Dear Friends,

Fifteen years ago, IST. FESTIVAL was just an idea—a dream in our minds. Since the early days of ISTANBUL’74, we had this thrilling idea of a festival for cultural exchange; bringing together visionaries, artists, and thinkers across disciplines to foster creative dialogues, collaborations and cultural diplomacy in Istanbul—a city that has long been a home and inspiration for us; a city that is part of our DNA and name. But far beyond our deeply rooted personal ties to Istanbul, a city with such a rich and diverse cultural tapestry would make the perfect destination to realize our dream.

A dream we spoke into existence 15 years ago.

Since the inaugural edition in 2010, Istanbul International Arts and Culture Festival — IST. FESTIVAL has evolved into a global platform; bringing together some of the most creative minds from around the World to Istanbul and sometimes traveling far abroad to extend cultural interactions even further.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of IST.FESTIVAL and as we celebrate this milestone edition, the festival returns home from May 30–June 1, 2025, with a spectacular program uniting art, design, film, photography, fashion, literature, music, and technology for an inspiring multidisciplinary experience.

This year, we look forward to welcoming you to three days of thought-provoking conversations, immersive artistic experiences, and creative exploration across the city. From intimate dialogues with some of the most inspiring voices of our time to art installations that transform the urban landscape, IST. FESTIVAL 2025 will be a moment of exchange, discovery, and connection.

We will soon share more about this year’s theme, key participants, and venues, but for now, we invite you to mark your calendars and celebrate this very special milestone edition with us.

Warmest,
Demet Müftüoğlu Eşeli & Alphan Eşeli
ISTANBUL’74 Co-Founders, IST.ARTS & CULTURE FESTIVAL Artistic Directors