In 2015, the Turkish Cultural Foundation has awarded 25 fellowships under the first term of its Cultural Exchange Fellowship Program. The TCF Fellowship Program was launched in 2012 with the goal to encourage cultural and artistic exchanges between Turkey and the world by supporting artists and other culture professionals. The Fellowship has been awarded to 112 individuals from Turkey and all over the world to date.

Gizem Aksu (Turkey), a dancer and choreographer, was invited to the residency program of DanceWEB within the frame of ImPulsTanz - Vienna international Dance Festival, Vienna, Austria, July 15 - August 19.

Tahir Aydoğdu (Turkey), a kanun player, gave a lecture on kanun and performed at the University of Texas at Austin campus, on April 7 and 8, 2015. He also gave a concert at the Boston Turkish Film Festival on April 9.

Corinne Beardsley (U.S.A.), a sculptor, was invited to the 2015 Artist-in-Residency program at the Babayan Culture House in Cappadocia, Turkey on September 10 - October 8 to create and later locally exhibit sculptures and installations inspired by the landscape and culture of the region.

Roberley Bell (U.S.A.), a Professor at Rochester Institute of Technology, was invited to run a workshop "The Contemporary Souvenir-re imagining place" at the Department of Graphic Design in the Faculty of Fine Arts at Anadolu University in April 2015.

Heidi Brandow (U.S.A.), a painter, was invited to the Residency Program of Halka Art Project for the realization of her art project "define: 'home'."

Marco Cops (The Netherlands), a multimedia artist, curator and consultant for public art, attended a multi-disciplinary workshop at the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture of Baskent University, Ankara, Turkey on November 1 - 15.

Dr. Tolgahan Çoğulu (Turkey), an Associate Professor at Istanbul Technical University and musician, was invited to the National University of Singapore to perform as a soloist with the National University of Singapore Guitar Ensemble at their annual concert on March 14, 2015. He also gave four seminars about the history of Turkish Music, theoretical approaches on Makam Music, microtonal aspects of Turkish Music and how to play Makam Music on the classical guitar and microtonal guitar on March 10-13.

Dr. Ekin Çoraklı (Turkey), an Assistant Professor at the Music Education Department of Abant Izzet Baysal University and musician, attended the conference "Modernist Musics and Political Aesthetics," which was held at the University of Nottingham, UK, where she presented a concert- lecture on April 8-10, 2015.

Nefin Dinç (Turkey), a filmmaker and director, was invited to Yale University, Princeton University and Columbia University to screen her documentary film "The Other Town" and held discussions on the social aspects of Greek and Turkish history.

Övül Durmuşoğlu (Turkey), an independent curator and critic, participated in public programs related to the multinational conference and exhibition project "Solar Fantastic: Cross-Modernities and Historical Narratives in Mexico and Turkey in the XX and XXI Centuries" at the Centro Cultural Universitario Tlatelolco (Mexico City) on November 5 and at the Escuela Superior de Arte de Yucatán (Mérida) on November 6, 2015.

Tesla Manaf Effendi (Indonesia), a Jazz composer, guitarist, and music producer, was invited to the Babayan Culture House Art Residency Program 2015 in Cappadocia, Turkey on November 5 - December 3 to pursue his collaborating project of filmmaking and music with Gracia Octaveni Lumbantobing.

Gül Kaplan Ekemen (Turkey), a dancer, attended the dance residency program at the Dance Department of UWC Mahindra College, where she studied dance theories and movements of India. During the period, she also gave lectures and had workshops on Turkish dance.

Uraz Kıvaner (Turkey), a jazz musician and a winner of the solo instrumental category as well as one of the five finalists of the most popular online Jazz Competition The Made in New York Jazz Competition, was invited to New York City to play at the Gala Event.

İdris Ersan Küçük (Turkey), a dancer, attended the residency program at UWC Mahindra College, Pune India and worked together with Indian artists to create a new fusion dance piece based on Turkish and Indian dance forms.

Mehveş Lelic (Turkey / Germany), a photographer, was invited to the residency program at Ateliers Fourwinds in Aureille, France on July 29 - August 13 to complete her new studio project that explores the meaning behind the medium and finalize it for an exhibition.

Gracia Octaveni Lumbantobing (Indonesia), a film and video artist, was invited to the Babayan Culture House Art Residency Program 2015, Cappadocia, Turkey on November 5 - December 3 to pursue her collaborative project of film and music with Tesla Manaf Effendi.

James Oles (U.S.A.), a professor at Wellesley College, participated in public programs related to the multinational conference and exhibition project "Solar Fantastic: Cross-Modernities and Historical Narratives in Mexico and Turkey in the XX and XXI Centuries" at SALT Ulus (Ankara) on September 28 and at SALT Istanbul (Istanbul) on September 30, 2015.

Pınar Öğrenci (Turkey), an installation artist and writer, was invited to the residency program of R.A.T. Residencias Artisticas Por Intercambio and exhibited her installation work "Collapsing New Buildings" in the Biennial of the Frontiers in Tamualipas, Mexico.

Ayşe Ören (Turkey), a designer, attended the conference "New Worlds 2015” to present her paper "Space Architecture and Long Term Outer Space Travels" on October 17, 2015.

Dr. Mehmet Öcal Özbilgin (Turkey), a Professor at Ege University State Turkish Music Conservatory in Izmir, joined the residency program of the Flame School for Fine and Performing Arts, Pune India to understand Indian cultures and to share the experiences of the performances through the medium of dance. He also gave workshops and lectures.

Esra Sağlık (Turkey), an Assistant Professor at Muğla Sıtkı Kocman University and multimedia artist, was invited to the residency program at the Foundation Plaatsmaken in Arnhem, Netherlands to explore new possibilities for multidisciplinary art. She also gave a presentation on Contemporary Turkish Art.

Meghan Nuttall Sayres (U.S.A.), a writer, worked on a collaborative project entitled "Street Wise Istanbul" with photographer Aramis Kalay in Istanbul in November 2015.

Seval Şener (Turkey), a painter and academician, was invited to the Project Space "Circa...dit," show in Arnhem, the Netherlands on August 17 - September 6 for a solo exhibition and presentation on Contemporary Turkish Art.

Bora Uymaz (Turkey), a singer and composer of traditional Turkish music, was invited to the residency program at Indiana University from September 21 to October 6, 2015 to give lectures, concerts and and conduct scholarly research on intercultural topics involving Turkish music.

Meichen Waxer (Canada), a MAA student at Emily Carr University of Art and Design and interdisciplinary artist, was invited to the Residency Program at Halka Art Project to participate in the realization of a collaborative art project.

2018 TCF Cultural Exchange Fellows

2017 TCF Cultural Exchange Fellows

2016 TCF Cultural Exchange Fellows

2014 TCF Cultural Exchange Fellows

2013 TCF Cultural Exchange Fellows

2012 TCF Cultural Exchange Fellows