Kocaeli to host Culture Council to shape regional arts roadmap

The Kocaeli Culture Council is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, October 20, at the Kocaeli Congress Center. Led by the Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality, the event aims to strengthen the city's culture and arts vision by bringing together approximately 250 stakeholders, including representatives from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Kocaeli Governorship, universities, professional chambers, NGOs, and the private sector.

Hosted by the Center for Urban Policies and Research, the council will feature poet and author Prof. Dr. Nurullah Genç as the keynote speaker. The primary objective is to evaluate the current state of the city's cultural landscape and establish a 5-to-10-year roadmap. Key priorities include increasing cultural accessibility for youth, women, children, the disabled, and disadvantaged groups, as well as expanding cultural life to local districts and neighborhoods.

The council intends to transform discussions into actionable steps, including short, medium, and long-term implementation plans and a coordination model to strengthen inter-institutional cooperation.