Istanbul Digital Arts Festival discusses economic perspectives, future visions of digital art

By Ozlem Limon

ISTANBUL (AA) - A panel at the Istanbul Digital Arts Festival (IDAF) discussed economic perspectives and future visions of digital art.

The panel titled, The Rise of Digital Art: Economic Perspectives and Future Visions, was held at Ataturk Cultural Center as part of the IADF, of which Anadolu is the global communications partner.

Moderated by curator Esra Ozkan, the panel was attended by various experts in the field.

Ziya Taskent, Istanbul Development Agency’s secretary general, emphasized the importance of development agencies and the 12th development plan in regulating activities related to the digital cultural economy.

"The 12th development plan is the plan that encompasses the period we are in. In general terms, there is a title of digital cultural economy that corresponds to the title of our festival. This is something new," he added.

Duygu Yaygir, the head of the Cultural Services and Creative Industries Department, highlighted the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry’s focus on new-generation service exports, with creative industry services at the forefront.

"In the new generation of service exports, creative industry services come to the fore in the first place. They are extremely intellectual property intensive. Therefore, its added value is very high," Yaygir said.

Artist Bager Akbay underscored the efforts in digital art by TRT2, Türkiye's public broadcaster's culture and art television channel, and stressed the need for regular programs and structures to promote digital art.

"Europe worked with individual artists for a century. Too many projects were made and failed. There is no culture without taking that risk," Akbay said.

Ebru Yetiskin Dogrusoz, an associated professor at Istanbul Technical University, said the economic studies in the field of digital arts in the country were late, adding: "We can find intermediate formulas. We can make curatorship under the definition of a profession, just like the definition of digital art. We can also structure digital art actors."

The 4th Istanbul Digital Art Festival (IDAF) kicked off on Thursday at the Ataturk Cultural Center (AKM), bringing together art enthusiasts.

This year's festival, which will be held with the theme of "Search Reality," will exhibit the works of 55 artists accompanied by 4 curators.

As Türkiye's first and only international digital art festival, it will host children and youth workshops, panels, and audiovisual performances until May 5.

*Writing by Muhammed Yasin Gungor