Supported by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism and sponsored by Türk Telekom and PASHA Bank, the 5th Istanbul Digital Art Festival (IDAF), brought to life by Mezo, is set to reunite leading figures in digital art from both Türkiye and around the world with art enthusiasts at the Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM).
As Türkiye’s first and only international digital art festival, IDAF will run until June 15, offering a rich program featuring world-renowned artists, humanoid robots, workshops for children and youth, engaging panel discussions and captivating visual and auditory performances.
This year’s theme, “Connecting,” emphasizes the fluid interaction between humans and technology, a relationship that each artwork uniquely explores.
IDAF proudly presents works from internationally acclaimed institutions such as the Ars Electronica Festival and the Artechouse digital art museum, bringing their cutting-edge pieces to Istanbul’s art lovers for the first time.
Led by Festival Director Nabat Garakhonava and Artistic Director Esra Özkan, the festival’s curatorial team includes prominent figures Rahim Ünlü, Samed Karagöz, Niyazi Erdoğan, Evgeniya Romanidi and Avind, Türkiye’s first curator specializing in artificial intelligence.
This year’s festival will showcase more than 80 contributors – including both individual artists and innovative digital art collectives – from countries such as Australia, South Korea, Brazil and Germany. Visitors will experience works by renowned digital art studios and artists such as Universal Everything, Orkhan Mammadov, Jonathan Monaghan, Arzu Kaprol, Bahar Ceren, Begüm Aydınoğlu, Ozan Türkkan, Ranksss, Pedro Harres and Ada Eden.
Over the course of five days, IDAF will present workshops designed for children, young people and adults alike, offering hands-on opportunities to engage with digital art. Alongside these interactive sessions, the festival will host panel discussions addressing the complex interplay of technology and creativity. Attendees will explore themes like the architecture of connection between humans and machines, the imaginative worlds created by digital artists and the ongoing debate over whether digital culture still holds a place as a public culture.
The panels will also consider how narratives are constructed through digital art, the digital preservation and transformation of Türkiye’s cultural heritage and the ways data drives contemporary artistic practices. Discussions will focus on the expanding role of humans in an increasingly digital design context, as well as the journey of creative ideas from conception to coded reality.
On the final day, young theatergoers will be treated to “Little Prince, Where Are You?” – a digital and interactive children’s play that offers a fun and immersive theatrical experience.
Festival Director Nabat Garakhonava expressed pride in the festival’s expanding international stature. Having premiered a pre-show in Paris and gained attention through its participation in the “Heyday of Creative Industries” section of Türkiye’s Pavilion at Osaka EXPO 2025, IDAF continues to strengthen its presence on the global stage.
“It is a great honor for our country to have another internationally recognized brand in the field of digital art,” Garakhonava said. “Türkiye is now one of the leading countries that comes to mind when digital art is mentioned. We are grateful to all our supporters and warmly invite art lovers of all ages to rediscover the digital world through our festival.”
