SaDe (Artist Support Fund) is a programme inaugurated in 2023 with the aim of contributing to the artistic development of artists who are active in the field of visual arts under the leadership of İKSV and in collaboration with Mercedes-Benz Türk. The programme aims to support artists for the production process of a project that is in the design stage. Within the scope of the programme, five artists are supported within a year, enabling them to develop their practice.
In 2024, SaDe launched a call for artists under the age of 35 who were affected by the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes of February 2023. The artists to be supported by the fund are Rozelin Akgün, Cemil Çalkıcı, Aylin Çankaya, Gökçe Çetin, Nesime Karateke and Macide Yalçınkaya. As Mercedes-Benz Türk's expands its contribution to the fund this year, the number of artists to be supported was increased from five to six.
Within the scope of the programme, the six artists will be provided 5,000 euros each to contribute to their projects in the design process. Artists will have the opportunity to work with mentors to develop their projects throughout their production process and will be brought together with culture and arts professionals, institutions and producers they would like to receive support from.
The artists were evaluated by a jury consisting of artist and academic Şive Neşe Baydar, artist Burçak Bingöl, artist Sinem Dişli, art space manager and artist Erkan Özgen, and artist and academic Evrim Kavcar.