Aimed at preserving traditional arts from various parts of Anatolia, some of which it is feared are at risk of extinction, the festival has brought together around 80 handcraft artists from 25 cities. It features more than 40 different arts, including ebru, meerschaum, Ottoman calligraphy, pottery and glass works, togas, saddles, rosaries, pearls, colored cotton kerchiefs and loincloth making.The festival, which will run through Aug. 20, gathers the most successful artists in Turkey in their fields through research done by the Culture and Tourism Ministry's Research and Education Directorate. There will also be various folk shows and concerts in the evenings during the festival.
The festival not only attracts the attention of Turkish people, it also attracts that of tourists. Having the advantage of being held in a touristic area of İstanbul, it attracts a lot of visitors who are interested in watching the process of producing the handcrafts. Although the festival is due to end next Thursday, most of the stands will continue to display their work during Ramadan as well, as they did in previous years.
Speaking at the inauguration of this years' festival this week, Beyoğlu Mayor Ahmet Misbah Demircan said the Beyoğlu Municipality is supporting handcrafts in order to maintain the traditions in the future. “The traditional handcrafts that have been shaped without thought of financial gain up until now are being presented to the national and international arena with this festival. The artists in these stands can sell their work and show people their methods of producing them,” Demircan explained, underlining that the festival has been a very important event, contributing to the conservation of these arts in Turkey for the past three years. “We will not only continue to support these arts to reach out to the new generation, but we will also help develop these handcrafts and share them with the rest of the world,” he said, stressing the importance of cultural and artistic ties within the international arena.
The mayor also highlighted the value of these crafts, which are currently considered mere souvenirs. “Beyoğlu is a district in which various cultures merge. Among these we are also trying to embrace our traditional handcrafts. The festival, held with the support of the Beyoğlu Municipality, has become a tradition in the past three years. It is not just a place for these artists to show their production process to İstanbulites; it also gives them a chance to create commercial ties. Including the 80 artists who are taking part this year, a total of 300 artists have gathered at this festival in İstanbul to date,” he said.
Culture and Tourism Ministry Research and Education General Director Mahmur Evkuran, also speaking at the inauguration of this year's festival, said Turkey has a diverse range of folk culture and traditional arts and values. “These artists perfectly represent these traditional arts within national and international festivals. Thanks to these artists, our traditional culture continues to exist,” he added.
Benzer Haberler 
