Istanbul hosts packed week of concerts, films and exhibitions

Istanbul's cultural venues are preparing to welcome audiences for a packed week of programming, with offerings ranging from Grammy-winning Latin ensembles to classical Turkish choirs and rare documentary screenings.

Musical performances across the metropolis

The Presidential Classical Turkish Music Choir will open its 2026-2027 season with a Nihavend Kar concert at the Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM) Theater Hall on Sept. 20, performing under the direction of conductor Mehmet Guntekin. The Grammy-winning Latin music group Gipsy Kings will also take the stage at the Harbiye Cemil Topuzlu Open-Air Theater on Sept. 18 as part of its Historia 2026 Tour, led by founding member Tonino Baliardo.

Ankara-based modern jazz ensemble Calico is scheduled to perform at the AKM Multi-Purpose Hall on Sept. 16 as part of the Turk Telekom Prime AKM Summer Concerts. Goethe: East-West Divan — composed by Mehmet Cemal Yesilcay and inspired by the work of German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe — will be presented at the AKM Theater Hall on Sept. 20 under the direction of conductor Hasan Niyazi Tura.

Documentaries and cinema screenings

EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert, a documentary featuring rare archival footage from the singer’s 1969 Las Vegas concert series, will be screened at the Zorlu PSM Vestel Amphitheater on Sept. 15. Senna, which chronicles the career and tragic life of legendary Formula One driver Ayrton Senna, will be shown at the same venue on Sept. 20.

Istanbul Modern Cinema is opening its new season with Monsoon Dreams, a program focusing on contemporary Southeast Asian cinema that brings together 11 films made during the 2020s in the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia. Screenings will continue through Oct. 4.

Art exhibitions citywide

Temas, or Contact, an exhibition organized by the Culture and Civilization Foundation (KUME), is on display at Karaköy Palas through Oct. 1, examining the work of Giulio Mongeri, the architect who designed the historic building. The Barrier-Free Gaza Art Encounters Group Exhibition, organized to support people who have lost limbs in Gaza, will welcome visitors at the Birlik Foundation's headquarters exhibition hall through Sept. 27, with accompanying workshops also scheduled.

An exhibition featuring the personal belongings of oud and cello virtuoso, composer and painter Serif Muhiddin Targan can be visited at the Beyazıt Manuscript Library through Dec. 9. Istanbul Modern has also opened Under the Same Blue, the museum's 10th collection exhibition, at the Dr. Nejat F. Eczacibasi Collection Gallery.

The Dream That Sees Istanbul: Bursa, a photography exhibition depicting the historical heritage of the northwestern city of Bursa through 87 images, will remain open at the Üsküdar Mimar Sinan Gallery until the end of September. Two Brushes, One Harmony, an exhibition of traditional Turkish illumination by artists Ayse Gulcan Ozbalak and Zeynep Ustun, will continue at the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce's Yeni Cami Hünkâr Pavilion through Sept. 30, while painter Burcu Araci's solo exhibition Traces and Reflections will be open to visitors at the Esenyurt Art Center through Sept. 27.

Interactive workshops and family events

The Mosaic Lamp Workshop, where participants can learn traditional Turkish mosaic-lamp techniques and create their own designs, will be held throughout the week at the Independent Art Foundation. A three-hour Turkish tile workshop will also take place throughout the week at Istanbul Workshops — Fabrikafa Make & Coffee, allowing participants to explore traditional tile-making techniques and create motifs inspired by Istanbul's architecture.

Illusionist, juggler and circus performer Erdem Obus will present his interactive family production Harikalar Karnavali, or Carnival of Wonders, at Hilltown Seyirlik Sahne on Sept. 20. The event is designed to engage younger audiences with performances combining magic and circus arts.

Events are scheduled across multiple districts from Taksim to Üsküdar, with several exhibitions running through October and December.