Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) honours producers of the arts and culture of exceptional achievements, and encourages new productions and promising young artists with award presentations every year.

Appraising outstanding examples of cinema at the Istanbul Film Festival with 21 awards, flanked by the Golden Tulips that are presented to national and international films under several categories upon evaluation by the selection committee, İKSV also facilitates the realisation and promotion of new film projects by awards at its coproduction and film development platform, Meetings on the Bridge.

İKSV contributes to the career of a young classical musician once every year with the Aydın Gün Encouragement Award since its 40th anniversary in 2012, and applauds distinguished translations of literary works from other languages to Turkish with the Talât Sait Halman Translation Award, established in 2015 in memoriam of the first Cultural Minister of Turkey and the former president of İKSV’s Board of Trustees, Talât Sait Halman. İKSV also supports emerging opera soloists around the world with award presentations once every three years at the Leyla Gencer Voice Competition, dedicated to the estimable memory of ‘La Diva Turca’, Leyla Gencer.

Paying its tributes to auteurs with unique contributions in the arts with Lifetime Achievement Awards every year at the Istanbul Music, Film, and Jazz Festivals, İKSV also honours influential artists in cinema, music and performing arts with Honorary Awards at the Istanbul Film, Music and Theatre Festivals.

İKSV supports art and cultural production with the SaDe: Artist Support Fund and Women Stars of Tomorrow: Young Women Musicians Support Fund

Yukarı