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The Türkiye Culture Route Festival, now in its third year in Trabzon, continues to highlight the city's distinctive blend of history, tradition, and contemporary creativity.
As the sixth stop of this year’s nationwide cultural initiative, the festival unfolds across key locations in Trabzon, including museums and cultural centers, showcasing an array of exhibitions, concerts, and educational activities.
In developing the Trabzon chapter, organizers placed special emphasis on the city's longstanding traditions, natural landscape, and cultural heritage. According to Selim Terzi, General Director of Intangible Heritage and Cultural Events at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism—and overall director of the Culture Route Festival—Trabzon is now deeply integrated into the spirit of the festival, and vice versa.
He noted that planning for each year begins immediately after the previous edition ends, with continuous collaboration between local stakeholders and central teams.
Among the festival's central attractions are two major art exhibitions reflecting distinct artistic approaches while drawing from Türkiye’s cultural narrative.
At the Trabzon Museum, visitors can view the solo exhibition of artist Abdulkadir Yildirim. His 32 impressionist paintings explore the ties between the Black Sea and regional identity, portraying local life, maritime themes, and optimism through light and color.
The exhibition opened simultaneously with the launch of the newly inaugurated Trabzon Museum, marking a significant moment for both the artist and the city.
Over at the Hamamizade Ihsan Bey Cultural Center, another exhibition titled “Words and Colors from Iskender Pala’s Novels” offers a unique artistic interpretation of literature. Curated by Murat Kurt, the project reimagines 13 of Turkish novelist Iskender Pala’s works through paintings by 13 contemporary artists.
Without any stylistic constraints, each artist read a novel and then translated their personal impressions onto canvas. The result is a collective reinterpretation where “words became colors,” as described by Kurt, who recalls how the idea was sparked by a casual conversation with the author in his studio.
One of the festival’s distinctive curatorial strategies is its blending of nostalgia and innovation. Terzi emphasized that the programming is designed to appeal to a wide audience—from children to seasoned art lovers—without compromising the integrity of Türkiye’s traditional culture.
Exhibitions like “Living Heritage: Traditional Musical Instruments of Trabzon” aim to connect visitors with the past while employing modern digital tools to make these experiences more engaging for younger audiences.
Terzi added that balancing this dual objective—honoring tradition while embracing digital expression—was not without its challenges. Yet, the outcome allowed for traditional themes to surface even within digital art, and vice versa. He credited the success of the format to well-coordinated teams both on-site and at the national level, as well as consistent consultation with local institutions.
A defining feature of the Trabzon edition has been the close collaboration between central organizers and local institutions. Terzi explained that without the support of municipal governments, provincial directorates of culture, and other community actors, the festival could not achieve its current scale or relevance.
He described the process as a co-creative effort, where local insight significantly shaped the content and experience.
This strong local partnership, Terzi believes, also contributed to the festival’s swift acceptance into the European Festivals Association. Beyond its size and diversity, what sets the Türkiye Culture Route Festival apart is its organic grounding in both tangible and intangible heritage.
Terzi pointed out that the festival is not limited to concerts or lectures—it brings together multiple artistic disciplines, from traditional devotional ceremonies to opera, offering audiences a layered cultural experience.
This edition of the festival runs through July 13 in Trabzon.
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