Istanbul's cultural life, both traditional and contemporary, is easily equal to that of London and New York, if not as well publicised. Matching the city's exploding youth population, there are a growing number of festivals, galleries, new music venues and film centres and, within the last decade, Turkish artists have begun to make an international impact. There are now a number of independent record companies in the city releasing experimental works that combine Turkish traditional artists with contemporary groups and new venues where this new music is showcased.

Existing concert venues, such as the Acik Hava Tiyatrosu (Open Air Theatre), Takisla Cadessi, Congress Valley in Harbiye, and the Ataturk Kultur Merkezi (Ataturk Cultural Centre; tel: (212) 251 5600), Taksim Square, Taksim. Istanbul also has a number of excellent art galleries and corporate cultural centres, mostly on Istiklal Caddesi and in Macka/Nisantasi. Among the most adventurous is the Borusan Culture and Art Centre, 421 Istiklal Caddesi (tel: (212) 292 0655; fax: (212) 252 4591; website: www.borusansanat.com), which is open all year round and alternates Turkish and international exhibitions of a conceptual nature.

 Music: The most reliable guide to music events in the city is fly posters and banners along Istiklal Caddesi. The only purpose-built opera house in the city is the 900-seat Ataturk Cultural Centre (AKM), which is shared by the State Opera and Ballet, the State Theatre and the State Symphony Orchestra (tel: (212) 251 5600 or 1023), as well as the Istanbul Festivals. The most stunning venue in the city, however, is the Byzantine church of Haghia Eirene on the grounds of the Topkapi Palace complex, now a museum and used by the IKSV during the Classical Music Festival in June. The most popular summer venue is the Acik Hava Tiyatrosu (Open Air Theatre), Takisla Cadessi, Congress Valley in Harbiye, which hosts Jazz Festival events and other contemporary concerts.

 Theatre: Plays by international and Turkish playwrights are frequently staged in Istanbul, many in smaller venues off Istiklal Caddesi, while the more commercial extravaganzas (such as during the Istanbul International Theatre Festival in May) are at the Ataturk Kultur Merkezi in Taksim, sometimes with digital subtitling in English. In 2000, Mozart's famous opera Abduction from the Seraglio, which had for years been staged (with difficulty) at Yildiz Palace and Topkapi, was finally filmed in the actual Topkapi Harem in a joint venture with the BBC and Antelope Productions.

 Dance: The Turkish State Opera and Ballet performs at the AKM and there are also dance performances at the Cemal Resit Rey Concert Hall, Darulbedal Caddesi in Conference Valley (tel: (212) 231 5103 or 240 5012). Performances by Istanbul's prime modern dance choreographer, Aydin Teker, however, usually take place in galleries or smaller venues and are worth checking the press for.

 Film: Foreign films (mostly Hollywood) outnumber Turkish domestic output and generally show in their original language with Turkish subtitles. Most of the city's cinemas are in Istiklal Caddesi and it is best to check the Turkish Daily News for listings or simply comb the streets. The Alkazar, Fitas, Emek and Beyoglu are good bets, with European, Turkish, and Hollywood films. Mega cinema complexes are only found at huge shopping malls in the outer suburbs. As to films set in Istanbul, Ferhan Ozpetek's Hamam (a gay romp with some nostalgic scenes of old Istanbul) won several awards at worldwide film festivals in 1998.

 Cultural events:
It is safe to say that the season kicks off with the International Istanbul Film Festival in April, the International Istanbul Theatre Festival, Fujifilm World Music Days, International Istanbul Puppet Festival and Conquest Week Celebrations in May, the International Istanbul Music Festival and International Bosphorus Festival in June. The International Istanbul Jazz Festival and Rumeli Hisari Concerts liven up July and August and the J&B Dance & Techno Festival rounds off the season in September. The coming of autumn brings with it the International Istanbul Biennale (next scheduled in 2003) and the Intercontinental Istanbul Eurasia Marathon supported by the Hash House Harriers, the Akbank Jazz Festival, Istanbul Arts Fair and Efes Pilsen Blues Festival.

 Literature
Naval officer and romantic writer, Pierre Loti was among many Orientalist Europeans disgusted by the fashion for Art Nouveau in Istanbul at the turn of the century, while Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express was written when she stayed at the Pera Palas Hotel. The work of exiled Communist poet Nazim Hikmet (d 1963) is still widely read and admired, as are the novels of Yasar Kemal (b 1922). Istanbul's most famous contemporary writer is Orhan Pamuk, whose books White Castle, Black Book and The New Life have been translated worldwide.

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Art, Culture And Entertainment

Istanbul is an international art and cultural center. The International Arts and Cultural Festival is held each year in June and July with famous artists coming from all over the world. These performances are held mostly at the Ataturk Cultural Center. The Istanbul Science Center (Bilim Merkezi), founded by the Science Center Foundation and located on the campus of Istanbul Technical University (ITU), has hands-on experimental and theoretical opportunities for adults and children of various educational levels. In March and April you can take in the International Film Festival. Those who enjoy classical music can hear it at the Cemal Resit Rey (CRR) Concert Hall. Operas, operettas, ballets, films, concerts, exhibitions and conferences all contribute to the cultural palette of the city.

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ISTANBUL ART GALLERIES

Aksanat Cultural Centre Istiklal Cad. 16-18, Beyoglu	Tel: (212) 252 35 00
Garanti Sanat Valikonagi Cad., Nisantasi	Tel: (212) 230 39 80
Is Sanat Meselik Sok., Yurekli Han Kat 2, Taksim	Tel: (212) 244 20 21
Kusav Hasfirin Cad., Sinanpasa Is Merkezi, 3rd floor, Besiktas	Tel: (212) 260 77 00, 227 34 85
Macka Mezat Macka Cad. 32, Narmanli Apt., Tesvikiye	Tel: (212) 259 45 13
Maya Istiklal Cad. 140/20, Halep Ishani, 2nd floor, Beyoglu	Tel: (212) 245 11 06
Milli Reasurans Tesvikiye Cad. 43-57, Tesvikiye	Tel: (212) 230 19 76
Nadya Gazi Evranos Cad. 33, Yesilkoy	Tel: (212) 573 81 93
Nev Macka Cad. 33/b, Macka	Tel: (212) 231 67 63
Nokta Muradiye Bayir Sok., Ece Apt. 73-75, Tesvikiye	Tel: (212) 261 45 09
Sofa Art and Antiques Swissotel Istanbul, 2nd floor up from the lobby, Macka	Tel: (212) 259 02 27
Tem Prof. Orhan Ersek Sok. 44/2, Nisantasi	Tel: (212) 247 08 99
Tesvikiye Art Gallery Abdi Ipekci Cad. 21, Nisantasi	Tel: (212) 241 04 58, 247 74 75
Urart Abdi Ipekci Cad. 21, Nisantasi	Tel: (212) 241 21 83
Vakko Istiklal Cad. 123, Beyoglu	Tel: (212) 251 40 92
Londra Asfalti, Merter	Tel: (212) 575 12 20
Yapi Kredi Gallery Istiklal Cad. 285-287, Beyoglu	Tel: (212) 252 47 00

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REGIONAL ACTIVITIES

1st Turkish Contemporary Literature Meetings 1 -31 January / ISTANBUL
Kirim Music and Dance Days 1 -28 February / ISTANBUL
2nd Turkish Theater Festival 1 -31 March / ISTANBUL
20th International Istanbul Film Festival 14-29 April / ISTANBUL
17th Child's Feast 17-23 April / ISTANBUL
4th International Crr Child's Festival 20-24 April / ISTANBUL
Fetih Celebrations 1 -31 May / ISTANBUL
Tataristan Culture Days 1 -31 May / ISTANBUL
1st Turkish Puppet Theaters Festival 1 -31 May / ISTANBUL
6th International Crr Youths Festival 12-20 May / ISTANBUL
13th International Istanbul Theater Festival 18 May-1 June / ISTANBUL
29th International Istanbul Music Festival 8 June-3 July / ISTANBUL
4th International Bogazici Festival 15-30 June / ISTANBUL
Sile Bezi Culture and Art Feast 1 -31 July / ISTANBUL
Kartal International Culture and Art Festival 25-27 August / ISTANBUL
7th International Istanbul Bienali 21 September-17 November / ISTANBUL
International Crr Mystical Music Festival 1 -30 November / ISTANBUL
Turkish Cinema Days 1 -30 November / ISTANBUL
International Crr Piano Festival 1 -31 December / ISTANBUL

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