Istanbul Topkapı University School of Communication and School of Arts, Design and Architecture now welcome applications from contestants to compete for the 2nd Genç Bakış Art Awards, aiming to support young and aspiring artists. Accepting applications from 4th year undergraduate and graduate students, Genç Bakış Art Awards is set to provide production funding to the top three winners, and a selection of 10 works from Genç Bakış winners will be at public display. The works that qualify for exhibition will be announced on 20 May on the University's social media accounts and website, and the award-winning works will be announced at the exhibition opening and award ceremony on 28 May 2025. You may apply on https://forms.gle/K176qH6hFJKy8qPD7 no later than 7 April 2025.

Competition and Award Schedule:

Application Dates: 17 February 2025 – 7 April 2025 

Announcement of the selected works: 2 May 2025

Works selected for display must be delivered to the University by 20 May 2025

Award Ceremony and Exhibition Opening: 28 May 2025 

Genç Bakış Exhibition: 28 May – 28 June 2025 

Jury Panel 

Prof. Dilay Güney – Dean of Art, Design and Architecture School 

Assoc. Prof. Özlem Şimşek 

Assoc. Prof. Deniz Y. Berker 

Assoc. Prof. Tanzer Arığ -Hacettepe University 

Prof. Çağrı Saray Marmara University

Asst. Prof. Nesli Türk 

Didem Erbaş – Artist/Faculty Member

Melike Bayık – Curator

Application Criteria 

The 2nd Genç Bakış Contemporary Art Awards welcomes applications from final year undergraduate and graduate students majoring in programmes offered Schools of Fine Arts, Communication, Arts and Social Sciences, Arts and Design, Art Design and Architecture, Architecture, and Teacher Schools that provide applied arts education at Turkish Universities.

Applicants may submit works in all forms of contemporary art, including painting, photography, video, sculpture, ceramics, glass, print, graphic design, installation, new media and mixed media.

Applicants are required to provide a valid and current student certificate in order for their submissions are considered for competition and exhibition. Students aged 30 and below may apply by the deadline.

Each applicant is allowed to submit a maximum number of three works. A separate form of application must be filled out for each one. Works consisting of multiple parts can be submitted under a single application.

The competition accepts both individual and group applications.

Applicants are required to upload their CV, portfolio, and a PDF containing the visuals and conceptual text of the work or works they wish to submit to the competition.

By applying to the competition, applicants agree and declare that they are the creators of the work(s) they submit through their application, that their work(s) is/are original and that at the time of application, they own the rights of processing, duplicating, distributing, and transmitting to the public by means of sign, sound and/or image as set forth in the Turkish Act No. 5846 governing Intellectual and Artistic Property, and they further agree and declare that Istanbul Topkapı University can use these works in the ways listed above in this Specification document and that this shall not constitute any violation of any rights whatsoever defined in the Moral Rights stated in the abovementioned Act, and that they (applicants) hereby waive any claim against Istanbul Topkapı University within the scope of said laws, that no third party has any rights over the works submitted for the competition, that they have not violated/do not violate the rights of a third party, and should any claim made against Istanbul Topkapı University by third parties, the applicants themselves shall be liable for any and all legal and financial consequences arising out of any such claims. In case of any disagreement or doubt regarding the ownership or the rights of the work, or in case of a third-party claim about the work, the applicant shall assume all responsibility. In the event of any issue raised by such claim is brought to Istanbul Topkapı University, the University may refuse the applicant’s submission.

In case a submission is selected for display, the applicant shall deliver the work in person to the address to be announced by Istanbul Topkapı University. The applicant shall be liable for any damage or loss that might arise out of and in connection to delivery by courier or cargo.

Prizes: Three production grants of TRY 15.000

Application: 

1) Complete the application from available on https://forms.gle/K176qH6hFJKy8qPD7 

2) Applications must be submitted by 23:59 on 07/04/2025. Any application submitted afterwards shall not be considered.

3) Applicants will be deemed to have declared that they submit original works. In case of any disagreement, doubt or hesitation regarding the originality of the submission, all responsibility shall rest with the applicant.

Evaluation: 

1) Submissions will go through a two-stage evaluation (pre-selection stage and evaluation by jury) in order to determine their eligibility for display. Owners of the selected works will be notified by email if their submission will be displayed at the exhibition. 

2) The second and final evaluation will decide the eligibility of submissions for display at the exhibition. Selected submissions and their owners will be announced on Istanbul Topkapı University website and social media accounts.

3) Award winners will be announced at the exhibition gala. 

4) Istanbul Topkapı University may use the names of both applicants and the creators of submissions eligible to be exhibited, pictures and images of the submissions, and their features for promotional purposes on social media and other digital platforms.

5) Winners will be awarded their prizes within one month of the announcement date.