Istanbul Study Visit

As part of the project “Improving Digitalization and the Creativity Ecosystem in Kütahya,” the Istanbul Study Visit offered a comprehensive environment for exploring creative industries, cultural heritage, digitalization, and entrepreneurship ecosystems. Throughout the program, leading institutions across the city were visited, providing opportunities to observe successful examples and establish potential cooperation networks.

On the first day, Postane Istanbul, an institution that has successfully sustained a model similar to KIDH for many years with its service approach and community-building strategies, was visited. This was followed by a visit to FabriKHAS, established within Kadir Has University under Türkiye–European Union cooperation, where creative production processes in the screen industries were evaluated. The day concluded with a visit to the Pera Museum, where city history, culture, and art are presented through contemporary interpretations. These visits provided significant insights into multi-functional space management, EU cooperation models in the creative industries, and digitalization practices.

Another day of the program included observations at Atölye Istanbul on strategic design, innovation, and community-driven production models. At İznik Classics, the blending of traditional İznik tile art with contemporary design approaches was examined. This was followed by an exchange with Assoc. Prof. Timur Bilir, a specialist in Traditional Turkish Arts and Tile Art at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University. These engagements provided in-depth knowledge on sustaining traditional arts through modern interpretations, innovation processes, and academic perspectives.

At SALT Galata, the transformation of a historic bank building into a cultural center, artist-in-residence programs, and research-oriented cultural policies were explored. At İ.D.E.A. Kadıköy operated by Kadıköy Municipality, community-based production and social innovation models were discussed. At the Istanbul Archaeology Museums, practices related to the preservation, exhibition, and management of cultural heritage were evaluated.

The program also included a visit to the Crea Center, where creative-industry-focused workspaces, entrepreneurship support mechanisms, and collaboration networks were examined. At Müze Gazhane, an exemplary transformation of the historic Hasanpaşa Gasworks into a center for culture, arts, science, and public engagement, participants experienced one of Istanbul’s most successful spatial regeneration projects.

The final day of the visit began with a tour of Kurşunlu Han, which brings together art studios and gallery spaces. This was followed by an experience-sharing session at the Istanbul Development Agency within the framework of the Inspire Project and regional development policies, focusing on perspectives relevant to KIDH. The program continued with a visit to IMPACT Hub, an international social entrepreneurship network with more than 20,000 members across more than 60 countries, and concluded with an exploration of the Sabancı Museum, recognized for its digital archive projects and work centered on cultural heritage.

Throughout the study visit, participants observed a wide range of concrete examples from international social entrepreneurship models to digitalization, museum management to community-based production, contemporary interpretations of cultural heritage to strategic design, public space utilization, and the support of creative entrepreneurship.

The program provided significant insights for strengthening Kütahya’s creative ecosystem and established a valuable foundation for new collaborations, sectoral networks, and the development of sustainable creative models.