As the number viewers has significantly increased in the last couple of years, most Turkish plays are sold-out most of time. In this spirit, Turkey's actors celebrated World Theatre Day in various events throughout the country, however, the issue on lack of adequate facilities for the performing arts was again on the top of the agenda.Turkey's State Theaters performed its plays free of charge on World Theatre Day, while Istanbul's City Theaters, operated by the Metropolitan Municipality, holds a seminar program on March 28 and 29 in SALT Galata Modern Art Museum. City Theaters also held an event in which veteran actors sang musicals to invitees. Istanbul's Beşiktaş Municipality has also organized three day long theater program which can be attended free of charge.President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu and Culture and Tourism Minister Ömer Çelik issued messages to celebrate World Theater Day. Erdoğan emphasized the role of theaters with their critical approach on individuals and society, while pledging to safeguard and increase the living conditions of artists.Meanwhile, a group of activists, artists and politicians, led by Actors' Union, gathered in front of Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM) located on Istanbul's Taksim Square to protest the inactivity of the facility for almost seven years. The group later went to Çağlayan Courthouse to file a complaint.The 47 year-old AKM, once Istanbul's main stage for performing arts of Istanbul's ertertainment scene Taksim, was closed for renovation in 2008 due to faulty acoustical structure and aging construction which had suffered a fire in 1970. As the building was designated as a cultural asset and regarded as an important Republican architectural example, several projects for were halted by court orders, meanwhile suggestions to totally replace the building with a new one had met with stiff resistance. Due to AKM's inactivity, State Opera and Ballet performs its plays at Süreyya Opera (originally a movie theater) located in Kadıköy district, the building belongs to Kadıköy Municipality and viewed as an inadequate facility for staging operas.