Istanbul Digital Art Festival returns with Türkiye's first AI curator
The poster of Istanbul Digital Art Festival 2023. (Photo courtesy of IDAF)


The eagerly awaited Istanbul Digital Art Festival (IDAF) is set to captivate audiences as it returns for its third consecutive year, commencing on June 2 at the prestigious Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM).

Organized by Mezo Digital, with strong backing from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye, and sponsored by PASHA Bank, the groundbreaking festival promises to unite leading figures in the realm of digital arts, both from domestic and international spheres.

Renowned as Türkiye's sole digital art festival, it will present an engaging array of events, ranging from immersive workshops tailored for children and youth, thought-provoking panels, to mesmerizing visual and audio performances, until June 5.

Heart of digital art in Istanbul

The festival will host important figures in the field of digital arts, showcasing the works of a total of 40 national and international artists. Through their artwork, the artists will demonstrate the intersection of science, technology and art, contributing to exploring new possibilities and dissolution of boundaries between these realms.

As a guest participant, Romania's One Night Gallery will also be featured at the IDAF, taking art enthusiasts on a mesmerizing journey through the magical world of digital art for four days.

Curated by Esra Özkan, Julie Walsh and Avind, Türkiye's first artificial intelligence (AI) curator, the festival will showcase works of renowned artists as well as the Azerbaijani AI artist Shusha, which shares the name with the Azerbaijani city of Shusha.

Distinguishing itself from other exhibitions, the festival will bring together artworks that would not typically be seen side-by-side, or even imagined together. By prompting reflection on the relations between different disciplines, it will explore the contributions that various disciplines can make to one another.

The festival, open to all and free of charge, will feature not only visual and audio performances but also panels and workshops on topics such as artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, bio art and 6G technologies.