"Curating Contemporary Art" Seminar Program
Program Director: Billur Tansel
“Curating Contemporary Art” is a 8 month-long seminar series organized in cooperation by Open Dialogue Istanbul and Akbank Sanat. The purpose of these seminars is to initiate a comprehensive program on curating that is on an international level, thus creating a prestigious and unequalled platform of education in this field in Turkey. The program will consist of both theory and practice. The program, which will run under the coordination of Billur Tansel, will be carried out with an educational, practice-based and research-oriented approach. The seminars will be presented in Turkish and English. Speakers will be renowned actors from the international art platform. The seminars will also feature case studies on biennials, galleries, museums and art fairs. At the end of the seminars, if approved by the Jury, the final exhibition projects suggested by the participants will be displayed in either Akbank Sanat or other collaborative institutions and participants will be presented with a certificate of completion. The program seminars will take place between November 2025 and June 2026.
About Open Dialogue Istanbul
Open Dialogue Istanbul was founded in July 2015 by Billur Tansel as a nomadic international contemporary art project. After organizing various cultural events both in Turkey and abroad, the organization has been based in Istanbul since October 2016, continuing its activities across diverse fields. In addition to its educational programs, Open Dialogue Istanbul develops and realizes projects within a curatorial framework, and provides consultancy services to art institutions, collectors, artists, and students who aim to pursue a career in the arts. The institution organizes conferences, seminars, and panels specifically designed for adults. One of its core missions is to promote, support, and elevate intercultural dialogue among artists, curators, and writers to an international level. Open Dialogue Istanbul also aims to provide new platforms for emerging curators, artists, and writers, while creating learning opportunities for art students who may not yet have professional experience in the field.
* To learn conditions of participation in a single seminar, we would kindly ask you to send an e-mail to apply@curatingcontemporaryart.org address noting the required seminar details. Single seminar participation fee is 850 TL for adults, 650 TL for students (VAT included).
* The program will take place on the online platform Zoom.
Different Methods in Curatorship and Exhibition Practices
Online Platform – Zoom
8 January 2026|18:00
The Culture & Ideology of Art - II
Online Platform – Zoom
12 January 2026|18:00
Inside a Global Gallery: How Lisson Shapes Artistic Narratives Across Markets
Online Platform – Zoom
15 January 2026|18:00
Strategic Planning & Project Development - I
Online Platform – Zoom
22 January 2026|18:00
Strategic Planning & Project Development - II
Online Platform – Zoom
29 January 2026|18:00