İstanbul Gelişim University continues to support its students' multifaceted development through its work in culture and the arts, alongside its academic achievements. Bringing scientific output together with art, IGU draws attention through events aimed at the preservation of cultural heritage and the encouragement of artistic production. As part of this effort, the 2nd Traditional SATMER Culture and Arts Festival, organized by İstanbul Gelişim University's Center for Art and Design Practice and Research (SATMER), brought together different disciplines of art under one roof and was held over three days to strong attendance and great interest.
The Unifying Power of Art Comes to Life at İstanbul Gelişim University
The festival's opening program was attended by IGU Rector Prof. Dr. Bahri Şahin, İstanbul Deputy Governor Mustafa Asım Alkan, Bakırköy Mayor Assoc. Prof. Ayşegül Ovalıoğlu, Avcılar District Governor Orhan Burhan, Avcılar District Director of National Education Özcan Şahin, IGU Faculty of Fine Arts (FFA) Dean Prof. Şükran Güzin Ilıcak Aydınalp, academics, students, artists, and numerous art lovers.Rector Prof. Dr. Bahri Şahin: "SATMER Adds Power to Our University's Cultural Vision"
IGU Rector Prof. Dr. Bahri Şahin, speaking at the opening program, stated that the work SATMER has carried out in a short time since its establishment represents an important academic and cultural gain for the university. Noting that production-focused activities in art and design make an important contribution to İstanbul Gelişim University's development vision, Şahin emphasized that the university continues to provide societal benefit through cultural and arts events alongside its scientific output.
Bakırköy Mayor Assoc. Prof. Ayşegül Ovalıoğlu also noted in her address that the development İstanbul Gelişim University has demonstrated in a short time is no coincidence, and stated that the university is producing exemplary work in art and culture through its strong management approach and qualified academic staff.
İstanbul Deputy Governor Mustafa Asım Alkan drew attention to İstanbul Gelişim University's success in international rankings and its high international student capacity, noting that the university has become an important education brand on a global scale. He stated that the SATMER Culture and Arts Festival makes important contributions to cultural development through its scope and multifaceted structure.
"We Aim to Make the Festival a Brand Event on an International Scale"
SATMER Director and Organizing Committee Chair Asst. Prof. Mustafa Günay, who delivered the festival's opening remarks, noted that SATMER was established within İstanbul Gelişim University in 2024 as a first in Türkiye, and stated that the center has made important contributions at the national and international level in a short time. Günay noted that exhibitions, scientific publications, patent work, concerts, workshops, and artistic projects have made an important contribution to SATMER's development.Emphasizing in his address that the festival is not merely a cultural and arts event, Mustafa Günay stated that the festival — which brings together traditional arts and contemporary art disciplines — makes visible through art the important concepts of our time such as sustainability, recycling awareness, intercultural interaction, and innovative thinking. Günay, who expressed the goal of transforming the festival into a brand event on an international scale in the long term, drew attention to the powerful effect of art in societal transformation.
Three Art-Filled Days: From Workshops to Performances
After the speeches, special artworks were presented to İstanbul Deputy Governor Mustafa Asım Alkan and IGU Rector Prof. Dr. Bahri Şahin. Plaques were presented to the artists featured in the festival, and the ribbon was cut to officially launch the event.After the opening ceremony, the protocol delegation toured the festival areas and came together with the artists. Bringing together 25 different art disciplines — 20 applied and 5 performance — ranging from caricature and calligraphy to ebru and epoxy design, from gemstone craft to textile arts, the festival attracted strong interest from participants.
Over the three-day festival, concerts, talks, theater performances, mime shows, and live art events were held. The festival, which was completed with strong interest from IGU students and academics as well as numerous art lovers from outside the university, drew attention for its art-filled atmosphere.
A Strong Contribution from İstanbul Gelişim University to Culture and the Arts
The 2nd Traditional SATMER Culture and Arts Festival stood out as an important event that strengthened the university–art–society interaction by bringing traditional and contemporary art disciplines together on the same platform. İstanbul Gelişim University continues to attract attention not only through its academic achievements, but also through the contributions it makes to art, cultural development, and societal interaction through the cultural and arts events it organizes.
