ARTCONTACT İSTANBUL

ArtContact Istanbul 2026

The ArtContact Istanbul International Contemporary Art Fair has met with art lovers and collectors for the 6th time at the Dr. Mimar Kadir Topbaş Show and Art Center. Held between May 13-17, 2026, the fair brings together artists from around 40 countries and thousands of artworks under the roof of nearly 100 participants, with galleries from 11 countries participating this year.

The fair, which began on May 13 with an invitational preview, opening, and award ceremony, kicked off with a concert by opera singers Gizem Alkan Dalkılıç, Erencan Karadi, and Sinem Güç. The organization, which has been included in the list of international fairs by TOBB since its third year, hosts international galleries and artists across a 15,000 square meter area.

This year, galleries from 11 countries, primarily Russia, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Armenia, Lebanon, China, Azerbaijan, Spain, Egypt, and France, are taking part in the fair. The event calendar features over 20 talks, more than 30 recitals, concerts, workshops, and conferences.

Honorary Awards to Three Prominent Names

The honorary awards, which have become a tradition within the scope of the fair, also found their owners. The Honorary Award for Contribution to Art was given to Bozlu Art, with Şükrü Bozluolcay receiving the award on behalf of the institution. The Institutional Honorary Award was presented to Yasemin Sümer on behalf of Istanbul Modern, and the Artist Honorary Award was presented to Ertuğrul Ateş.

Within the conference program, names such as Tamer Levent, Jennifer Şebnem Schaefer, and Gülseli İnal, alongside academics and gallery managers, come together in panels to discuss the creative industries. Author Nedim Gürsel meets his readers with his talk and signing session on “Turkish Painters in Paris,” while special sessions moderated by Dr. Gizem Pamukçu are also included in the event program.

Sharing the Same Platform with Global Artists

İsmail Acar’s highly acclaimed barrier-free art work “Beyond Seeing” and Nurgül Yeşilçay’s works are exhibited within the Tulip Art Gallery. This massive organization, which hosts distinguished galleries and artists from all over the world—from Europe to America, from the Middle East to the Far East—blends local values with the aesthetic language of the contemporary world.

Support for Young Artists and Local Governments

10 young artists selected from the FreshAnkara platform, run in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Atis Fairs, have the opportunity to exhibit their works at the fair. At the local government level, IMM Kültür AŞ Taksim Sanat, Enstitü Istanbul ISMEK, and the cultural units of Kadıköy, Beyoğlu, Fatih, and Beylikdüzü municipalities support the fair and stand by young and local artists.

Prominent Participants and International Collaborations

ArtContact Istanbul brings artists directly together with art lovers and collectors through galleries. Prominent participants of the fair include the following institutions and galleries:

• Soyut Gallery, ArtGet, BBprojecTT Arda Art, Fırça Art, Cubart Gallery, Çetinkaya Art Gallery
• Tree of Science Foundation Art Gallery, Art Traffic, BRHD Tuğrul Velioğlu Art Gallery, IFSAK Art Gallery, Niş Art Gallery, Sergimiz.com Art Gallery, and UpArt
• Russia: Artists’ Union of Russia, Moscow Foundation for Support of Culture and Development of Contemporary Art, G Gallery (Samara), and ULALA GALLERY (St. Petersburg) featuring the works of Repin Academy of Fine Arts graduates Yulia Moreva and Alisa Belich
• Kazakhstan: Art Gallery HAS SANAT featuring works by Marat Bekey, Akhmet Akhat, and young artist Akmaral Kazhybek, Portakal Çiçeği UPSK, and ORHON Gallery
• Ankara Russian House Stand: German Shamayev, with his original hand-painting works on leather and carpets and his special technique applied by a limited number of artists globally
• International Galleries: Tuya Art, Arame Art Gallery, AB Gallery, Hiromita Project, and the Spanish Parkart Gallery hosting the works of esteemed artist Şükrü Karakuş

Visitor Information and Transportation

Open to all art lovers from May 14 to 17, the fair awaits its visitors with its rich event calendar and exclusive artworks.