The Turkey Workshop, officially established through an agreement between İKSV and Cité des Arts, welcomed its first resident artist on 1 July 2009—the launch date of the Turkey Season in France. During this initial period, the workshop was coordinated by Çelenk Bafra, Artistic Coordinator for the Visual Arts programme of the Turkey Season and İKSV’s appointed representative.
Between 1 July 2009 and 31 December 2010, artist selections were carried out by Çelenk Bafra and Banu Dicle, President of the SİMİT Association, as part of the Turkey Season. Following the conclusion of the Season, the responsibility for managing the workshop was transferred to İKSV’s International Projects department.
From 2009 to 2025, the workshop hosted 55 artists from Turkey. In 2025, its scope was expanded to include cultural practitioners working in music and literature alongside those in the visual arts. Since then, the programme has offered an opportunity each year for two visual artists, one musician, and one writer to live and work in Paris. Selected participants are determined through an open call, reviewed by three separate selection committees composed of professionals with recognised expertise in their respective fields.
Visual Arts Committee:
- Founding Member: Çelenk Bafra
- SİMİT Representative: Özer Dicle
- İKSV Representative: Kevser Güler
- Art Professionals: Yasemin Özcan and Sena Başöz
Music Committee:
- İKSV Representatives: Yeşim Gürer Oymak and Rânâ Uludağ
- Music Industry Professional: Ahmet Uluğ
Literature Committee:
- İKSV Representative: Didem Ermiş Sezer
- Writers: Yiğit Bener and Sibel Oral
As part of the updates introduced in 2025, the programme now accepts applications annually. Selected artists are announced in four seasonal cohorts: January–March, April–June, July–September, and October–December, following the evaluations of the selection committees. The workshop is open to artists and practitioners working in the fields of visual arts, experimental film, design, performance, music, and literature.
Applications are assessed based on the artist’s portfolio, the project proposal outlined in their letter of intent, the compatibility of the project with the conditions at Cité des Arts, and the relevance of working in Paris to the development of the proposed work. Artists may apply with either new or ongoing projects.