Kars (0474)

Kars has a population of 130,361. It is famous outside Turkey as the setting for Orhan Pamuk’s novel ‘Kar’ (Snow). Kars residents are not happy by how Orhan Pamuk portrays their city as they consider themselves more modern than it seems from the novel. Kars is now known for its kilims, Russian architecture and folk dancing. In the STGM database a total of 27 NGO’s was listed of which 1 were dedicated to education and youth, 1 to culture and 0 to arts.

Events and organizations that are relevant for art and culture in Kars are:

-          The ‘Invisible Cities: Building Capacities for Local Cultural Policy Transformation in Turkey’ project was conducted with the partnership of Istanbul Bilgi University, Anadolu Kültür, European Cultural Foundation and Boekman Foundation and started in February 2008. Goup Nidal, Yeşilpınar Municipality Festival and Samandağ Development Association were local partners

-          Duncan Centre Conservatory (Prague) looks for funding to invite performers of the Kars Folk Dance Group to study at the conservatory

-          Music groups from Marseille are considering collaborative projects with local musicians in Kars

-          Kars Art Centre set up with the help of Anadolu Kültür is closed down now

-          Kars Municipality used to have an Art and Film festival

-          Kars City Theatre

-          Music: Group Tersnağme, an amateur band.

-          Kars Troubadours association

-          Kars-Caucasian Folk Dance Group

-          Kars culture and Arts Association