Türkiye’s Cultural and Arts Landscape Survey

About the study

Conducted for Marketing Türkiye and the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV), the study measures perceptions of culture and the arts, frequency of attendance, barriers to participation, and the influence of brands’ cultural support on consumer behaviour. The “Attitudes towards Culture and the Arts Research Report” was first presented on 8 April 2025 at a Marketing Türkiye C Level Club event hosted by N Kolay; detailed findings appeared in the May 2025 issue.

Key findings

• Theatre was the first association with “culture and the arts” (38.9%), followed by cinema (22.7%), painting (13.7%), music (10.4%) and concerts (9.5%).
• Regular attendance at ticketed events was low: 12.5% attended several times a month and 2.5% more than once a week. Attendance at free events was also low. Economic factors were the main reason for declining participation over the preceding five years.
• The view that companies should increase investment in culture and the arts was widespread, reaching 79.3% among those over 65. Brand support for culture and the arts was thought to have a positive effect on sales.
• Koç Holding was the organisation most frequently associated with cultural contributions. Among banks, Yapı Kredi (10.5%), Akbank (6.2%) and Garanti BBVA (3.2%) appeared in the top ten. In music and performing arts, Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra (3.1%), Turkcell Arena (2%) and Zorlu PSM (1.8%) stood out.
• Respondents said they most needed happiness and peace of mind; concerts, cinema and theatre were described as activities that brought “happiness”.

Methodology

1,067 people were interviewed, with a reported 95% confidence level and 3% margin of error. The Eşzamanlı mobile panel and CATI (computer-assisted telephone interviewing) were used together.