Istanbul is set to host a vibrant lineup of cultural events this week, ranging from theater performances and concerts to art exhibitions and festivals.
The Istanbul City Theaters will present a series of plays from Dec. 24 to 27. Audiences can enjoy productions at various stages across the city, including "Haramiler" at the Harbiye Muhsin Ertuğrul Stage; "Tartuffe" at the Üsküdar Musahipzade Celal Stage; "Yoldan Çıkan Oyun" at the Ümraniye Stage; "Gidion’s Knot" at the Müze Gazhane Meydan Stage; "Öksüzler" ("The Orphans") at the Müze Gazhane professor Sevda Şener Stage; "Gök Kubbe" ("Sky Dome") at the Kağıthane Sadabad Stage and "Köpek Kalbi" ("Heart of a Dog") at the Üsküdar Kerem Yılmazer Stage.
At the Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM), audiences can catch the film "O da Bir Şey mi" ("And the Rest Will Follow") on Dec. 24 and 25, the ballet "The Nutcracker" on Dec. 25 and the play "Uncle Vanya" on Dec. 27 and 28. Zorlu PSM will host an array of performances, including "Palamut Zamanı" (“Bonito Season”) on Dec. 22 and 28; "Dracula" on Dec. 23; "Humans, Spaces, Objects" on Dec. 23 and 24; "Am I a Seagull?" on Dec. 24; "Linchings and Lips" and "Does Love End?" on Dec. 25; "Don Quixote" on Dec. 26; and "Aesop’s Fables" on Dec. 28.
Music enthusiasts can enjoy a full week of concerts throughout Istanbul. AKM will host a variety of performances, from a traditional Mevlevi ceremony in honor of Rumi on Dec. 23, to the TRT Istanbul Radio Light Music and Jazz Orchestra on Dec. 25, and the Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra’s New Year Concert on Dec. 26. The Turkish Telecom Prime Coffee Concerts, featuring Russian-inspired chamber music, will take place on Dec. 27, while the Presidential Symphony Orchestra will perform its New Year concert, "Stars of the White Nights," on Dec. 28. Pianist Fazıl Say will present the Turkish premieres of "Mozart and Mevlana" and "Mother Earth" at the Volkswagen Arena on Dec. 27.
Popular Turkish artists will also take the stage this week. Ebru Gündeş will perform at the Volkswagen Arena on Dec. 23, 24 and 25, while Yalın is scheduled for Dec. 28. Melike Şahin will perform at Zorlu PSM on Dec. 27 and 28 and Sevcan Orhan will present her music at Mahsus Stage on Dec. 26. The Jolly Joker venues across Istanbul will host concerts by Derya Bedavacı, Buray, Simge, Gökhan Türkmen, Irem Derici and Dedublüman on various dates, culminating with the Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra’s New Year Concert at Caddebostan Cultural Center on Dec. 28.
Art lovers can explore a wide range of exhibitions this week. The Fatih Municipality is hosting the retrospective of master painter Ibrahim Safi, titled "SafiStanbul," at the Nusret Çolpan Art Gallery through March 13, 2026. Songül Şimşek’s first solo exhibition, "Desende Saklı," which interprets traditional ceramic art in a contemporary style, will be open at the Rami Library until Dec. 28. The international contemporary art program Artists’ Film International (AFI) will be screened at Istanbul Modern on multiple dates between Dec. 23 and Jan. 16, 2026.
Other notable exhibitions include "Collective Memory: IMM Collections at Artistanbul Feshane" until Dec. 13, 2026; "Ottoman Traces in Rumelia" by miniature artist Gülçin Anmaç at Tophane-i Amire Cultural and Art Center through Dec. 25; "Panta Rhei/Works 2021-2025" by Elvan Alpay at Sevil Dolmacı Gallery until Jan. 30, 2026 and Özge Kahraman’s first solo exhibition, "Memory of Darkness," until Feb. 15, 2026. The Istanbul Cinema Museum continues to showcase "The Art of James Cameron" until Feb. 28, 2026, featuring the filmmaker’s sketches and work on films such as "Avatar" and "Terminator." "We’ve Been on the Carpet Since the ’90s" at SALT Beyoğlu will remain open until March 1, 2026, and the Pera Museum’s exhibition "Feelings in Common: Works from the British Council Collection" will be on view until Jan. 18, 2026.
