İKSV Alt Kat and İKSV Cultural Policy Studies organised an international talk series titled Early Childhood Development and Culture-Arts on 17 and 18 September, 2019 with the support of the Bernard Van Leer Foundation. The series, which is based on the transforming effect of familiarising with art in early childhood, has brought experts and culture professionals from Turkey and abroad together at İKSV Alt Kat: Learning and Interaction Space.
During these two days, child-focused experts and culture professionals delivered speeches focussing on different disciplines ranging from space design to festivals, from music to visual culture. In the speech series, the individual, environmental and social effects of children's meeting with art from an early age were discussed through good examples from different cities of the world.
In the series’ first session, that began with Bernard van Leer Foundation Representative in Turkey Yigit Aksakoğlu’s keynote address, the data from the new report published by İKSV under the scope of Cultural Policy Studies “From Early Childhood To Youth: Growing Up With Art” in which the relationship between art and child and youth development is examined, was presented by the writer of the report faculty member of Boğaziçi University Prof. Dr Feyza Çorapçı and İKSV Director of Cultural Policy Studies Özlem Ece.
Other sessions and speakers in the series:
Designing Public Spaces for Children
Moderator: Selva Gürdoğan, Superpool Founding Partner
Speakers:
Simon Battisti, Director of Atelier Albania Academy, Albania
Jens-Ole Jensen, Director of VIA University College Research Centre for Pedagogy and Education, Denmark
Participatory Approaches in Festivals for Children
Moderator: Esra A. Aysun, Head of Arts, British Council Turkey
Speakers:
Tamsin Ace, Head of Programming - Southbank Centre, England
Milly Price, Head of Learning & Participation - Serious, England
Bringing Cultural Institutions and Schools Together
Peggy Brandon, Director of Mocca Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Hüsne Rhea Çiğdem, Komet Projects of Arts and Culture Founding Partner
How is the Power of Young Mind and Bodies Channelled Correctly in a Cultural Environment?
Ruth Churchill Dower, Director of Earlyarts, England
The Transforming Power of Music
Moderator: Efruz Çakırkaya, IKSV Director of Istanbul Music Festival
Speakers:
Dr Yeliz Baki, Vice President of Music for Peace Foundation, Turkey
Julien Vanhoutte, Delegate Manager for Artistic and Educational Operations – Paris Philharmonic, France
Visual Culture for Children
Moderator: Gülin Üstün, Head of Meetings on the Bridge – IKSV Istanbul Film Festival
Speakers:
Burak Göral, Cinema with Children Platform Founder
Signe Zeilich-Jensen, The Netherlands Film Fund Commissioner, The Netherlands