ARTANKARA 12th International Contemporary Art Fair has come to an end after a five-day celebration!
Completed with International Success and Enormous Interest
The ARTANKARA International Contemporary Art Fair, which brought art lovers together for the 12th time, took place at ATO Congresium from 25 to 29 March 2026. This year, the fair once again attracted a wide audience, including art professionals, collectors, galleries and artists, and stood out for its impressive events and strong partnerships. The VIP opening ceremony was attended by dignitaries and representatives from international art institutions, collectors, founders of participating galleries, members of the ArtAnkara Advisory Board, consuls-general and ambassadors, as well as numerous figures from the worlds of art and business.
A Strong Start: VIP Preview Day and General Visit Days
The VIP Preview Day on 25 March welcomed leading figures from the art world, renowned collectors, government representatives, members of the protocol, and the art press. Between 26 and 29 March, visitors had the opportunity to explore nearly 4,000 works by over 1,500 artists, presented by 150 exhibitors across an 18,000 m² exhibition space. Enriched by partnerships with academic institutions and cultural initiatives, the fair contributed to global diversity and artistic dialogue by hosting artists from 45 countries.
Record-breaking Attendance!
Surpassing last year’s extraordinary interest, ARTANKARA 2026 set a new record by welcoming 88,000 visitors. Strong participation from across the country, extending beyond Ankara, once again demonstrated how the fair’s significance on the international art scene continues to grow.
Honorary Award Winners Announced
As part of the prestigious ARTANKARA Honorary Awards, which recognise valuable contributions to the arts each year:
- The Artist’s Honorary Award was presented to Aydın Ayan in person by Dr. Batuhan Mumcu, Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism.
- The Contribution to the Arts Honorary Award was presented to A. Celal Binzet by Seyit Ardıç, Chairman of the ASO Board of Directors.
- The Honour Award for Contribution to the Arts (Institution Category) was presented to VEKAM (Vehbi Koç Ankara Research Centre) by Gürsel Baran, Chairman of the ATO Board of Directors, and the award was accepted by Filiz Yenişehirlioğlu, Director of VEKAM.
These awards once again recognised the achievements of individuals and institutions that shape the various dimensions of the arts.
Special Events and Social Programmes
A number of special events were organised for art lovers during the fair: a VIP Preview, an opening ceremony, and a performance by the Meriç Çalışan Jazz Band following the awards ceremony, offering art lovers a musical experience.
26 March 2026 (Thursday) — Cocktail reception at the Mustafa Ayaz Museum in collaboration with the Nightingale Group,
27 March 2026 (Friday) — Cocktail reception at the Portakal Çiçeği Residence Gallery in collaboration with Portakal Çiçeği UPSK,
Regional Impact and Cultural Diplomacy
With participation from countries including Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Syria, Georgia, Armenia, Iraq, Switzerland and Bulgaria, ArtAnkara continues to serve as a key meeting point not only for Turkey’s art ecosystem but also for those of neighbouring countries. In this regard, ArtAnkara stands out as a platform contributing to cultural diplomacy.
“We Have Nearly 1,500 Artists from 45 Countries”
Launched to foster the development of the art market, ArtAnkara has now completed its 12th year with the aim of becoming “an international fair featured in the calendars of neighbouring and surrounding countries”. Having acquired an international character from its fifth year onwards, it was included in the Ministry of Trade’s list of “high-quality and prestigious fairs” in 2026.
Talks, Launches and Interdisciplinary Gatherings
This year’s programme at the fair was not limited to exhibitions alone. With over 30 talks, more than 40 concerts, recitals, workshops and conferences, ArtAnkara offered a multi-layered cultural experience.
One of the programme’s standout figures, Nedim Gürsel, offered a fresh perspective on art history with his talk titled ‘Turkish Painters in Paris’. The launch and signing session for his book, published under the Doğan Yayınları imprint, also took place during the fair.
Art writer Kerem Topuz, meanwhile, attracted attention with his talk and book signing session on Fikret Muallâ, one of the key figures of modern Turkish painting.
Collector and founder of the Evliyagil Museum, Sarp Evliyagil, held a talk titled “Art, Fashion and Cultural Communication” alongside Human Innovation Designer Arzu Kaprol and Prof. Dr. Zeynep Karahan Uslu as part of the 12th ArtAnkara International Contemporary Art Fair. In the discussion moderated by Sarp Evliyagil, the current transformations in contemporary art, fashion and cultural communication—areas where the creative industries intersect—were presented to art enthusiasts.
Artist Nihat Odabaşı and art historian Sevil Dolmacı, who came together as part of the 12th ArtAnkara International Contemporary Art Fair, offered fair visitors an inspiring experience during a talk entitled ‘Persona and Image: Photography’s Dialogue with Art’. The duo, who continue their artistic collaborations under the Sevil Dolmacı Gallery umbrella, explored in depth the transformation of photography within modern art, the production of images, and the ways in which individual identities are reflected in art. Odabaşı’s visionary perspective, spanning from his iconic career in fashion photography to contemporary art, combined with Dolmacı’s curatorial perspective to create a dynamic intellectual encounter that drew significant attention in Ankara and challenged artistic boundaries.
Sevil Dolmacı Gallery at ArtAnkara with a Strong Line-up of Artists
Sevil Dolmacı Gallery brought together a special selection of notable figures from the international and Turkish contemporary art scenes at the Mezzanine Floor / Arakat during ArtAnkara, the 12th International Contemporary Art Fair, held at ATO Congresium from 25–29 March 2026.
ArtAnkara, which creates a dynamic space for interaction between galleries, collectors and art professionals every year, keeps its finger on the pulse of contemporary art by focusing on interdisciplinary productions. This year, Sevil Dolmacı Gallery constructed a layered narrative by bringing together artists who resonate on a global scale with figures shaping Turkey’s current artistic output within the same context.
The gallery’s selection featured prominent international artists such as Peter Halley, Bosco Sodi, Daniel Firman and Michael John Kelly, whilst works by Burhan Doğançay, a key figure in Turkish art history, were also on display for art lovers. Furthermore, artists such as Haluk Akakçe, Nilbar Güreş, Ahmet Oran and Ekrem Yalçındağ attracted attention with their works of high conceptual depth. Works by younger-generation artists and those from diverse disciplines added variety to the presentation.
The fact that Nilbar Güreş’s installation “Open Telephone Booth”, exhibited at the Turkish Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, has garnered international attention reinforces the selection’s strong emphasis on contemporary art. Spanning from painting to sculpture and from photography to installation, this presentation creates a broad field of expression centred on materials and ideas.
This content has been sourced from a news website. You can access the original article here.
“The Art of Artificial Intelligence, Artificial Intelligence in Art” Discussion at ArtAnkara: A New Era in Art Debated
The discussion titled “The Art of Artificial Intelligence, Artificial Intelligence in Art”, held on 28 March as part of the fair, featured journalists and writers Muharrem Sarıkaya and Deniz Zeyrek as speakers. The discussion addressed the impact of artificial intelligence on art, debates on creativity, and predictions for the future.
A Strategic Threshold in the Turkish Art Market
Together with ArtAnkara, ArtContact Istanbul and ArtNouva, ArtContact Istanbul forms a pivotal trio in the development of the contemporary art market in Turkey. This trio facilitates the establishment of new networks not only in commercial terms but also in terms of cultural production. Now in its 12th year, ArtAnkara continues to be one of the key fairs on Turkey’s art calendar, thanks to its structure that enhances international visibility and its interdisciplinary content. The fair, which captures the pulse of art in the capital, brought together a wide audience—from collectors and art professionals to the general public and academics—under one roof.
A Gateway to Art in Ankara: ArtAnkara and the Traces of Young Artists…
ArtAnkara has once again opened wide its doors for those who keep art alive in Ankara, who engage with it and breathe alongside it. With its corridors filled with galleries, project works concentrated on the second floor, and the standout productions of young artists, it has become not merely a fair, but a vibrant meeting place that captures the pulse of today’s art scene.
Art On Supports Young Artists
Ece Köksal, Director of Art On Istanbul—which has been operating since 2011 under the ownership of collectors Oktay Duran and Nil Duran—stated that the gallery’s core mission is to contribute to Turkish contemporary art by creating opportunities for young and independent artists. Referring to talented artists who have not yet made a name for themselves in the art world, she said: ‘Our aim is to raise their profile by introducing them to collectors.’ The works exhibited at the Art On Istanbul stand at ArtAnkara 2026 attracted considerable interest.
This content has been sourced from a news website. You can access the original article here.
DG Art Gallery & Project Selection
DG Art Gallery & Project was shaped by the vision and passion of its founder, Dursun Gündoğdu. Having developed a deep understanding of the art world since 1990, Gündoğdu has taken his journey, which began in the antiques trade, a step further by founding DG Art Gallery & Project, thereby advancing his passion for art.
Embracing the belief that “art is for everyone”, Gündoğdu aims to ensure that art reaches a wide audience in the light of this philosophy. Today, DG Art Gallery & Project offers art consultancy and sales services on a global scale, showcasing works by renowned artists spanning from Asia to the Americas.
Based in Istanbul, DG Art Gallery & Project welcomed art enthusiasts to the 12th International Contemporary Art Fair of ArtAnkara, one of Turkey’s prestigious art events, featuring artists Kadir Akyol and Erkut Terliksiz.
The selection features works from Kadir Akyol’s series “SAKURA & INCEPTION: The Memory of Transience”, in which he reinterprets cultural figures on patterned fabric surfaces. The exhibition space has been designed to form a spatial unity with the wallpaper created by Minimal Contract.
Alongside works by Erkut Terliksiz titled “WHAT SHALL WE DO WITH THIS HEART NOW?”, which centre on his grotesque and narrative style, two iconic skateboards designed as part of the The Skateroom x Erkut Terliksiz project—a collaboration between DG Art Gallery & Project and The Skateroom’s first-ever project with a Turkish artist—were also on display for visitors throughout the fair.
This content has been sourced from a news site affiliated with DG Art. You can access the original article here.
After Days Filled with Full of Art
ARTANKARA has once again demonstrated the unifying power of art. The fair, which continues to grow year on year, continues to offer art lovers a unique experience. This year, the United Painters and Sculptors Association and All Art Galleries Associaton of Turkey played a significant role in the fair’s organisation, whilst TAV Airports, as the promotional sponsor, helped the event reach a wider audience.
ARTANKARA, the capital’s most important art event, is preparing to welcome art lovers with an even stronger programme from 17–21 March 2027!
