stubnitz

SITUATION IN TURKEY :
This forum topic aims at gathering and presenting all of the information related to the implementation of the SIM project in Turkey.
It is organized around the three following topics: I/Local Network; II/Temporary local festival format and III/ Feasibility study.

Nota
A series of meetings was held in Istanbul between the 29/04 and the 03/05 2010, that allowed the SIM project to get rooted in Turkey.

The main objectives of these meetings were for the SIM project :

=>To gain a first view on the feasibility of the project in Turkey.

=>To identify the partners the SIM project could rely on in Turkey.

Hence, numerous cultural actors were approached, who all gave a very positive feedback to the project. Istanbul appears definitely as a major stopover for the project.

So with many thanks to all for giving us some of you time during those few days, as well as for the great music we could listen to.

I/ SIM LOCAL NETWORK :
a/ Operational crew (coordination partners):
Personalities/organizations who can work together with the STUBNITZ on handling the administrative/bureaucratic issues of the operation. The first actions that was asked them to undertake was about gathering some information about the possible mooring points in Istanbul, and to try and identify the responsible authorities.

So far, MM. Nacati; Ahmed Can; Sinan Bokesoy; Serhat Koksal, Volkan Terzioglu and Korhan Erel are at different level of implication willing to help us on this level.

M. Nacati
-M. Nacati is a figure of the Noise and Electronic Scene in Istanbul. He opened a music shop in the 90’ and was probably back then the very first who distributed this music. He now retired from this business and runs a venue in Kadiköy.
-Mister Nacati can be of a very precious support as a coordination partner. He already got in touch with IKSV and is leading investigations towards the Port authorities of Eminönü.

M. Ahmed Can (Doublemoon)
-The Doublemoon label is the sister company of the prominent Pozitif event organizer and the Babylon very popular and “semi-commercial” club.
-Pozitif being a very commercial structure, it is most unlikely they would have direct interest in supporting the operation. Yet, the important media outcome of the SIM project could be very interesting for the promotion of the Doublemoon artists.
-In this perspective, Pozitif could act as a coordination partner.

M. Sinan Bokesoy (Sonic Disorder)
-Mister Sinan Bokesoy, a prominent composer and researcher in computer music, is among many other projects realizing installations in the frame of Istanbul 2010. Some of his works should be seen on the ferries that link the different sides of the city.
-Mistar Bokesoy hence proposed to submit the project to the ferry companies he is in touch with in order to get a first feedback.

MM. Volkan Terzioglu and Korhan Erel (Islak Kopek>
-Fantastic musicians, initiators of the Istanbul free jazz improvisation scene, and many years of experience in event organizing.
-Mister Korhan Erel has already taken contacts with the port authority in Kadiköy and was awaiting to get some more info about the project before going further.

b/ Artistic Network (Programming partners):
In addition to the above mentioned:

M. Batur Sonmez (Transmit// Audio Visual Arts)
-M. Batur Sonmez is one of the very first Turkish artists to have explored noise and electronic musics. He is now a prominent figure of the European underground and his precious knowledge of the Istanbul scenes makes him a precious programming partner.

M. Hakan Orman (Peyote)
-The Peyote is a very popular rock club in Istanbul that offers a very dense and international program to a young and passionate audience.
-Very interesting would be to associate the Peyote to the programming of some events aboard the Stubnitz.

M. Umut Caglar (Rekonstrukt)
-Mister Umut Caglar is a fantastic guitarist and runs the Rekonstrukt label.
-Obviously too busy for the time being to take part to the organization of the festival, he could be of a great input, later on, to the point of view of the content.

Mme Onok Boskurt and Sumru Agiryuruyen (Gitarcafe)
-Madam Onok and mister Sumru run the Guitar Café in Kadiköy, a venue dedicated to free improvised musics among other.
-Great taste, and a very interesting overview on the Istanbul scenes, that they kindly offered to share with the SIM project.

b/ Support

Mme Claudia Hahn-Raabe (Goethe Institut)
-Madam Claudia Ann Rahbe is the director of the Goethe Institut in Istanbul. She is currently running a Europe supported literary “bus project” all over Turkey, Eastern Europe and until Brussels.
-This bus project will keep the whole Institute extremely busy until September, but then Madam Claudia Hahn Raabe offers to support the SIM project with her precious experience of those operations.

M. Ekim Ozturk (centre culturel français)
-Mister Ozturk kindly offered to gather some information about the different locations the ship could moor in. Thus the French Cultural Center can be of a good support as a validation of the information we bring to them.

d/ Media supports:
Nothing yet.

II/TEMPORARY LOCAL FESTIVAL FORMAT:
a/ Targeted Harbors:
ISTANBUL

b/ Timeframe:
Istanbul: March 2013, for 6 to 8 weeks

Due to the coldness of winter days in Istanbul, and the resulting difficulties to have an audience during this period, the option is studied at the moment of having the ship stay in Beirut during winter time.

III/ FEASIBILITY STUDY:

3.1. Economy of the project:

=>It appears very possible to adopt a completely self supported economy for the project where rentable or commercial events would support the non rentable ones.

Some elements:
Beer: from 2.5euros (Very Cheap) to 6 euros for a pint (Babylon), and socially accepted. (Taxes to be determined).
Entrance fees: 12-15 euros.
Meal: Hardly less than 5euros for a complete meal.
Commercial parties: a lot.
Rentable interesting events: present (see for example the Peyote (www.peyote.com.tr).
Audience: present.

=>Independence is good, whereas dependence is bad. This is a general statement. It leads to the fact that this option will be examined seriously.

3.2. Mooring points for the ship:

The following possibilities have been or are being examined at the moment:

3.2.1. Karaköy: Istanbul Modern and IKSV:
This option appears at first sight as the most obvious one: Istanbul Modern is the contemporary art reference museum in Turkey and could be a partner of choice.
It is located in Karaköy, right in the center of the city and beside one of its most dynamic neighborhoods. Plus it is well connected to all public transportation means.

The risk would only be for Istanbul Modern to take over the programming of the event but, as it has been said: The MS STUBNITZ will not negotiate on this: The SIM Project is conceived as an open venue for all of the scenes of Istanbul. Besides, we intend to stay for 6 week, thus there will be space for everybody.

=>MM. Nacati and Can have good relationships with those both institutions and take over the first approach.
=>Mister Nacati took contact with IKSV. The feedback is quite negative: The Harbour in front of Istanbul Modern is a customs area, completely secured and forbidden to any audience.

3.2.2. Istanbul Central:
Istanbul Central is a former power plant, that has been reconverted into a cultural zone. Yet it appears at first sight impossible to moor a ship over there (physically: no mooring point).

3.2.3. Kadiköy Harbour:
This possibility has been mentioned by MM. Sinan Bokesoy; Serhat Koksal; Volkan Terzioglu; Korhan Erel.
It is also a great location, considering the proximity of a very dynamic neighborhood (Guitar Cafe; Mister Nacati Pub is also there).
And the mayor of Kadiköy is lefty, which cannot harm in our case.

=>M. Korhan Erel proposed to take contact with the port authority there to have a first feedback.
=>M. Bokesoy is having musical projects on ferries in the frame of Istanbul 2010 and will also get a feedback in there.
=>M. Nacati proposed to get in touch with the general port authority.

3.2.4. to 2.2.6.: Mimar Sinan Universitesi; Bahçesehir Universitesi; Bosphorus Bridge area

Greenpeace / Library ship:
Two “somewhat similar events” have taken place in Istanbul before, where an audience was allowed to come aboard ships for exhibition: Greenpeace and the library ship. Besides, the proximity of the universities could be interesting in terms of audience and “institutional coverage” for the project.

=>Mister Korhan Erel is studying this options at the moment.

3.2.7. Eminönü:
Also an option, that was mentioned at very last after the IKSV/Istanbul Modern appeared very much unsure.