As we conclude this fifth edition, I find it necessary to leave a brief note of reflection here. Since launching the program in 2019, 74 of our participants have graduated from the program.

The majority of our graduates have pursued careers as professionals in cultural and artistic institutions worldwide, while some have established themselves as independent curators. One of our core values is fostering professional networks and collective collaborations among our graduates. To this end, we continue to create platforms that facilitate their encounters, introductions, and the exchange of experiences. Some of our graduates who have entered professional life provide internship opportunities to current participants, and many graduates engage in or initiate collective projects together.

The program, which initially started on a physical platform and it was transitioned to an online platform during the pandemic in 2020. This shift eliminated geographical barriers, allowing applications from different cities and countries to be considered.

For the 2023–2024 edition, held between November 2023 and September 2024, 14 out of 19 accepted participants successfully completed the program. The applications were received from candidates residing in Ankara, Diyarbakır, Istanbul, and Izmir in Turkey, as well as from Budapest/Hungary, and Zaragoza/ Spain.

Despite coming from diverse academic backgrounds—including computer engineering, philosophy, graphic design, economics, architecture, psychology, painting, arts and cultural management, art history, political science, and sociology—participants articulated their “Intentions” through their individual final projects. These projects were shaped by both the Zeitgeist and the participants’ personal concerns, achieving however a cohesive discourse altogether with reference to their “intentions”.

The topics they explored included mindfulness, layers and traces of memory, degrowth and consumer habits, apathy, transformation, phygital formations, nomadism, ecological crisis, human-nature relationships, the search for a safe space, animal rights, existential anxieties, alienation, and the spiral of time and silence. We wholeheartedly congratulate our graduates, who have successfully completed this challenging program, demonstrating great effort, concentration, and dedication.

On this occasion, I extend my sincere gratitude to the Akbank Sanat Management for their valuable collaboration and contribution in elevating this program to ever higher standards and ensuring its sustainability.   And together, we would like to express our gratitude to our esteemed speakers and the institutions whose invaluable contributions have enriched the program.

Billur Tansel

Open Dialogue Istanbul

Director of the “Curating Contemporary Art” Seminar Program

The fifth edition of the program took place between November 2023 and September 2024. Its primary goal is to establish a comprehensive, internationally oriented, and sustainable curatorial program while creating a prestigious educational platform in Turkey that offers both theoretical and practical insights into exhibition-making and its ideological framework.

Directed by Billur Tansel, the program is designed with an educational, hands-on, and research-driven approach. The speakers are well-known figures from the international art scene, providing both theoretical knowledge and practical engagement opportunities. The program includes case studies on biennials, galleries, museums, and art fairs, offering participants valuable insights into the field.

In the final stage, each participant will develop an individual graduation project. If their overall performance and final project meet the jury’s criteria, they will be awarded a certificate of completion. Throughout the program, internship opportunities are provided in collaboration with various institutions, enabling participants to gain real-world experience.