and in the media.

The guidelines for this project show no indication of any limitations on materials or techniques, except that they must be enduring and suitable within the framework of the physical characteristics of the proposed project area. All activities under İGA ART and detailed information about İGA ART Art Project Competitions can be found at https://igart.istanbul/yarismalar/d1-check-in-bolgesi.html

There are also no thematic or technical restrictions in the second competition...

Kadri Samsunlu, CEO of iGA Istanbul Airport, emphasized that they had a mission to build a bridge between countries, societies, and cultures as the foremost international transit hub in the region. "iGA Istanbul Airport is a point of entry for international visitors to our country. Therefore, we need to assume the responsibility of introducing Türkiye and the Anatolian region at this venue. Last year, our inaugural competition marked the beginning of a journey to inspire young artists, for which we have received excellent feedback. We are now thrilled to launch the second İGA ART Art Project Competition," said Samsunlu, pointing out that their mission is to transform iGA Istanbul Airport into a space that introduces passengers to art and culture.

Prof. Dr. Hüsamettin Koçan, Chairman of the İGA ART Executive Board, highlighted that iGA Istanbul Airport serves as a cultural meeting point in addition to its role as a transportation hub. He stated that, "İGA ART Art Projects adopt a transparent and interdisciplinary approach, prioritizing the suggestions of artists. Integrating the identity of iGA Istanbul Airport with the geography and culture of our country, and connecting our universal values with the works of artists from all generations, we believe that art is indispensable in public spaces. To this end, the winning piece from our second competition will be displayed in the circular area connecting the upper and lower floors of the departure and arrival areas, centrally located in the D1 - Check-in zone, and will be visible from both levels. Detailed information about the physical attributes of the venue can be accessed at www.igart.istanbul. There are no limitations or constraints in terms of theme or technical aspects for this project."