The Başkent Culture Road Festival, which will last until June 12, is bringing together 5,971 artists and offering 560 activities at more than 70 points in the capital, ushering in a new kind of vitality to Ankara – a city with a deep-rooted history and rich cultural heritage.
"The aim of the Başkent Culture Road Festival is to remind the people of Ankara of the capital’s oldest historical sites and historical layers, and to increase the number of people who visit Ankara from Turkey’s other provinces," Deputy Culture and Tourism Minister Özgül Özkan Yavuz told Daily Sabah.
"Ankara is a significant province in terms of cultural heritage, however, unfortunately, the city’s historical area, the castle in its heart and its valuable museums are not visited enough," she continued, adding that the ministry aims to bring people together through historical sites and art.
The cultural route in the capital is 4.7 kilometers (2.9 miles) long, starting at Ankara Castle and ending at the Presidential Symphony Orchestra (CSO). Yavuz explained that the route, which starts at the castle and Ulucanlar Prison Museum, takes you to the historical Hamamönü neighborhood, the Hacı Bayram Veli Mosque, the Roman Baths, then on to the Republican-era structures between the opera and Ulus district, which include state theaters, the Ziraat Bank Museum, Işbank Museum, the Yunus Emre Institute and the ballet, continuing with the Ankara Art and Sculpture Museum, the Ethnography Museum and ending at the new CSO building. CSO Ada Ankara is a futuristic building fit for the 21st century and among the 10 best acoustic halls.
Yavuz says that the 4.7-kilometer cultural road is walkable, encouraging the public to participate in the 560 activities along the route and take in the work of thousands of artists.
Squares turn to stages
"This year, with the Başkent Culture Road Festival, we are organizing art activities at the antique Roman Baths for the first time," Yavuz said and added, "We will bring the Konya Sufism Music Society to our Mevlevi lodge, which is not well known by Ankara’s locals since Sema demonstrations are not made regularly – these will be made throughout the festival here."
With its programs, workshops and activities for everyone from children to the older generations, the festival is bringing many firsts to the capital. Expect to find digital installations, panels, conversations, contests, open-air activities, photo exhibitions, theatrical performances, walking tours of Republican-era and religious buildings and much more. Among the highlights is a conversation with one of Turkey's most respected historians Ilber Ortaylı, a demonstration on June 11 by the French group of flying painters Les Passagers who will use tall buildings as their canvases, an exhibition of the inventions of the 12th-century physicist, mathematician, mechanical engineer and artist Ismail al-Cezeri at CerModern, the Flora digital art exhibition with the works of world-famous digital artists Anna Ridler, Mat Collishaw and Sabrina Ratte as well as a Seğmen regiment walk that saw hundreds of the traditional protectors of Ankara take to the streets.
Foreign artists will also be under the spotlight during the festival. Spanish singer Buika, who is known as one of the best vocalists in the world, world-famous Bosnian-Herzegovinian artist Dino Merlin and the golden voice of Africa Salif Keita are among the participants set to perform for listeners at the CSO Ada Ankara Main Hall.
"I believe that these names, which reflect different kinds of the world’s music, will be followed by the people of Ankara with great interest and will reflect the international vision of our festival successfully," Yavuz added.
Yavuz highlighted that next year, on the 100th anniversary of the republic, the Başkent Culture Road Festival will be organized on an even greater scale, adding that this year's festival in Ankara will be followed by the Diyarbakır Sur Festival on Oct. 1-16 before festivities kick off in Izmir in May.
Yavuz underlined that last year the Beyoğlu Culture Road Festival hosted 56 foreign members of the press from 29 countries with the collaboration of the Turkey Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA), stressing the success of the program.
"The Beyoğlu Culture Road Festival has been the focus of great attention from the foreign press and the art world. Some 381 activities at 78 different points were held with a visitors number of 7.8 million within the framework of the Beyoğlu Culture Festival."
"This year again, under the leadership of the TGA, 60 foreign members of the press from 30 countries will be hosted in our country within the scope of the Beyoğlu and Başkent Culture Road Festivals," Yavuz added.
Post-pandemic interest
Commenting on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on arts and cultural activities, the deputy minister said: "Culture and arts were unfortunately among the sectors most affected by the pandemic. But despite everything, art has a uniting and healing effect. We observe a great interest in artistic activities, especially following the pandemic. We believe that interest will be big similarly for the Başkent Culture Road Festival."
She highlighted that visitors were expected not only from Ankara but also from surrounding provinces. The expected number of visitors stands at 2.5 million, according to the ministry.
"Successfully throwing the festival with the participation of millions is important for the development of Ankara. Because, as you know, culture and art are now industries that play a very important role in the development of cities. Ankara’s residents should see the Başkent Cultural Road Festival as a lever that can contribute to the social development and development of the city," she said on a final note.