Samsun Cultural Path Festival has started with all its excitement

The enthusiasm of the Turkey Cultural Route Festival was experienced in Samsun, where the first step of the National Struggle was taken, following Adana, Şanlıurfa, and Bursa. Samsun, which is included in the Turkey Cultural Route Festival route for the first time this year, hosts concerts, exhibitions, workshops, talks, gastronomy experiences, and more than 600 colorful events suitable for all ages in over 30 locations between June 8-16, 2024.

The opening night of the Samsun Cultural Route Festival hosted the world premiere of ‘Şahmeran’ at Samsun Atatürk Cultural Center Aydın Gün Stage. Samsun State Opera and Ballet brought to the opera stage the legend of Şahmeran, who lives as a half-human, half-snake in the mystical world of ancient mythology, intertwined with rich mythological and cultural themes. The magnificent piece composed by Bujor Koinic and with libretto by Şefik Kahramankaptan met the audience under the direction of Murat Atak.

Every corner of the city turned into an exhibition area. Samsun Museum hosts Refik Anadol’s exhibition ‘Machine Hallucinations: Coral Dreams’ which has achieved great success on international platforms. Additionally, exhibitions such as ‘Besmele-i Şerif Calligraphy Exhibition,’ ‘Charcoal Drawing Exhibition,’ and ‘1919 Samsun’ are on display at Samsun Museum. Samsun Metropolitan Municipality Art Center hosts exhibitions ‘Snapshots from Azerbaijan and Festivals’ and ‘Cities and Beauties Photo Exhibition-4 Düzce-Giresun-Ordu-Samsun-Trabzon’, while Samsun City Museum displays the exhibition ‘Letters that Shape Turkish Islamic History’. Moreover, the ‘Sketch to Pixel ‘Anatolia Edition’ digital art exhibition at Samsun Multipurpose Hall highlights the innovative aspects and diversity of digital art by bringing together works from different disciplines, offering art enthusiasts a wide range and diversity of art. The ‘Anatolia and Zümrüd’ü Anka (Leather Relief Exhibition)’ at Atatürk Cultural Center Gallery, ‘The Most Fragile State of Art’ at Tütün Pier, ‘From Samsun to the Republic 100%’ at Panorama Samsun Digital Display Center, and ‘Traditional Arts of Samsun in the Light of Traditional Arts (Illumination, Calligraphy, Miniature, Marbling)’ at First Step Municipality Turkish Islamic Arts Center exhibit various forms of art. Additionally, a specially produced artwork for the festival, named ‘On the Atatürk Cultural Road,’ which highlights the iconic structures of the cities on the festival route and the history and cultural richness of Turkey, meets visitors at Cumhuriyet Square using artificial intelligence algorithms. The artwork presents the iconic architectural structures of the 16 cities on the festival route as important symbols of Turkey’s history and cultural richness, reviving the significant buildings visited by Atatürk in these cities through AI-supported digital art.

A festival filled with concerts. The concert ‘Prof. Dr. Ubeydullah Sezikli ile Saz Söz ve İrfan’ took place at Saathane Square with guest artist Eda Karaytuğ. ‘Samsun Metropolitan Municipality Conservatory Youth and Children’s Choir’ at Samsun Metropolitan Municipality Art Center, and ‘Art Music and Folk Music’ concerts at Samsun Museum Conference Hall provided music-filled hours for the people of Samsun.

Workshops attracted great interest. Workshops held as part of the Samsun Cultural Route Festival also took place with the intense interest of the curious. At Samsun Atatürk Cultural Center Gallery, ‘Shaping Glass in Open Flame with Aslıhan Turna,’ ‘One Loop You Throw (Carpet Weaving Workshop),’ and ‘Living Heritage Masters Traditional Handicrafts Workshops and Living Heritage Masters Traditional Handicrafts Children’s Workshop’ at Tütün Pier, as well as mosaic workshops on Atatürk at Samsun Maturity Institute Cultural Art Center, were accompanied by ceramic, woodblock printing-marbling-flower arrangement workshops. The Samsun Photography Marathon at Samsun Metropolitan Municipality Art Center, attended by hundreds of amateur and professional photography enthusiasts, allowed participants to take the most beautiful photos of Samsun throughout the festival and join the competition.

A tribute to the Palestinian struggle. As part of the Samsun Cultural Route Festival, a special selection is presented in tribute to the struggle of Palestine. The exhibition of Naci El-Ali’s ‘Hanzala,’ which has become one of the symbols of the freedom struggle with his cartoons emphasizing the Palestinian cause, meets visitors at Samsun Metropolitan Municipality Art Center. At Samsun Museum Conference Hall, the documentary screening of Palestinian Resistance Cinema ‘Witness’ and the film screenings of ‘House (Ev) Ayny-My Second Eye (Ayny-İkinci Gözüm) Night (Gece)’ took place.

A festival for children. A ‘Children’s Village’ was established in Doğupark for nine days with colorful activities, workshops, stage shows, theaters, play areas, and many other events. The Children’s Village in Doğupark throughout the festival features stage performances of cartoon characters familiar to children, fairground tents, thematic play areas, music, drama, dance, ballet, and art education activities such as painting. On the first day of the festival, the children’s theater ‘Rafadan Tayfa’ provided fun times for the little ones.

Intense interest in talks. Beyhan Budak was the guest of ‘Züleyha ile Sınırsız Sohbetler’ held at Zehra Yıldız Stage of Samsun Atatürk Cultural Center. The Director Talk at Samsun Museum Conference Hall hosted Ahmad Saleh, a Palestinian-origin director living in Germany, moderated by Faysal Soysal. The talk on photography in Azerbaijan at Samsun Metropolitan Municipality Art Center was moderated by Dr. Sefa Ulukan, President of TFSF, with the participation of Amira Süleyman and Aydın Mehdiyev. The talk ‘Living Heritage Masters’ with their Essence and Word’ took place at Tütün Pier.

Colorful activities. Samsun Maturity Institute Cultural Art Center hosts the ‘Anatolian Mosaic Garment Collection,’ and Samsun Metropolitan Municipality Art Center Meeting Hall hosts the ‘Samsun Beauties Photo Show’ event. Moreover, Gazi Museum, Surgical Tools and Health Museum, and Panorama Samsun Digital Display Center were visited by festival participants.