Public Engagement in the Arts, the sixth report prepared within the scope of cultural policy studies of İKSV, conducted under a separate directorate since 2010, is now published. With the aim of introducing policy approaches that strengthen public engagement in the arts, the report takes a step forward and offers suggestions in facilitating active participation of the audience in cultural and artistic events by means of bridging the distance between the audience and arts institutions, deepening the audience experience and diversifying the audience profile.
Public Engagement in the Arts embraces the standpoint of "culture for all" en route to increasing access and participation to cultural life, while striving to understand who the "users" of the field of culture and arts are in Turkey. The report intends to describe the motivations of those who participate in cultural life, reasons for those who cannot, and individual, environmental, physical, material; security and communication related obstacles behind participation. It tries to find ways to discuss public engagement in the arts by addressing the need for education at and collaboration between arts institutions, bringing life to localisation processes, adopting innovative approaches in events programming and actively making use of digital technologies, with the aid of concrete proposals. It takes a picture of artistic and cultural universe in Istanbul, in the company of data about audience and cultural consumption, and glimpses at the role of cultural institutions and all the other agents in improving public engagement in the arts.
Edited by independent cultural policy researcher Dr. Ayça İnce with the assistance of İKSV Cultural Policty Studies Research Specialist Ceren Yartan, the report includes the results of an independent study, as well as two studies conducted by İKSV and GfK Research Company, and field study conducted from September to December 2016. Face to face interviews undertaken by researcher Rumeysa Kiger on 17 public or private sponsored and independent institutions constitutes the best practices put forth by the report. Among these institutions are Akbank Sanat, Arter, Borusan Sanat, Depo, Emek Sahnesi, İstanbul Modern, Kumbaracı50, Mekan Artı, Moda Sahnesi, Pera Museum, Sakıp Sabancı Museum, SALT, Zorlu PSM, Sinemia, İyi Sahne, Atatürk Library and Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Lifelong Education Centre (İSMEK).