Newsletters
Two major music festivals held annually in Türkiye's Afyonkarahisar continue to showcase a vibrant musical bridge with the Czechia. The 24th Afyonkarahisar Classical Music Festival, running until May 8, and the upcoming 25th Afyonkarahisar Jazz Festival, set for May 27–31, feature Czech musicians performing a total of 16 concerts.
Both festivals are organized by the Afyonkarahisar Classical Music and Jazz Association, under the artistic direction of Huseyin Baskadem. Each year, these events transform the Anatolian city into a hub of cultural dialogue and musical excellence.
Baskadem recalls that the relationship began in 2005 with an invitation from the Prague Jazz Open Festival. While the Czech counterpart has since concluded, Afyonkarahisar has carried the torch forward, maintaining a lively cultural exchange through music.
“We became sister festivals,” said Baskadem. “This artistic collaboration between Afyonkarahisar and Prague has flourished uninterrupted for nearly 20 years, driven entirely by civil initiative. We’ve made huge progress in terms of cultural life in the city.”
Despite economic and logistical challenges, the festivals have continued without skipping a single year. The program features not only concerts but also school talks, art exhibitions, and film screenings.
“Afyonkarahisar was home to Anatolia’s first jazz festival,” Baskadem noted. “Public interest has always been immense. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism awarded us the grand prize, and we’ve received many other honors. The power of art is something I deeply believe in. Afyonkarahisar succeeded—its people and institutions have embraced this wholeheartedly.”
Czech musicians have traveled each year to Afyonkarahisar, building a legacy of performances and friendship.
“Art is not just international—it’s universal,” Baskadem emphasized. “Its greatness is beyond comprehension. What we have here is a fairytale. Afyonkarahisar and Prague have upheld an artistic alliance for years. Depending on budgets, we present 7 to 12 concerts annually.”
So far, the festivals have hosted over 700 free concerts and brought music into classrooms, reaching thousands of children through outreach programs.
“We’re proud to have left a beautiful mark in the history of Turkish music,” Baskadem added. “These festivals have brought only the best musicians to Afyonkarahisar.”
2 min read
