International Conferences and Symposia
Istanbul Gelişim University (IGU), Faculty of Fine Arts (FFA) organizes conferences, symposia, and group exhibitions in order to strengthen international academic and artistic interaction in the fields of art, design, communication, architecture, cinema, social sciences, and cultural studies. The events organized by the faculty bring together academics, researchers, graduate students, artists, and designers in an interdisciplinary discussion and production environment. Providing an opportunity for the sharing of scientific knowledge through paper presentations and enhancing the visibility of artistic production through exhibitions, these organizations support the development of sustainable collaborations between national and international institutions.
Organized in collaboration with the Istanbul Gelişim University Faculty of Fine Arts Department of Radio, Television and Cinema and the Apart Art Association, the International Short Film, Video, and Photography Symposium is a regular event bringing together academic and artistic productions in the fields of short film, video, and photography. The symposium offers an open sharing environment for theoretical and applied studies in cinema, television, photography, video art, visual culture, new media, and communication. Featuring film, video, and photography works alongside academic papers, the organization contributes to building interaction among artists, academics, students, and industry representatives. The third edition of the symposium was held on October 24–26, 2025, with the support of the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Culture and Tourism, General Directorate of Cinema. The event contributes to the international academic representation of the Department of Radio, Television and Cinema and the global visibility of the faculty.
In collaboration between the IGU Faculty of Fine Arts and the Art and Design Research Conferences (STA Congress), international symposia and group exhibitions are organized around various contemporary themes. In these events, the fields of art and design are addressed alongside research topics such as sustainability, artificial intelligence, digital transformation, environmental change, education, culture, communication, and social transformation. Accepting paper and artwork applications in both Turkish and English, the events bring academic studies and artistic productions together on a shared platform. (Art and Design Conferences)
The "Representation of Women in Art and Design" Symposium was held online on March 30–31, 2026. During the event, current academic studies focusing on the representation of women in the context of art, design, architecture, and visual culture were shared, and women's representation in artistic and design production was discussed through the approaches of different disciplines.
Organized in collaboration with the Istanbul Gelişim University Faculty of Fine Arts, the “Sustainable Future” Art and Design Research Symposium took place on May 4–5, 2026. Bringing together sustainability-focused research in the fields of art and design, the symposium allowed for discussions on eco-friendly production approaches, sustainable design, social responsibility, and future-oriented creative practices.
Organized in collaboration with the STA Congress and Istanbul Gelişim University Faculty of Fine Arts, the International Symposium on Artificial Intelligence Applications and Group Exhibition will be held online on August 17–18, 2026. The event will address AI applications in the context of scientific, artistic, design-related, social, and technological transformations. Artificial intelligence will be evaluated not merely as a technical tool, but as a multi-layered phenomenon transforming knowledge production, creative processes, visual culture, professional practices, and ethical discussions. Featuring papers and artistic works from the fields of art, design, communication, education, social sciences, digital media, and cultural industries, presentations can be delivered in either Turkish or English. (Art and Design Conferences)
The "Environmental Change-Transformation in the Age of Sustainability: Social Sciences and Humanities Symposium and Group Exhibition" will take place online on September 23–24, 2026. In this event, environmental change and transformation processes will be addressed in the context of social, cultural, artistic, spatial, design, and human sciences. Environmental transformation will be evaluated not only as an ecological issue, but as a multi-layered phenomenon affecting urban life, social structures, cultural production, visual language, public space, and daily life practices.
Environmental awareness, sustainable cities, the relationship between climate and society, ecological design, cultural heritage, public space, visual communication, art practices, and environmental ethics are among the primary discussion areas of the event. (Art and Design Conferences)
The "Future Learning Ecosystems: Knowledge, Society, and Transformation International Social Sciences Symposium and Group Exhibition" will be held online on October 5–6, 2026. The event aims to examine the learning ecosystems of the future in the context of knowledge production, digital transformation, social change, cultural practices, and creative approaches. Learning processes will be treated as a multi-layered field of transformation shaped beyond educational environments by the relationships between technology, communication, design, art, and social structures.
AI and learning, digital learning environments, creative learning, information society, visual communication, design-oriented approaches, and future educational models are among the core study areas of the event. (Art and Design Conferences)
Academics, independent researchers, graduate students, artists, designers, and practitioners from different disciplines can participate with papers or artworks in the international symposia and group exhibitions organized in collaboration with the Faculty of Fine Arts. Paper applications are evaluated in accordance with the formatting guidelines and scientific evaluation criteria of the respective event. For group exhibition applications, images of the artwork are reviewed along with texts explaining the conceptual framework, production approach, and connection to the event theme. Accepted academic and artistic works are included in event programs, abstract books, and exhibition catalogs. (Art and Design Conferences)
The international conferences, symposia, and group exhibitions organized or partnered by the Faculty of Fine Arts contribute to:
The faculty aims to diversify its international events in line with contemporary academic, artistic, and technological developments; to maintain regular ongoing organizations; and to increase its international visibility through new institutional partnerships.
