Istanbul Biennial 2027 Open Call: Theme, Application Requirements and Deadline

[عناقيد]

Istanbul Biennial 2027 Open Call: Theme, Application Requirements and Deadline​

Artists in Türkiye and abroad can submit projects addressing war and its effects. Here are the scope and required files.

Artİstanbul Feshane, the announced main biennale venue. An archival exterior photograph from October 2023, not a photograph of the 2027 exhibition.
Photograph: Dick Osseman (Dosseman), CC BY-SA 4.0, scaled display without cropping.​

⁦⁩ What is the open call?​

The organisers of the 19th Istanbul Biennial have invited artists across disciplines to propose projects addressing war and its effects critically. The call is one research strand, not the exhibition’s entire theme.

Artists from Türkiye and abroad may apply. Read the call’s thematic text and connect the proposal to it; submitting a file does not guarantee selection.

⁦⁩ Application and exhibition dates​

Applications opened on 19 October 2026 and close on 22 November 2026 at 23:59 Istanbul time. Submission is online; allow time for uploading rather than waiting until the last moment.

The biennial is scheduled for 18 September to 14 November 2027, with Artİstanbul Feshane as the main venue. Further venues and the full conceptual framework are to be announced; this is an announced plan, not a report of a completed exhibition.

Item	Requirement or date
Eligibility	Artists and students over 18 from Türkiye and abroad; direct war experience is not required.
Proposal	Up to 3500 characters excluding spaces; file at most 10 MB.
Portfolio	At most 100 MB; PDF preferred, with other formats accepted by the platform.
Language and submission	Turkish or English via Slideroom, not email.
Application deadline	22 November 2026 at 23:59 Istanbul time, UTC+3.
Planned results	February 2027 by email; an interview may come first.
Planned exhibition	18 September–14 November 2027; Artİstanbul Feshane is the main venue.

⁦⁩ Who and what is the call for?​

The call welcomes artists across disciplines in Türkiye and abroad whose work addresses war and its effects critically and sensitively. The official FAQ clarifies that direct experience of war is not required: the proposal must engage with the call’s focus. Artists and students over 18 may apply, with no announced upper age limit.

The call is distinct from the full biennial framework, which is expected later. Ask the organiser if the nature of your work or file format is unclear.

⁦⁩ Prepare the project proposal​

Explain the idea, medium, context and intended work in relation to the call. The organiser limits the proposal to 3,500 characters excluding spaces and a maximum file size of 10 MB.

Check character count and file size before uploading; characters are not words. Applications may be submitted in Turkish or English.

For a readable proposal, start with the project’s question and explain how the work responds: what will an audience see or hear, and through which medium? Distinguish an existing work from an unproduced idea and describe its current stage. This is a suggested way to organise a clear application, not a mandatory template imposed by the organiser.

The official FAQ prefers PDF files while allowing other formats through the platform. Ongoing projects and previously exhibited work may be submitted. More than one project can be included within a single application and one PDF; permission to submit previous work does not mean it has been selected.

⁦⁩ Prepare your portfolio​

Attach a portfolio showing your previous work and experience, with a maximum size of 100 MB. Select understandable examples and add brief context where useful.

Make sure the saved files open and that the images and other material can be used in the application under the organiser’s terms. Keep a private copy and avoid sharing information you do not want disclosed.

Organise the portfolio so that a reader can identify each work’s title, year, medium and your role in a collaboration. Use clear images and reduce file sizes without losing essential detail. For video, the FAQ allows a link in the PDF with the access password, work title and date; test it without relying on your own signed-in session.

Groups or collectives can make one application. Agree on a contact person and check participants’ names and roles before submission. Keep contact details distinct from the work description and obtain the permissions needed to include other people’s material.

⁦⁩ Submit and follow up​

Apply through the organiser’s online form on Slideroom, uploading the proposal and portfolio in the specified fields. Enter your details on the official platform and retain any submission confirmation.

The organisers may later interview selected artists in person or online. The announcement does not promise that every applicant will be selected or give a guaranteed result date; check for updates.

Files sent by email are not accepted as an alternative to the application platform. Use email for clarification, then complete the submission online. Keep the final file version, date and any submission confirmation: a saved file on your device does not establish that it was submitted.

The organiser plans to notify applicants by email in February 2027 after assessment. This is a planned period rather than a guaranteed day, and an interview may precede a result. Do not commit to travel or transporting work simply because you applied; discuss selection and production arrangements with the organiser if selected.

⁦⁩ A short checklist before the deadline​

Read the invitation, identify how your project fits, and check the character count, both file sizes, language and form fields. Open the files once more and keep the submission confirmation.

If an upload fails or you need clarification about eligibility or format, use the organiser’s published contact details before the deadline. Check the announcement again in case procedures or dates change.

An organisational example: an artist has a completed video and a proposed installation. They briefly describe both in one PDF, distinguish existing and proposed work, provide a working viewing link and necessary password, then check the character count and both file sizes. This example organises a proposal; it does not establish eligibility or predict its assessment.

⁦⁩ Common questions​

Can artists outside Türkiye apply?
Yes. The organiser says the call is open to artists from Türkiye and abroad across disciplines.

Which languages are accepted?
Turkish or English, according to the announcement.

Is participation guaranteed after submission?
No. The organisers select artists for further consideration and may interview them.

Is the limit 3,500 words?
No. The proposal limit is 3,500 characters excluding spaces, not words.

Must I have directly experienced war?
The official FAQ does not require it; the work must engage critically and sensitively with the call’s focus.

Can I email files if uploading fails?
Email files are not assessed instead of an online application; contact the organiser early to resolve problems.

When is a result expected?
The planned period for notifying applicants by email is February 2027 after assessment, without a guaranteed day.

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