ABOUT US

Founded in December 1985 by a handful of art enthusiasts who dedicated themselves to doing good work for the city where they were born and raised, the Izmir Culture, Art and Education Foundation (İKSEV) has become one of Izmir’s leading non-governmental organizations over time. Having achieved the goals it set at the beginning, İKSEV continues its work today with a broad vision.

Along with the International Izmir Festival and Izmir European Jazz Festival it organizes every year, as well as the Dr. Nejat F. Eczacıbaşı National Composition Competition held biennially, workshops, master classes, seminars and talks, and exhibitions, it has become one of the lifeblood arteries of the city’s cultural and artistic life.

İKSEV, which opened MÜZİKSEV in 2011 as a first in its own concept and presented it as a gift to the city whose name it bears on its 25th anniversary, not only preserves and promotes our traditional instruments but also protects our ancient musical culture.

Within the scope of the “Youth Meets Masters” project that İKSEV has been carrying out for many years, it organizes workshops and master classes, bringing together artists and educators who have made a name for themselves in their fields both in our country and around the world with young artists and art students. İKSEV, which organizes workshops in photography, graphic arts, literature, design, theater, animation and ceramics as well as music and dance, holds seminars, conferences, talks and film screenings. Creating exhibition, study and rehearsal spaces for young plastic arts artists, and study spaces for music and dance students seeking work areas, İKSEV offers the historic building it occupies for the use of Izmir residents of all ages.

Alsancak Mansion, one of the first residences of historic Punta, serves today as MÜZİKSEV. Built in the 1840s for the engineer of Alsancak Station, the mansion served over time as a residence, health center, clinic, Employment Office, and Deaf Children’s Vocational School, and was then abandoned to its fate for about 20 years. With İKSEV‘s touch, it was brought back to life as MÜZİKSEV in 2011.

MÜZİKSEV is a first in its field and provides consultancy to those that have come after it. Three hundred and twenty original instruments that have been used and continue to be used in Anatolia and the Central Asian Turkic World, collected throughout the life of art and culture figure Güner Özkan and donated to İKSEV, are displayed with a contemporary approach.

Also serving an important function as a learning space, MÜZİKSEV introduces visitors of all ages to our traditional instruments and music, and plays an important role in preserving our ancient music and instruments.

The boutique hall in the garden has been a place where hundreds of music students have experienced their first stage performances to date, and has also hosted many distinguished artists over time.