With the participation of more than 70 galleries from 24 countries and Akbank as its main partner, the 21st edition of Contemporary Istanbul will once again transform Istanbul into one of the key meeting points of the international art world this autumn. Taking place at Tersane Istanbul from 23–27 September 2026, the fair will bring together galleries, artists, collectors and art professionals from diverse geographies, creating new encounters and opportunities for collaboration among the actors of the global art ecosystem.
Held with Tersane Istanbul as its Cultural Destination Partner and BMW, represented in Türkiye by Borusan Otomotiv, as its Co-Partner, CI21 will remain one of the most significant events on Istanbul’s cultural calendar with its international gallery programme, art projects, talks and special events. With one quarter of participating galleries taking part in Contemporary Istanbul for the first time, the fair’s growing international appeal will be one of the strongest indicators of its expanding reach. Seventeen new galleries from leading art centres across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and North America will bring new perspectives and a strong international diversity to this year’s edition.
Galeria Francisco Fino (Lisbon), Galeria Karla Osorio (São Paulo), Galerie Diego Escobar (Marseille), Galerie La La Lande (Paris), Galerie Tanit (Munich, Beirut), Galerie Thomas Schulte (Berlin), Galerie Vallois (Paris), Michel Rein (Paris, Brussels), Pearl Lam Projects (Hong Kong, Shanghai), Takato Kano Gallery (Tokyo), Whitestone Gallery (Hong Kong, Taipei, Beijing, Tokyo, Karuizawa, Singapore, Seoul), Villa Magdalena (Madrid), Artiscape (Dubai, Istanbul), Rast Gallery (Istanbul), Rıdvan Kuday (Diyarbakır), Method Gallery (New Delhi) and Shiva Zahed (Tehran, Istanbul) are among the galleries participating in the fair for the first time this year. Among these new participants, Pearl Lam Projects, Takato Kano Gallery and Whitestone Gallery are also featured as part of Focus: Asia, the regional focus of this year’s Contemporary Istanbul.
New Grounds, CI21’s section dedicated to providing visibility to young galleries and emerging generations of artists, will once again take its place in the 2026 programme. Friedrichs Pontone (New York), Ka (Ankara), Karpuchina Gallery (Prague), Method Gallery (New Delhi), Rast Gallery (Istanbul) and Shiva Zahed (Tehran, Istanbul) will meet audiences as part of New Grounds.
This year’s participant profile will combine the dynamism created by new galleries with the strong international network represented by galleries returning to Contemporary Istanbul. Galleries that have recently featured prominently on the international art calendar will once again be among the key representatives of Contemporary Istanbul’s long-standing international gallery network.
Returning to CI21 are galleries that have maintained a strong presence at leading international art events in recent years. During Art Basel week, Öktem Aykut (Istanbul), representing three artists, participated in Art Basel’s Premiere and Parcours sectors as well as Basel Social Club, while Dirimart (Istanbul, London) presented the work of its represented artist İnci Eviner at Art Basel Unlimited. Pilot (Istanbul) and OG Gallery (Istanbul), meanwhile, continued to strengthen their international visibility through strong presentations at Liste Art Fair.
Other galleries returning to Contemporary Istanbul include:
Andrea Rehder Arte Contemporanea (São Paulo), Anna Laudel (Istanbul, Ankara, Düsseldorf), Art On Istanbul (Istanbul), Art Sümer (Istanbul), AWC Contemporary (Dubai), Bozlu Art (Istanbul), Buchmann Galerie (Berlin), Büro Sarıgedik (Istanbul), DG Art Gallery (Istanbul, Bodrum), Faar Gallery (Istanbul, London), Ferda Art Platform (Istanbul), Galeri Nev Istanbul (Istanbul), Galeri Siyah Beyaz (Ankara), Galeri 77 (Istanbul), Galeria Joan Gaspar (Barcelona), Galerie Esther Woerdehoff (Paris), Galerija Fotografija (Ljubljana), Gillian Jason Gallery (London), JD Malat Gallery (London, Dubai), Leila Heller Gallery (New York, Dubai), Mark Hachem Gallery (Paris, Beirut), Martch Art Project (Istanbul), Muse Contemporary (Istanbul), Pedro Cera (Lisbon, Madrid), PG Art Gallery (Istanbul), Pi Artworks (Istanbul, London), Piramid Sanat (Istanbul), Pontone (London), Revolver Galerie (Buenos Aires, Houston), Ruzy Gallery (Istanbul), Sevil Dolmacı (Istanbul, Dubai, Paris), Simbart Projects (Istanbul), SMAC Gallery (Cape Town), Villa del Arte Galleries (Barcelona, Istanbul), Vision Art Platform (Istanbul), x-ist (Istanbul) and Zilberman (Istanbul, Berlin).
CIF DIALOGUES: The Long and Winding Road
Organised by the Contemporary Istanbul Foundation, CIF Dialogues continues to shape the fair’s intellectual programme through a series of talks bringing together leading figures from contemporary art, architecture and cultural production. This year’s programme, titled “The Long and Winding Road,” will explore the changing dynamics of the contemporary art world through the historical and cultural interactions between East and West.
Taking place on 23–24 September, CIF Dialogues will feature Kulapat Yantrasast, Founder and Creative Director of WHY Architecture; Naz Cuguoğlu, Associate Curator at the Asian Art Museum; Akiko Miki, Director of the Naoshima New Museum of Art and International Art Director of Benesse Art Site Naoshima; Felix Kwok, former Head of Sotheby’s Asia Modern Art Department; Marc Choi, Contemporary Istanbul’s Ambassador to South Korea and Collector; architect Gülru Arvas, former Co-Chair of Tate Young Patrons; Marc-Olivier Wahler, Director of the Musée d’Art et d’Histoire de Genève; and Tim Schneider, Founder of The Gray Market.
CIF BRIDGES
Contemporary Istanbul Foundation’s digital publishing series CIF Bridges extends the dialogue initiated during the fair throughout the year, bringing artists, curators, collectors and cultural professionals together online. Broadcast live via the Contemporary Istanbul Instagram account, CIF Bridges has featured international guests including Nick Buckley Wood, Director of Private Sales, Asia at Sotheby’s; Felix Kwok, Chief Creative Officer of Shenzhen Design Bay; and architect Melike Altınışık, Founder of Melike Altınışık Architecture (MAA). The programme is moderated by Sarp Kerem Yavuz, Art Director of CIF.
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Contemporary Istanbul 21st Edition Dates
23 September 2026 – VIP Preview
24–27 September 2026 – General Admission
Venue: Tersane Istanbul
