Following the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes that struck South-Eastern Türkiye in February 2023, the Dutch Embassy in Ankara and Consulate General in Istanbul are spearheading a project to aid one of the most vulnerable groups: children with special needs.  This collaborative endeavor aims to support earthquake-affected children through 'train the trainer' programs. Over 80 adults, including independent artists, NGO workers, and volunteers, will undergo training to better assist these children. They will learn to conduct artistic workshops and theater performances, targeting regions such as Diyarbakır, Adıyaman, Hatay, and Kahramanmaraş.  By nurturing creativity and community involvement, the initiative endeavors to foster healing and resilience among those impacted by natural disasters, paving the way for a brighter future for the children of these regions.

24 February - 11 August 2024 | The exhibition “Timeless Curiosities” in Istanbul Modern focuses on how contemporary technologies and digital culture have shaped the way artists think and produce. The works in the exhibition aim to record the transformations in artists’ perspectives on different issues by addressing topics that artists have considered since the earliest instances of artistic production. Works of two Turkish artists living in the Netherlands,  Cihad Caner and Berkay Tuncay, are presented at the exhibition. More information

29 February and 02 March 2024 | SINFONIA Rotterdam will perform in both Ankara (29th) and Istanbul (2nd) as  part of the 100 year Friendship concert series.   More information

12 March 2024 | IFSAK 30th Short Film Festval  During the IFSAK 30th Short Film Festval which will be held from March 11 till March 17 a selection of 9 Dutch short films will be screened in Istanbul. Find more information More information. 

European Cinema Days' 2024  Screening dates 20 April in Ankara | 4 May in Istanbul | 11 May in Eskişehir,  Trabzon, İzmir, Antalya, Denizli, Diyarbakır, Edirne and Samsun.  Grandma Stine (Beppie Melissen) reluctantly agrees to look after granddaughter Romy (Vita Heijmen) when daughter Margot (Noortje Herlaar), who recently got divorced, is at work. Grandma, who is still actively working as a hairdresser, is struggling with the early stages of Alzheimer's. Romy doesn't like having to go to the hairdressing salon every day, but this changes when grandma Stine confides in her granddaughter, telling her about her increasing confusion. The bond between grandmother and granddaughter grows stronger as grandma seems to change more and more: she is sweeter than before, easier, and she recounts tales of her childhood in Denmark. Romy helps grandma run the salon the best she can, but when they can no longer manage together, Romy comes up with a plan. She decides to make grandma's dearest wish come true. 

16 April 2024 | Istanbul International Opus Amadeus Chamber Music Festival Mr Mike Fentross and the singers from his ensemble “La Sfera Armoniosa” will perform with a concert at the Istanbul International Opus Amadeus Chamber Music Festival. Find more information More information. 

20 April and 23 April 2024 | IKSV Film Festival  Screening of Dutch movie Alreadymade. More information.      

23 April 2024 | MAKAS Concert Diyarbakır MAKAS  will perform in Diyarbakır at 20:00 (Free entrance). The concert is  part of the 100 year Friendship concert series. More information.

24 - 26 April 2024 | IKSV Film Festival - Meetings on the bridge.  The Netherlands will contribute to Meetings on the bridge of IKSV Film Festival. More information

24, 26 and 27 April 2024 | IKSV Film Festival  Screening of Dutch movie 'Forever Forever'. More information

25 April 2024 | MAKAS Concert Eskisehir  MAKAS  will hold a performance in Eskişehir at F/STOP at 20:00. Entrance is free; the performance is  part of the 100 year Friendship concert series. More information

26, 27 and 28 April 2024 | IKSV Film Festival  Screening of Dutch movie 'Sweet Dreams'. More information

27 April 2024 | MAKAS Concert Istanbul  MAKAS  will perform in Istanbul at Kadıköysahne 08:00 PM. The concert is  part of the 100 year Friendship concert series. More information

07 - 20 May 2024 | Photo Exhibition Bursa  Six decades ago, Turkish 'gastarbeiders' (guest workers) embarked on their journey to The Netherlands for employment opportunities. Many chose to settle permanently, later joined by their families. Despite their less prominent historical representation, women were integral participants. This exhibition centres on the pivotal role of women within this distinctive aspect of Dutch-Turkish relations. Scheduled for display in Bursa, the exposition will run from May 7th to May 20th. Ankara will follow in September. More information

11  May 2024 | Flying Broom International Women’s Film Festival Ankara  The vision of Flying Broom, which started out in 1996 with the belief in the experience of women and women’s organizations, is to create a change for everyone to achieve a just world where women are empowered and gender equality is ensured. During the film festival the Dutch movie MILK will be screened. Days after her baby is stillborn, Robin's breasts begin to produce milk. Unable to throw it away, she decides to donate the milk. As her quest for a place to donate is more difficult than she anticipated, more and more milk starts to crowd her freezer and life. More information

13 - 31 May 2024 |  Taksim Sanat Istanbul  212 Photography Istanbul will host an exhibition with Dutch photographer Scarlett Hooft Graafland. S upported by the Dutch Consulate and Mondriaan Fund, the works in this exhibition, titled SALT LAKE, were created among the conical rock formations of Göreme National Park in Cappadocia and at the salt shores, where the actions and gestures of the figures create a surreal encounter with the unique landscape. More information

23 - 26 May 2024 | Cappadocia Inspired by the layered cultural texture and unique landscape of Cappadocia, Cappadox offers a multidisciplinary platform through experiences of music, contemporary art, gastronomy, and outdoor events. This year, the fifth edition of the festival will take place under the theme “Changing Skies” from May 23rd to 26th. With contribution of the Embassy of the Netherlands we made it possible that Dutch artist Wapke Feenstra will contribute to Cappadox 2024. Wapke Feenstra develops collective projects and pushes them in and out of the art bubble by tapping into local knowledge in the immediate physical and mental environment. She wants to stretch central cultures by breaking open the clichés we think we know. This can create a “stretched space”. More information

To celebrate 100 years of Turkish-Dutch friendship, the Embassy and Consulate General of the Netherlands are hosting a photography competition centred around the theme of ‘friendship’. Everyone is welcome to participate.  The competition endeavours to prompt participants to contemplate the intricacies of friendship and delve into its various dimensions.  More details about to contest and how to join can be found later on the official website. More information about the contest can be found here. 

25 May 2024 | IKSV Music Festival - Weekend Classics  Istanbul MAZE Voices will perform in Istanbul at Fenerbahçe Park 18:30. The concert is  part of the 100 year Friendship concert series. More information

26 May 2024 | Harmony at Historic Hierapolis: Dutch-Turkish Orchestral Fusion  Experience a truly unforgettable evening on Sunday, May 26th, at the historic theatre of Hierapolis in Pamukkale. Join us as the renowned Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra from The Netherlands collaborates with Turkish counterparts from the Orchestra Academic Başkent for a spectacular performance, in celebration of a century of friendship between our nations. 

Don't miss this extraordinary celebration of music and friendship!

29 May - 2 June | Istanbul Literature Festival  Eva Meijer will attend the literature festival in 2024.  More information

30 May 2024 | Marmaris  Celebrating 100 years of NL-Turkey friendship, the Embassy & Consulate General support a unique project. Composer Bert Barten translates Sweetgum tree vibrations into music. This remarkable event is set to unfold on May 30th amidst the serene landscape of the Holland-T ürkiye friendship forest  in Marmaris. It's a park that we revitalized with 10,000 new trees two years ago following devastating wildfires. Now, we aim to elevate this occasion with the fusion of nature's melodies and the rich tapestry of local instruments, courtesy of the Turkish Muğla Symphony Orchestra. Be sure not to miss this one-of-a-kind musical performance!

Annie M.G. Schmidt's beloved Dutch children's tale, "Minoes," has been transformed into a captivating theatre production for Turkish children. The team will embark on a journey across Türkiye, bringing the enchanting story to life on stage. "Minoes" follows the adventures of a woman who turns into a cat and uncovers mysteries in her town, offering a whimsical and heartwarming experience for young audiences.

01 June 2024 |   International Istanbul Opera and Ballet Festival  At this year's 15th International Istanbul Opera and Ballet Festival, the opera "The Flying Dutchman" takes centre stage. Featuring Dutch soloist and baritone Martijn Sanders, the premiere on June 1st promises a captivating performance. Dive into the timeless tale of a cursed sea captain seeking redemption and fidelity amidst the waves. More information

02 June 2024 | IKSV Music Festival - Weekend Classics  Istanbul  Preda Brothers  will perform in Istanbul at Yıldız Park 05:00 PM. The concert is  part of the 100 year Friendship concert series. More information

04 June 2024 | Istanbul On June 4th, the Dutch Consulate General and Embassy, in collaboration with TUSIAD, will host an event featuring key experts on the conservation of wastewater within industry, a topic sometimes overlooked in water management. Stay tuned for further details!.

06 - 07 June 2024 | Istanbul Together with the NIT (Netherlands Institute Türkiye) and ISKI  (Istanbul Water and Sewage Directorate), this event delves into best practices for preserving water heritage and increasing awareness. The program features a seminar and networking event at the Consulate General in Istanbul on June 6th, followed by a full-day program at ISKI on June 7th. Stay tuned for more details.

08 - 13 June 2024 | DOCUMENTARIST Istanbul Documentary Days is going to celebrate its 17th edition this year. During the aristfestival 3 Dutch films will be screened. We will update you soon about the dates and screening venues.  More information

Films:  ‘’Gerlach’’  By Aliona van der Horst, Luuk Bouwman |  To film the wind, you have to film the tree that catches the wind. Farmer Gerlach is the proverbial tree in this film that cheerfully defies all winds. For more than half a century, Gerlach has been farming the land around his wooden house. Together with his old friends, he observes with inimitable humor how the landscape is being swallowed up by an encroac-hing industrial estate. His little house in the middle of the country is the raindrop in which the world is reflected, existentialist and absurdist.

‘’Holding Up the Sky’’  By Pieter van Eecke |  If the shamans stop dancing and life in the rainfo-rest loses its balance, the sky will fall and crush everything beneath it. This wisdom is passed on in the Brazilian Amazon by every generation of Yano-mami. But gold diggers pollute the rivers, shamans die, the rainforest perishes and the earth warms up. Davi Kopenawa, shaman, chief, and well-known spokesperson for the Yanomami, has been fighting these threats for more than 40 years. Time and again, he travels the world defending his people against endless colonization. Do the Whites unders-tand that the fall from the sky will not only crush the Yanomami?

‘’A Wind of Change’’  By Arne Gillis, Thomas Ceulemans |  Investors are planning the construction of dozens of "wind parks" on the La Guajira peninsula, which will become operational in the coming months and ye-ars. With its constant wind, La Guajira seems to be the perfect location for this endeavor. Approxima-tely 400,000 indigenous Wayuu people inhabit the area, and they are generally less enthusiastic about the plans. Their department is the poorest in Colom-bia, and La Guajira has been neglected by successi-ve governments for decades. The Colombian go-vernment and the energy companies themselves believe that the Wayuu should seize this opportunity to participate in the modernization process.

Also screening a JvdK selection:  "The Master and the Giant" (De meester en de Reus) |  "Brass Unbound" (Bewogen koper) |  "Hexagon: On Animal Locomotion" |  "To Sang Fotostudio" |  "Amsterdam Afterbeat" |  "Last Words - My Sister Joke (1935-1997)" |  "For the Time Being" (Onvoltooid tegenwoordig)

18 July 2024 | IKSV Jazz Festival  Thomas Azier and Baby's Berserk will perform at the Dutch stage at IKSV Jazz Festival. The concert is  part of the 100 year Friendship concert series. More information

26 July 2024 | Karsu in Ankara  On July 26th, Karsu will perform a captivating outdoor concert in Ankara. Presented as a special gift from  The Netherlands to the people of Türkiye. All are welcome; attendance is free.  Venue and time to be announced. Follow our social media for stay up to date.

06 - 08 September 2024 | Bozcaada Jazz Festival  Dutch artists will perform at Bozcaada Jazz Festival 2024. More information will follow. The concert and Dutch contribution is  part of the 100 year Friendship concert series.

14 - 15 September 2024 | Sound of Europe 2024  The Netherlands will contribute to the Sound of Europe music festival in both Ankara and Izmir. On Saturday the 14th the performance will be  Ankara at Ahlatlıbel Atatürk Parkı (it is an open-air park stage) and on Sunday the 15th the Dutch artist will perform in Izmir at  Bostanlı Seyir Terası (also an open-air park stage). M ore information will follow after June 27.