The International Istanbul Children and Youth Art Biennial will take part in the fourth ArtContact International Contemporary Art Fair, held this year from 23 to 26 May.
With the motto “We create the right climate for raising creative new generations”, the Biennial – a world first – is an international arts education organisation created by PALETDER (Palet Culture, Art and Education Association). It presents the artistic work of children and young people aged 4–18 to audiences at professional standards, enabling its national and international participants to take their place in contemporary art and to share their original work with the public in public spaces.
Held for the seventh time this year under the theme “HOPE”, the Biennial hosts art projects by 5,250 children and young people from 25 provinces and 12 countries, creating a space for artistic exchange grounded in multiculturalism on a global scale.
One of the most comprehensive art organisations in the world and the “only” children and youth art platform of its kind, the Istanbul Children and Youth Art Biennial brings children and young people from Turkey and around the world together in Istanbul every two years around a new, “unifying” theme, enabling them to create and exhibit original works of art that offer “hope” for the future.
At the Biennial, children and young people can create work in a wide range of fields, from painting, sculpture, photography, installation and video to performing arts such as performance, dance and music, and on to digital art and contemporary art practices. Through the projects they develop, they also lead the way in building effective intercultural communication.
In addition, through a comprehensive Biennial Programme prepared in collaboration with nearly 100 NGOs and public and private institutions, the Biennial aims to raise the quality of arts education through teacher training, workshops, talks, meetings with artists and other events; to contribute to the development of young artists and key players in the cultural industries; and, in the long term, to create new producers and followers of arts and culture.
Enriched by the exhibitions, concerts, events and workshops of students on their way to becoming creative individuals who shape the future, as well as producers and audiences of arts and culture, the Istanbul Children and Youth Art Biennial is followed by a wide audience of writers, artists, art lovers, teachers, students, parents and members of the press.
39 Countries, More Than 300,000 Visitors
Across the seven Biennials held between 2010 and 2024, 2,742 projects took part from 43 countries and 59 provinces of Turkey; 39,723 children and young people participated with their works, projects and stage performances; 2,945 schools, NGOs and institutions were represented at the Biennial; and 8,984 teachers produced and managed projects, guiding students throughout the events. In all, 345,754 students and adults attended the Biennials as visitors.
Selected from the 7th Istanbul Children and Youth Art Biennial for the Art Contact 4th International Contemporary Art Fair, the projects “Ekolojik Denge” and “Yeryüzü Nefes Alsın” by Kocaeli Güzel Sanatlar Lisesi, which were also among the opening performances, draw particular attention to the relationship between people and nature. Students from Kocaeli Güzel Sanatlar Lisesi are also included in the Art Contact selection with the works “Zihnimizdeki O Bahçe”, “Yeniden Doğuş” and “Colour in the Dark”.
The relief masks titled “Umudu Aramak” by Istanbul Aydın Doğan Güzel Sanatlar Lisesi were made from casts of the students’ own faces and represent the young people’s hopes for their future academic success.
The installation “Yolculuk”, selected from Ayvalık Sabahat-Cihan Şişman Güzel Sanatlar Lisesi, draws attention to the hopes of children forced to leave their homelands.
The drawings “Işığa Ulaşmak” and “Umuda Tırmanış” by Ankara Mamak Güzel Sanatlar Lisesi depict a rise from darkness into light, while “Geçmişin Gölgesi Geleceğin Umudu” by İzmit Bilim ve Sanat Merkezi shows that art is a renewed source of hope in every age. Also chosen for the Art Contact 4th International Contemporary Art Fair, through a special selection from the 7th Istanbul Children and Youth Art Biennial, are “Kollektif Izdırap” by Özel Moda Güzel Sanatlar Lisesi, “Parçalanmadan Bütünleşme” by Kadıköy Alev Alatlı Bilim ve Sanat Merkezi, “Umudun Dili” and “Bence Değişim” by FMV Özel Işık İlkokulu, “Çekirdek” by Halkalı Bilfen İlkokulu ve Ortaokulu, “Küllerinden Doğmak” by Bursa Nilüfer Çakır Okulları and “Sevgiyle” by Ulus Musevi Okulları.
General coordination, selection and display for the Biennial’s area at Art Contact were carried out by Kader Akçay and Nur Bardakçı.
With its Art Contact Biennial Selection, the Istanbul Children and Youth Art Biennial continues to be a source of “HOPE” for young people’s future journeys in art.
