Our Story- Since 1997
Gallery Les Arts Turcs — Istanbul
1997 — The Beginning
Gallery Les Arts Turcs was established in Istanbul in 1997 by Nurdogan Şengüler, Founder, together with a group of artists, photographers, musicians, journalists, professional guides and entrepreneurs who shared a passion for art, culture and communication between people from different backgrounds.
From its very beginning, Nurdogan Şengüler has been at the heart of the gallery’s vision and development, helping shape Gallery Les Arts Turcs into a cultural space where traditional Turkish arts, creativity and international cultural exchange come together.
Located in Sultanahmet, the historic heart of Istanbul, Gallery Les Arts Turcs has developed alongside the city’s growing international cultural and tourism scene.
The Artists
Artists have always been at the heart of Les Arts Turcs.
The gallery has brought visitors into direct contact with practitioners of Turkish traditional arts and crafts, allowing them not only to see works of art but also to discover how they are created.
This philosophy has shaped the gallery’s approach for nearly three decades:
See the art. Meet the artist. Experience the tradition.
The Gallery
Gallery Les Arts Turcs is an independent art gallery and cultural center founded in 1997 in Sultanahmet, Istanbul.
It is a physical meeting place where art, culture, creativity and international visitors come together.
Over the years, the gallery has hosted and developed a wide range of artistic and cultural activities, while maintaining its connection with Turkish artistic traditions.
Its location in the historic center of Istanbul has also allowed the gallery to become part of the experience of visitors discovering the city’s cultural heritage.
Turkish Arts
Turkish traditional arts have always been an important part of the identity of Les Arts Turcs.
Visitors have discovered artistic traditions including:
Whirling Dervishes Ceremonies
Ebru — Turkish marbling
Traditional calligraphy
Ceramics
Miniature art
Mosaic
Traditional crafts
Turkish Cooking Classes
Hand made oil perfumes,Turkish ,Ottoman ,Arabic ,Latin Calligraphy
Other forms of Turkish artistic expression.music workshops,
The gallery’s approach is based on participation and direct experience.
Rather than simply observing an object in a museum or gallery, visitors can meet artists, learn about the cultural background of an art form and, in many cases, create something themselves.
International Visitors
From its early years, Les Arts Turcs has welcomed visitors from different countries and cultural backgrounds.
Istanbul has always been a meeting point between East and West, and the gallery has developed in this same spirit.
Over the years, travelers, artists, photographers, journalists, professional guides, students and culture enthusiasts from around the world have passed through the gallery.
For many visitors, their experience at Les Arts Turcs becomes more than a workshop. It becomes a personal encounter with Istanbul, Turkish culture and the people who keep artistic traditions alive.
Cultural Projects
The story of Les Arts Turcs is not limited to workshops.
Over the years, the gallery and its team have been involved in artistic, cultural and creative projects connected with Istanbul and Turkish culture.
These projects have included artistic encounters, photography, cultural events, traditional arts and new forms of creative expression.
The underlying idea has remained the same:
Art can create a bridge between people and cultures.
From Traditional Arts to New Creative Experiences
As the gallery has evolved, its activities have expanded beyond traditional artistic disciplines.
New projects have emerged from the same curiosity about Turkish culture, creativity and sensory experience.
Among these are projects exploring the world of scent and perfume, including Istanbul Perfume Workshops and experiences inspired by Turkey’s natural aromatic heritage.
These new projects represent an evolution rather than a departure from the gallery’s original philosophy:
discovering culture through direct experience.
Today
Nearly three decades after its foundation, Gallery Les Arts Turcs continues to operate from Sultanahmet, Istanbul, as an independent art gallery and cultural center.
Its activities continue to bring together Turkish arts, traditional crafts, artists, international visitors and new creative ideas.
The gallery continues to develop cultural and artistic projects while remaining connected to the spirit with which it began in 1997:
to create a place where people can meet through art, culture and creativity.
Gallery Les Arts Turcs
Founded in Istanbul in 1997. Nurdogan Şengüler, Founder & Project Lead.
Art Gallery • Cultural Center • Turkish Arts • Cultural Experiences
Sultanahmet, Istanbul, Türkiye
