Antalya's historic sites stage for alternative tourism and culture festival

Held for the second time in the İbradı district of the southern province of Antalya, the International Alternative Tourism, Culture and Art Workshop Festival will host 162 artists from 22 countries including Italy, Macedonia, Japan, Poland and Kosovo. With painter Gülşen Zengin as director and photographic artist Neslihan Yazıcılar as coordinator, the festival, which began on Friday, was co-organized by İbradı Municipality and Antalya Metropolitan Municipality with contributions from the ARTOROS Culture and Art Association. The artists who attend the festival establish workshops in various places such as Monument Tree "Arapastık Kestanesi," Yörük Ali Mansion, Muammer Aksoy Culture House, the streets of Ürünlü village and Altınbeşik cave. The festival attracts locals as well as international tourists with what it has to offer. Saying that they bring art to the peaks of the Taurus Mountains through the festival, İbradı Mayor Serkan Küçükkuru said: "Art is now mixed with people through these events organized on streets. All our streets are filled with art. We will always support art and artists." The festival will come to an end on Aug. 25, with a closing ceremony.