The İzmir Cultural Policies Workshop, organized by İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, continued with panels and sessions attended by experts from various fields. Discussions focused on the role of culture in sustainable development, cultural heritage, creative industries, and digitalization. The Draft Cultural Policy Document, prepared as the starting point of a collaborative policy-making process, was also comprehensively evaluated.

Following the opening speeches of the İzmir Cultural Policies Workshop, held on 7–8 May under the theme “İzmir Speaks Through Culture,” participants exchanged ideas and policy recommendations during the sessions. The summit, hosted at the Historical Coal Gas Factory Cultural Center, brought together academics and experts, representatives of civil society organizations, local administrators, bureaucrats, council members, and members of the business community.

“Culture Is Not Limited to Artistic Activities”
Opening the second part of the programme, the Deputy Secretary General of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, Prof. Dr. Pınar Okyay, shared information about the municipality’s work in the field of culture. “We know how important data-driven governance is. We have gained substantial knowledge about İzmir’s cultural ecosystem. We are aware that culture is one of the fundamental pillars of sustainable development. Culture is not limited to artistic activities. It is directly related to democracy, participation, heritage, creativity, environment, and social inclusion,” Okyay said.
She added that the municipality is examining a wide range of topics including well-being, healthy urban life, the relationship between culture and ecology, and gastronomy in order to identify areas requiring further development.

Six Main Principles of the Draft Policy Document Introduced
Prepared as the workshop’s discussion framework, the Draft İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Cultural Policy Document was structured around six main themes: “Defining Culture as a Right and Access to Culture,” “Cultural Governance and Institutional Capacity Building,” “Cultural Economy and Creative Industries,” “Protection and Adaptive Reuse of Cultural Heritage,” “Climate Crisis, Ecology and Cultural Policies,” and “Digitalization, New Technologies and Cultural Policies.” Each theme includes both concrete policy proposals and discussion questions highlighting areas of choice and structural challenges.

Prof. Dr. Pınar Okyay emphasized that the document is still in draft form. “By the end of these two days, the document will take its final shape. We should see this as a beginning. We are turning this participatory process into a policy document. Your suggestions, criticisms, and contributions are extremely valuable to us,” she said.
Following Okyay’s remarks, a session titled “Global Trends in Cultural Policies and Türkiye” was held.

“We See Culture as a Fundamental Element in Building Sustainable Cities”
Delivering key messages during the programme he moderated, the Secretary General of UCLG-MEWA, Mehmet Duman, underlined the importance of culture. “Our hope is to expand such festivals and initiatives across the country in cooperation with local governments. Today, cultural policies have evolved into a comprehensive framework encompassing preservation, accessibility, governance, and sustainability,” Duman said.
“We see culture as a fundamental element in building sustainable cities. Through the work we carry out in different cities, we contribute to the sharing of local experiences. Our aim is to evaluate culture not only as a legacy of the past, but also as a dynamic force shaping the present and future of cities, while developing a shared vision for more resilient urban environments,” he added.

“Culture Is a Tool for Development”
The member of UNESCO Türkiye Committee of Experts on the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Erman Demir, delivered a presentation titled “Sustainability: City and Culture.” Addressing participants through a series of questions, Demir said:
“What kind of city does İzmir want to become? Or is there even a need for such categorization? Culture is a tool for development. I hear this at every meeting I attend, and I believe there is now broad consensus on the issue. However, when we talk about development, we should avoid reducing culture solely to commerce. Policy-making requires patience. The process we are carrying out today must be discussed collectively with all stakeholders.”

Emphasis on the Importance of Cultural Heritage
Speaking about the significance of the workshop, the Secretary General of ICOMOS Türkiye National Committee, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Koray Güler, emphasized the need to approach cultural policies from a multidimensional perspective. “Democracy is essential, and world peace is essential. We have witnessed destruction in our geography, as humanity has throughout history,” Güler said.

Referring to cultural heritage, Güler underlined the importance of involving local governments and independent cultural actors in decision-making processes. “The cultural economy is also important, but we must maintain a balanced and sensitive approach. When economic concerns dominate this balance, cultural heritage is damaged. Overtourism, commercialization, commodification, and pressures of spatial production lead to a loss of authenticity in many areas. Rather than rejecting the cultural economy, we should rethink it,” he stated.

“Protecting Rights on the Basis of Peace Is Essential”
Highlighting İzmir’s development in the field of culture, the Coordinator of UCLG Culture Committee, Jordi Pascual, stated that İzmir first became a pilot city and later one of the leading cities within the network. “Using and managing power is always difficult. However, our objective is to protect rights on the basis of peace through the participation of all actors and stakeholders. Human development is important for us, and within this framework we believe local governments play a crucial role,” Pascual said.

İzmir Through Data
Alongside the programme, the İzmir Mediterranean Academy Academic Board Meeting was also held as a parallel session. During the session titled “İzmir’s Cultural Ecosystem Through Data,” Prof. Dr. Şebnem Gökçen from İzmir University of Economics and Dr. Bengi Polat from İzmir Katip Çelebi University shared key findings and analyses.

Referring to earlier studies conducted on culture in the city, Gökçen stated: “İzmir had already begun efforts to define its own profile and understand its position among cities. Today’s process is the continuation of the Cultural Workshop initiated in 2009.”
Her presentation included analyses covering cultural heritage sites, archaeological areas, libraries and conservation zones, art institutions and venues, cultural centers, visual and performing arts, cultural consumption and media, spending patterns, digital transformation, local publishing, cultural tourism, tourist mobility, accommodation infrastructure, thematic routes, culture and arts education, and social organization.

Dr. Bengi Polat, meanwhile, shared statistical data regarding cultural governance, local government financing, and the management of culture at the urban scale by İzmir Metropolitan Municipality. Polat highlighted issues including the distribution of theatres, accessibility, and increasing demand for museums.
Comparing İzmir with İstanbul and Ankara, Polat noted that İzmir stands out in terms of visitor numbers, while also pointing out declining budget allocations, districts lacking cultural investment, and the impacts of tourism. She further emphasized that İzmir Metropolitan Municipality plays a decisive role in the city’s cultural production process.
The first day of the workshop concluded with thematic roundtable meetings.
 

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