Organized in collaboration with Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU), Student Development, Events and Sports Affairs Directorate and the Municipality of Famagusta, the ‘Culture and Arts Week’, which received strong participation, was held between 9 and 13 March 2026, featuring a rich events program and bringing together art-lovers.
The Culture and Arts Week commenced on Monday, 9 March 2026 at 6:00 p.m. with an opening ceremony held at EMU Activity Center. The ceremony was attended by EMU Rector Prof. Dr. Hasan Kılıç, Famagusta Mayor Dr. Süleyman Uluçay, General Secretary Derviş Ekşici, EMU Student Development, Events and Sports Affairs Director Cemal Kılıç and, many art-lovers and students.
Featuring a wide range of events from exhibitions to talks, and from poetry recitals to workshops, the EMU Culture and Arts Week brought together different disciplines of art, offering both university members and the public a week filled with art through a series of open programs. Throughout the events, participants had the opportunity to engage directly with artists, gain insights into different branches of art, and experience the unifying power of culture and art.
The EMU Culture and Arts Week began with a group exhibition, curated by Ayhatun Ateşin, titled “A Reading from Women’s Perspective: Art, Memory and Transformation”. In her remarks on the exhibition, Ateşin said; “The exhibition goes beyond showcasing works by female artists and seeks to reconsider art from a gender-sensitive perspective. As an educational institution, we uphold the importance of engaging with art and artists without discrimination. Accordingly, the exhibition includes both female and male artists. This is because gender equality is reinforced not only by women, but through the collective awareness and contribution of all artists”.
The said exhibition showcased artworks of Korhan Akbaytogan, Tülin Yiğit Akgül, Ayhatun Ateşin, Mustafa Batıbeniz, Kemal Behçet Caymaz, Kaan Canduran, Fatma Madali Dimililer, Evrim Ergün, Fahimeh Heydari, Mert Kılıç, Sinem Kılıç, Raif Kızıl, Bahar Küçüksu, Mine Okur, Gökhan Okur, Vedia Okutan, Özlem Özer Tuğal, Mustafa Öztunç, Mehmet Sariler, Mert Şardu, Kadir Sevim and Selçuk Yalovalı.
At the event opening, Culture and Arts Week Coordinator Bedia Balses, exhibition curator Ayhatun Ateşin, Famagusta Mayor Dr. Uluçay, and EMU Rector Prof. Dr. Kılıç delivered speeches highlighting the vital role of culture and the arts in societal development. They emphasized that EMU’s cultural and artistic initiatives contribute significantly both to the University and to society at large. It was also stated that the events organized as part of Culture and Arts Week bring together art enthusiasts and serve as an important platform for artistic production and exchange.
Following the opening speeches, Prof. Dr. Kılıç presented exhibition curator Ateşin a plaque of appreciation. Prof. Dr. Kılıç also presented certificates of appreciation to Dr. Uluçay and artists who took part in the exhibition. EMU Culture and Arts Week continued at Activity Center with a classical music recital by Myhhra Trip.
Exhibition and Talk Event Held
As part of the Culture and Arts Week, on Tuesday, 10 March 2026 at 10:00 a.m., a collective photography exhibition titled “Human and Place” was held at the Foyer Area of the Central Lecture Halls, by Cem Cengiz and EMU Photography Club. At 4:30 p.m., a talk titled “The Architect of Choice: Shakespeare in an Immersive Era” was held at the Activity Center with Sogol Hemmatbolat. This was followed at 7:00 p.m. by a poetry recital and talk titled “Understanding Neriman Cahit” with guest poet Neşe Yaşın.
Art Enthusiasts Enjoyed a Week of Art
On Wednesday, 11 March 2026 at 2:30 p.m., a talk and book signing event was held at the EMU Activity Center with journalist Zeki Erkut, who is known for his novels in Turkish Cypriot literature addressing themes such as war, migration, and collective memory. During the event, Erkut shared his thoughts with participants on his writing process and the social issues he explores in his works, and answered participants’ questions.
At 4:30 p.m., the event titled “Regional Poems, Stories and Epics” explored the cultural narratives of various geographies and emphasized the role of both oral and written literature in shaping societal identities. Later, at 7:00 p.m., a poetry recital and talk moderated by Bedia Balses were held with poet and writer Şükrü Erbaş, one of the leading lyrical voices of Turkish poetry, known for addressing themes such as love, death, loneliness, and human suffering from a socially engaged perspective. Through Erbaş’s readings from his own works, participants enjoyed a memorable literary evening.
Workshops and Talks
Within the scope of the events, on 12 March 2026, a presentation and workshop titled “From Thought to Sculpture: The Journey of Artistic Production” was conducted at the Rauf Raif Denktaş Culture and Congress Center by EMU Art Coordinator Zehra Şonya. The event provided participants with the opportunity to learn about the creative process of an artwork, from the conceptual stage to its realization.
On the same day, a workshop on caricature art led by Mustafa Tozakı was held at the Activity Center, where participants carried out practical studies on drawing techniques, character design, and the narrative power of visual humor. Later, Cypriot theatre artist Ali Düşenkalkar met with art enthusiasts and delivered a talk, sharing insights from his theatre career and discussing the social impact of the performing arts.
Concluded with a Jazz Concert
On the final day of EMU Culture and Arts Week, 13 March 2026, a talk titled “Approaches to Complex Music Genres” was held at the Department of Fine Arts Education by Hüseyin Kırmızı, Cahit Kutrafalı, and Hakkı Cengiz Eren. During the talk, a comprehensive discussion was conducted with participants on the structure of jazz and other complex music genres, improvisation techniques, and forms of musical expression.
Culture and Arts Week concluded later that same day at 8:00 p.m. with a jazz concert held at the Activity Center Hall by Hüseyin Kırmızı, Cahit Kutrafalı, and Kadir Evre. The concert, which attracted great interest, offered participants an enjoyable musical evening and brought the week’s art-filled atmosphere to an impressive close.