The second-period group of young artists of the Art for Goodness Association's Atölye|Pasaj project will exhibit their works at Artweeks@Akaretler, to be held at Akaretler Sıraevler in Istanbul's Beşiktaş district from Sept. 3 to Sept. 22 and bring together a myriad of art lovers, artists and collectors.

Artweeks@Akaretler, to be organized by Bilgili Holding and Sabiha Kurtulmuş and supported by UBS, the world's largest asset managing company, will present 72 artworks by six young artists of Atölye|Pasaj. Aysun Telli, Bengü Toksöz, Ezgi Kılıç, İbrahim Özsözgün, Merve Topuz and Seher Yılmaz are among these artists. The sneak preview of the exhibition will take place on Sept. 2 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. All exhibitions and interviews at the event will be free of charge.

Arts district

Artweeks@Akaretler will host the works of local and foreign artists for three weeks at Akaretler Sıraevler. Built in 1875 by Armenian architect Sarkis Balyan, following the instruction of Sultan Abdulaziz, Akaretler Sıraevler offers a total usable area of 60,000 square meters. Hosting offices, luxury residences, shops, cafes and restaurants, Akaretler will present Artweeks@Akaretler for three weeks until Sept. 22.

Supporting project

In line with the purpose of its founding, the Art for Goodness Association launched its Atölye|Pasaj project on Nov. 21, 2016 with the participation of new graduates of the Painting Department of the Faculty of Fine Arts at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University. The workshops within the context of the project were organized under the supervision of professor Nedret Sekban at the Painting Department of the Faculty of Fine Arts at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, who is also the project coordinator and one of the masterminds of the project, and lecturer and painter Aslı Özok.

The first-period group of young artists of the Art for Goodness Association's Atölye|Pasaj project successfully completed workshops that lasted about one year, offering their works to art lovers at an exhibition at GaleriDeniz in Esentepe last March.


Team of Atölye|Pasaj.

Selin Bozkurt, the chairwoman of the board of directors of the Art for Goodness Association, said that they initiated the Atölye|Pasaj project to make successful and promising young candidates with limited opportunities continue their art life in a metropolis like Istanbul after graduating from school. Emphasizing that there are no similar projects in Turkey in this sense, Bozkurt continued: "During our interviews with artists at our regular workshop visits for three years, we have seen that being successful and well-educated are not enough to become an artist. To continue the production of art, there must be financial means as well. Under our project, as an association, we provide all the necessary financial means for young artists to continue their art production for a year." Underlining that they strive to ensure that successful, promising and selected valuable talents focus only on production, Bozkurt continued: "Surely, we see very good results in the end. Besides, our young artists are nourished by working together in the workshop environment which is reflected in the development of the works they produce throughout the year."

Touching on the importance of Artweeks@Akaretler, Bozkurt said: "We have fulfilled our promise to our young artists. They will have the opportunity to exhibit their works at such an important event. We are proud and happy to support our youth through concrete projects." According to Bozkurt, young artists will go to the Venice Biennial after the exhibition. Before the trip, they will be informed about the biennial through a special training program to be provided by art consultants.

Bozkurt invited art professionals and gallery and art consultants to the exhibition that they will hold on the second floor of building number 23 to explore young talents. Extending thanks to Sabiha Kurtulmuş, one of the organizers of Artweeks@

Akaretler, for her interest in and support for the project, Bozkurt said that they address every subject connected to the exhibition meticulously and professionally.