Society and Culture in Türkiye: A Review of 2026

[TURKIYE]

Society and Culture in Türkiye: A Review of 2026

From 1 January to the beginning of 9 October: families and population, cinema and theatre, music and art, books and local festivals.

Society and culture news in Türkiye during this period ranged from statistical releases and announced policies to performances, exhibitions and events within cities. This review brings together the principal documented occasions in chronological order, then considers their relevance to readers: changes in population and family life, the processes through which art is produced, and cultural participation in everyday life.

The coverage extends beyond autumn, beginning in January and following the months through to early October. It offers a reading of the main developments that could be documented, rather than an inventory of every local activity or concert across the country. Türkiye’s size and its many institutions and municipalities leave continuing scope to add local news.

A view of Istanbul from Galata Bridge; archive photograph dated 23 January 2024, by Horrificdetective, CC0.

How Should We Read This Year’s News?

Three broad kinds of news appear in this review. The first is the publication of data: a release issued in 2026 may describe the population at the end of 2025. The second is an event taking place or an exhibition opening, with a starting date, programme and location. The third is a decision or announcement about a later programme. The administrative action has occurred, but this does not mean that the announced performance or award has already taken place.

Type of development	What happened?	Limits to interpretation
Social statistics release	Population or family data were published	The reference year remains distinct from the publication year
Opening or performance	A cultural event began and its opening was documented	A planned programme is not a final account of attendance or delivery
Competition results	The festival organiser announced winners	Each award has its own category and jury; it is not a ranking of all cinema
Announcement of a forthcoming programme	The organiser set dates or named participants	It is described as a programme still to come

January 2026

The year began with discussions about families and population, and with an art exhibition connecting opera, theatre and painting. These two strands placed society and culture alongside one another: how is the population’s structure changing, and how can art explore human experience?

January — Support for Filmmakers’ Participation
The Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts listed support for Melik Kuru, Özgür Can Uzunyaşa, Yağmur Ruken Kahraman and Burak Çevik in its cinema category, alongside three names in the performing arts.

7 January — Families and Population on a Ten-Year Social Agenda
At a meeting in Istanbul, the Ministry of Family and Social Services explained that 2026–2035 had been declared the Decade of Family and Population.

22 January — Semiha Berksoy: Aria of All Colors
Istanbul Modern opened an exhibition on Semiha Berksoy bringing together more than 200 works and connecting opera, theatre, painting and writing. The exhibition remained ongoing at the review’s cut-off, with its announced closing date in November.

26 January — Istanbul Youth Offices Begin Their First 2026 Term
Istanbul Youth Offices began their first term on 26 January, within a programme scheduled until 26 April. It offered people aged 15–29 free activities in languages, the arts and personal development, covering 13 activity areas at nine locations.

28 January — Population Policies Board Discusses Families, Work, Health and Awareness
The Population Policies Board held its third meeting at the Presidential Complex on 28 January 2026. It discussed the Population Action Plan and strands concerning work, health, education, economic incentives, communication and awareness.

February 2026

February brought releases describing society through reference figures for 2025, alongside decisions on cinema support. A figure’s announcement date differs from the date of the circumstances it measures; a funding decision, meanwhile, is a step in production before a film reaches the screen.

9 February — Population Register Results: 86.09 Million Residents at the End of 2025
Türkiye’s registered resident population stood at 86,092,168 on 31 December 2025. The median age rose from 34.4 in 2024 to 34.9 in 2025.

14 February — Cinema Support Decisions 2026/1 and 2026/2 Announced
The board decided to allocate TRY 57,827,500 to 158 applications. This included TRY 49,250,000 for 130 cinema auditoria, alongside animation, short film, screenwriting and development projects.

17 February — What Do Residents’ Answers Tell Us about Life Satisfaction?
Among people aged 18 and over, 53.3% reported being happy in 2025, compared with 49.6% in 2024. Average overall life satisfaction was 5.7 on a scale from zero to ten.

19 February — Panorama: Dreams and Places at Istanbul Modern
Panorama brings together works produced since the 2010s by 18 artists from different generations. It focuses on photography and lens-based art, incorporating installation, moving images, archives and applications of artificial intelligence.

24 February — Marriage and Divorce Figures Published
There were 552,237 marriages recorded in 2025. Divorce proceedings became final for 193,793 couples during the year.

March 2026

March brought together news about women and older people, an exhibition on the history of painting, and a local spring celebration. These occasions do not provide a single picture of every part of Türkiye, but they show the range of issues and practices within society and culture.

5 March — By the Water: The Life and Art of Halil Paşa
Pera Museum devoted an exhibition to Halil Paşa and painting’s development between the Ottoman period and the early Republic. It connected his work and approach to light and colour with his education in Paris, his production in Egypt and his life in Istanbul.

6 March — Women in Statistics: Reading Indicators by Their Reference Years
The population register recorded approximately 43,032,734 women at the end of 2025, accounting for 49.98% of residents.

12 March — Older People Account for 11.1% of the Population at the End of 2025
The population aged 65 and over numbered 9,583,059 in 2025, or 11.1% of all residents. The number of older people increased by 20.5% between 2020 and 2025.

21 March — Nevruz and the Start of the Mesir-Mixing Tradition in Manisa
Manisa’s Nevruz programme on 21 March included folk dancing, poetry, coloured-egg customs, symbolic blacksmithing and the distribution of saplings. A procession and the ritual mixing of mesir paste from 41 spices followed, symbolically opening the spring celebrations.

April 2026

April was a busy month for books, cinema and local celebrations. Book fair readers and film audiences shared the cultural calendar, while statistical releases on children added a social dimension to news about family activities.

2–4 April — Third International Library and Technology Festival at Rami Library, Istanbul
The third International Library and Technology Festival took place at Rami Library on 2–4 April. It discussed library services, community participation, sustainability and digital services, with workshops on public and green libraries.

2 April — Report on Books Given to 553 Students during Library Week in Ümraniye, Istanbul
Ümraniye Municipality’s report published on 2 April documented books distributed to 553 university students during Library Week, among users of the library and evening meal service. It did not identify a separate date on which the activity took place.

3–12 April — The 23rd Ankara Book Fair
The 23rd Ankara Book Fair opened at ATO Congresium within its 3–12 April programme. Kyrgyzstan participated as guest country and Ayla Kutlu as author of honour, alongside publishing events and literary discussions.

5 April — In the Shadow of the Tree at the Bursa Festival
Bursa hosted a performance of In the Shadow of the Tree during the 13th Balkan Theatre Festival. Inspired by Osman Gazi’s dream and Bursa’s memory, the production connected the 700th anniversary of the city’s conquest with a theatrical story.

9 April — The 45th Istanbul Film Festival
The 45th edition took place on 9–19 April. Its 23 March announcement listed 127 feature-length films and 13 shorts. The competitions comprised 15 films in the Golden Tulip section, 11 shorts and 13 films in New Visions.

14 April — Support Decisions 2026/3 and 2026/4 Announced
Support of TRY 245,090,000 was approved for 57 projects: 30 documentaries, nine debut fiction features, 16 feature films, one post-production project and one co-production.

14 April — The 21st Meetings on the Bridge
Meetings on the Bridge took place on 14–16 April with professionals from 31 countries. The results report published on 17 April recorded nine development projects, ten works in progress and four projects in the Short Film Workshop, alongside production support awards.

17–26 April — The Seventh İZKİTAP at Kültürpark, İzmir
The seventh İZKİTAP brought readers and families to Kültürpark within its 17–26 April programme. Talks, signings and space for publishers and second-hand booksellers made a visit an opportunity to discuss books as well as buy them.

19 April — Istanbul Awards at the Close of the 45th Edition
The festival closed on the evening of 19 April at The Marmara Taksim. Damien Hauser’s Memory of Princess Mumbi won the Golden Tulip, Morteza Atabaki’s 32 Metre won in New Visions, and Dalya Keleş’s Yerçekimi won the Short Film Competition.

20 April — Children in Social Statistics: Ages 0–17
The population aged 0–17 numbered 21,375,930 at the end of 2025, accounting for 24.8% of all residents.

21–26 April — The 486th International Mesir Festival Week and Closing in Manisa
Manisa’s 486th International Mesir Festival programme ran from 21 to 26 April, ending with the ritual scattering of mesir paste. The edition connected a public celebration with the local tradition whose preparatory ritual had begun in March.

May 2026

The geographical range broadened in May: theatre in Antalya, contemporary art in Mardin, celebrations in Edirne, and Culture Route programmes in Mersin and Eskişehir. These occasions show the importance of considering local programmes and settings, rather than reducing cultural activity to Istanbul.

2 May — Presenting the Decade of Family and Population Vision in Istanbul
The Ministry of Family and Social Services organised the presentation of its Decade of Family and Population vision at Haliç Congress Centre in Istanbul on 2 May 2026.

5–6 May — Kakava and Hıdırellez at Sarayiçi, Edirne
Kakava and Hıdırellez took place at Sarayiçi in Edirne on 5 and 6 May. The celebrations included lighting the Kakava fire, dancing and performances, followed by early-morning rhythms and rituals: a living tradition involving local people and visitors.

8 May — Call for Municipal Projects Supporting Older People
The Ministry of Family and Social Services invited municipalities to submit projects through its support programme for people aged 65 and over. The deadline for submission to the relevant provincial authorities was 26 June. The announcement concerned institutional proposals from municipalities, rather than general individual registration.

9–17 May — Mersin Opens Its First Culture Route Edition
Mersin opened its first Culture Route edition on 9 May, within dates announced through to 17 May. The planned programme listed 159 events at 16 locations, including workshops, discussions and children’s spaces. These figures describe the programme plan, rather than a final account of delivery.

11 May — Report on the Antalya International Theatre Festival Opening
A report published on 11 May documented the opening of the 16th Antalya International Theatre Festival, within its 8–19 May programme. The opening included a procession and performances; the announced programme brought together 23 productions and 50 performances, with workshops and children’s theatre. Venues ranged from Aspendos and the marina to cultural centres.

12 May — Changing Household Size and a Growing Share of People Living Alone
Average household size was 3.08 people in 2025, compared with four in 2008. Single-person households accounted for 20.5% of households in 2025, up from 13.9% in 2014.

14 May — 12.7 Million Young People in the End-2025 Statistics
The population aged 15–24 numbered 12,708,348 at the end of 2025, or 14.8% of all residents. In the 2025 survey, 54.4% of young people aged 18–24 reported being happy.

15 May — The Seventh Mardin Biennial: Sky and Ground
The seventh Mardin Biennial presented GÖKzemin, curated by Çelenk Bafra. SAHA documented its support for artists’ fees and the production of new works, while a state school recorded an actual student visit to the biennial in May.

16–24 May — Culture Route in Odunpazarı, Eskişehir
The Eskişehir programme began on 16 May with an opening at Odunpazarı Modern Museum, with its schedule running until 24 May. The plan included 177 events at 11 locations, spanning art, exhibitions and public activities.

21 May — The 2025 Birth Statistics: Birth Counts and Fertility Rates Are Different Measures
There were 895,374 live births in 2025. The total fertility rate was 1.42 children per woman that year.

22 May — Seaside and Nature Youth Camps for Summer 2026
The ministry announced free seaside and nature camps for people aged 12–25, scheduled from 30 June to 20 September 2026. The announcement explained that each session would last six days and that the ministry would cover participants’ transport, accommodation, food and insurance.

The historic Ramazanoğlu Medrese, used as a cultural centre in Adana; archive photograph dated 4 February 2025, by Basak, CC0. It does not depict an event in this review.

June 2026

June brought together music, exhibitions, libraries and programmes for forthcoming film production. Classical music and jazz remained distinct strands within the same city’s calendar, while the arts reached historic settings in İzmir.

4 June — The 39th International İzmir Festival
İKSEV announced the start of the 39th edition in June, within a programme extending into July. Its venues brought together Ahmed Adnan Saygun Arts Centre, the Agora, the Library of Celsus and Çeşme Castle.

9 June — Calligraphers’ Drafts and Practice Sheets at Sakıp Sabancı Museum
Sakıp Sabancı Museum began displaying drafts and practice sheets by Ottoman calligraphers from the sixteenth to the twentieth centuries. The selection draws on its Arts of the Book and Calligraphy Collection and the Kubbealtı Foundation collection.

11 June — The 54th Istanbul Music Festival
The 54th edition took place on 11–25 June under the theme Here & Now. It brought together orchestral and chamber music with open public programmes, with more than twenty concerts on its schedule. This strand places live music within city life alongside museums and cinema.

11 June — Libraries as Cultural Infrastructure: What Do the Counts Measure?
The 2025 statistics covered the Presidential Nation’s Library and National Library, alongside 1,302 public libraries, 557 university libraries and 43,466 libraries in formal and non-formal educational institutions. The library types covered held a total of 117,981,058 books.

25 June — Yoko Ono: Insound and Instructure
Sakıp Sabancı Museum is hosting a Yoko Ono exhibition comprising 67 works from more than seventy years of production. It includes instruction pieces, conceptual art, performance, film, installation and participatory works.

29 June — Applications Open for the 63rd Golden Orange
The festival announced dates of 24–31 October and TRY 11 million in prizes across 31 categories, including TRY 5 million for Best National Feature Film. Applications opened on 29 June.

30 June — The 33rd Istanbul Jazz Festival
The 33rd edition began on 30 June with Marcus Miller’s WE WANT MILES performance, and presented its Lifetime Achievement Award to Senem Diyici. The announced programme ran until 13 July; the edition had concluded by the review’s cut-off.

July 2026

Some programmes that began in June continued into July, while traditional wrestling opened in Edirne and the Culture Route programme began in Sakarya. A festival extending over two months should not be counted as two independent events, just as competition dates differ from the full accompanying week.

3–5 July — The Opening and Rituals of the 665th Kırkpınar in Edirne
Wrestling at the 665th Kırkpınar began in Edirne on 3 July, within competition dates scheduled through to 5 July. The wider programme had started on 29 June; drums, zurna, the wrestlers’ procession and the cazgır’s calls accompanied the opening.

4–12 July — Nine Cultural Days in Sakarya
Sakarya’s Culture Route programme concluded after nine days from 4 to 12 July. It combined concerts, exhibitions, children’s activities and artistic encounters in the Millet Bahçesi public park and venues around the city, showing several settings for participation.

14 July — The 2025 Internal Migration Release: Moving between Provinces
The 2025 internal migration results recorded 2,475,019 people moving between provinces during that year. The figure describes changes of residence within the country; it does not automatically encompass tourism or international migration.

29 July — New Life Tables with a Three-Year Reference Period
Life expectancy at birth was 78.5 years in the life tables for 2023–2025, published on 29 July 2026.

August 2026

August’s occasions highlight Cappadocia and Ordu. Children’s workshops, exhibitions and discussions offer examples of culture as participation within the city, extending beyond a single headline concert.

1–9 August — The Culture Route Opening in Nevşehir
The Nevşehir programme opened on 1 August, within dates scheduled until 9 August. Activities in Cappadocia included workshops, exhibitions and discussions for children and adults, with Güray Museum in Avanos participating.

12 August — Rami Library’s Award in the Green Library/Grand Scale Project Category, Istanbul
The Green Library Award results were announced on 12 August, with Rami Library taking first place in the Green Library/Grand Scale Project category. Its success concerns this specific category within the awards programme.

22–30 August — Ordu and Living Heritage on the Culture Route
Ordu opened its first Culture Route edition on 22 August at Taşbaşı Cultural Centre. The programme was announced through to 30 August and included Living Heritage: Ordu, alongside workshops, exhibitions, discussions and children’s activities.

September 2026

September brought autumn exhibitions, contemporary art and preparations for film competitions. Selecting a film for competition precedes its screening and assessment; opening an exhibition or reorganising a museum collection, meanwhile, provides a development that can be described as having begun.

4 September — Adana Announces Its Feature Film Selection
Ten features were selected, and a jury chaired by Zuhal Olcay was announced. The plan included five world premieres and the Turkish premiere of Mutter, with the 33rd edition set for 26 September–4 October.

4 September — Filmekimi’s Programme in Four Cities
The announced dates were 9–18 October in Istanbul, 15–18 October in Ankara, and 22–25 October in İzmir and Mersin. At the beginning of 9 October, screenings should not be presumed completed.

8 September — Beneath the Same Blue: A New Reading of Istanbul Modern’s Collection
Istanbul Modern presented its tenth collection exhibition in September. Its institutional announcement listed 230 works by 119 artists, including 43 works shown for the first time, with the exhibition extending across the museum’s four floors.

23 September — The 21st Contemporary Istanbul
Zilberman and Dirimart documented their participation in the 21st edition at Tersane Istanbul on 23–27 September, publishing photographs of their stand installations. The VIP preview began on the 23rd.

24 September — Readings of Six New Texts Begin at Gazhane
The playwriting workshop presented six new texts in readings on 24, 26 and 27 September on the square’s stage at Müze Gazhane. The format introduced audiences to the writing before its development into a fully produced stage work.

25 September — Antalya Film Forum Applications Close
The announcement recorded 269 applications, compared with 172 in the previous edition. The forum was scheduled for 26 and 27 October, with prizes totalling TRY 1,450,000.

25 September — Muammer Karaca Theatre Returns to the Public
Muammer Karaca Theatre reopened on 25 September after restoration, returning to audiences following its closure in 2012. The reopening featured İlk Temsil, meaning First Performance, alongside activities and an exhibition about Mengü Ertel, bringing together theatre and the venue’s memory.

26 September — Twelve Films for Antalya’s National Feature Competition
The announcement named 12 films and a jury chaired by Derviş Zaim. The plan included 12 Turkish premieres and eight world premieres, with the festival set for 24–31 October.

26 September–4 October — The Tenth Diyarbakır Book Fair
The tenth Diyarbakır Book Fair ran at the Mesopotamia centre from 26 September to 4 October, closing on 4 October. The municipality’s stand displayed publications about the city’s history, heritage, food culture and literature.

28 September — Report on Awareness Sessions for Older People in Şebinkarahisar
A report published on 28 September described meetings for older people in Şebinkarahisar district, including at tea houses, covering digital, financial and health awareness. The sessions allowed questions and the exchange of experience, without publishing a participant count or an estimate of their impact.

29 September — Frank Bowling: Creation and Destruction at Pera
Pera began displaying Frank Bowling’s work alongside works by Francis Bacon and Victor Willing, curated by Alistair Hicks. The selection spans more than six decades, including recent paintings such as Mother’s House Revisited from 2026.

29 September — The Republic Behind the Scenes: Everyday Life through Press Photographs
Pera presented selections from the Suna and İnan Kıraç Foundation’s press photography archive to mark the Istanbul Research Institute’s twentieth anniversary. The exhibition explores everyday life in the early Republic and the processes behind the production of press photographs.

October 2026

October’s opening days included new support decisions, Golden Boll results and ongoing events. This review’s coverage ends at the beginning of 9 October, keeping later programmes separate from results already announced.

1 October — Vahide Perçin and Ferzan Özpetek Honoured in Adana
Vahide Perçin and Ferzan Özpetek received honorary awards at the 33rd Golden Boll on the evening of 1 October. Recognition of their careers accompanied the festival’s screenings and competitions, before the final awards were announced.

1 October — Cultural Activities and a Group Walk for Older People in Ankara
Ankara hosted activities for the International Day of Older Persons, including music, conversations about memories, and social and cultural activities in care homes. A group walk also brought together older people, staff and local representatives.

2 October — Cinema Support Decision 2026/5
Support totalling TRY 12,325,000 was announced for 35 applications covering animation, short films, screenwriting and development.

3 October — Golden Boll Awards at Adana’s 33rd Edition
Bir Arada Yalnız won Best Film, Ali Vatansever won Best Director and Fatih Al won Best Actor. Günyüzü received the Yılmaz Güney Award and Moda Evlilik the Special Jury Award. Hazar Ergüçlü won Best Actress for Mutter; Stella ile 8 Mart won in documentary, Otel in national short film and Trading Cards in international short film.

3–11 October — GastroAntep: Events That Have Begun and Remain Ongoing, Gaziantep
GastroAntep began on 3 October within a programme running until 11 October. Events extended across several locations in the city, and the edition remained ongoing at the beginning of 9 October.

5 October — Children’s Theatre Training Programme for 2026–2028 Announced
Istanbul City Theatres announced a free two-year theatre training programme for children, covering 2026–2028. Applications were scheduled for 12–16 October, with interviews to follow. The news concerns the announcement and the opening of a forthcoming route to participation.

7 October — Premiere of Hayalî’nin Hayali, the Shadow Puppeteer’s Dream
Harbiye Muhsin Ertuğrul Stage hosted the premiere of Hayalî’nin Hayali on 7 October. Burçak Çöllü wrote the text and music, and Yiğit Sertdemir directed the production, drawing on memories of the population exchange in 1924.

Forthcoming Programmes: What Had Been Announced but Had Yet to Take Place?

The 63rd Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival is scheduled for 24–31 October. Earlier news about applications, finalists and announced prize money concerns preparations; it does not mean that films have won or prizes have been paid. The same applies to Antalya Film Forum, scheduled for 26–27 October, and the 30th Istanbul Theatre Festival, scheduled for 22 October–3 December.

For Filmekimi, the organiser published details before October of screenings in Istanbul, Ankara, İzmir and Mersin. Istanbul’s scheduled programme begins on 9 October, so this review, prepared at the start of that day, does not offer results or descriptions of screenings whose completion had yet to be established. GastroAntep, by comparison, began on 3 October and is scheduled to continue until 11 October. It is described here as ongoing, with its final account left until after it ends.

What Do These Developments Show Together?

The social releases show that following society requires more than a report about a custom or an everyday impression. Population size, age distribution and household structure are different indicators; on their own, they cannot establish people’s character or the quality of their relationships. Placing a figure alongside its definition is useful before attempting to interpret it: median age differs from life expectancy, a household differs from a network of relatives, and the number of marriages is not the proportion of all residents who are married.

In the arts, a connected sequence of work becomes visible: supporting a project, developing it, presenting it, and then assessing it in competition or displaying it in a museum. These stages help distinguish production news from audience news. A small short-film grant may matter to an emerging director’s career, and an open screening outside the main festival auditorium may bring a film to local audiences, without either step proving wider commercial success.

The occasions outside Istanbul show that geography is part of the news itself. Antalya’s theatre, the Mardin Biennial, book fairs in Ankara and İzmir, celebrations in Edirne and Manisa, and centres and workshops in Culture Route cities offer different forms of participation. A useful reading compares the activity and its relationship with its setting, without ranking cities through promotional announcements or unverified attendance figures.

Follow Your Interests in Greater Depth

For readers interested in population and families, the analytical articles provide further explanation of reference years and indicators. For cinema followers, the Istanbul and Adana articles distinguish competitions and awards from industry work. Music, jazz and exhibition articles offer examples of programmes, works and locations. Culture Route events, traditional celebrations, books and local heritage place activities in the context of cities, audiences and local memory.

Keeping this chronological sequence makes it easier to return to the news: to establish what preceded an event, what was announced during it and what happened afterwards. As the rest of the year progresses, documented November and December results can be added, without retrospectively turning this edition’s forthcoming programmes into events completed before their scheduled dates.

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