Open call for 21 theaters denied state support

Stating that their applications were eliminated before even being presented to the commission, the theaters shared the following statement regarding how this process unfolded:

It has been learned that the play application files belonging to 21 private theaters that applied for state support were eliminated without even reaching the official evaluation board of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

This situation raises serious concerns regarding the transparency, accuracy, and reliability of the support mechanism.

The evaluation board for the 2025–2026 season, announced by the Ministry, consists of:

Deputy Minister Batuhan Mumcu,

General Manager of Fine Arts Ömer Faruk Berivanlı,

General Manager of Living Heritage and Cultural Events Selim Terzi,

General Artistic Director of the State Theaters Dr. Erdal Yıldırım,

Dr. Nuri Nalbantoğlu,

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Birgül Yeşiloğlu,

Assoc. Prof. Dr. İbrahim İmran Öztahtalı

and other competent figures in their fields.

However, it has been understood that before the board's evaluation could take place, the files of certain theaters were eliminated before the board meeting was even held.

THE MINISTRY'S STATEMENT DOES NOT ALIGN WITH THE PROCESS

The Ministry announced that only 34 out of 434 applications were eliminated due to missing documents, and that the remaining 400 applications were evaluated by the board.

However, at this point, 

It appears that the process, which should have proceeded under the supervision of General Manager of Fine Arts Ömer Faruk Berivanlı, resulted in the elimination of 21 theater applications by a preliminary evaluation conducted by 'individuals of uncertain competence' before the files could even reach the board. 

This information creates a serious contradiction between the official statement and the actual operation of the process.

This is not just an issue for these 21 theaters, but a matter of artistic production as a whole.

The elimination of a theater's application—in a manner where the experts for whom the board was formed never even saw it—undermines the credibility of not only these theaters but of cultural policies in their entirety.

In the face of this situation;

• It must be explained why these 21 files were eliminated without ever reaching the board.

• The identities and qualifications of the individuals who conducted the preliminary evaluation must be disclosed.

• The process should be re-evaluated by the independent will of the board, and the plays of the theaters that were unfairly victimized should be resubmitted to the board.

• The support mechanism must be transparent in all its stages, without a closed preliminary screening system.

The fate of art cannot be determined behind closed doors.

Art deserves a fair process that supports production!

News Source: 12punto