Karagöz Art House

Karagöz Art House, which was an old carpenter's shop in the past and restored in 2005, is a working, meeting, workshop and exhibition space open to the thinking and creating people of the art and culture world in the fields of music, literature, creative writing, drama, painting, photography, sculpture, cinema, video, theater, circus, architecture, philosophy... and similar fields.

Karagöz Art House, located in the center of Ayvalık, known for its natural and cultural beauties, is rented as an Artist Residency space for artists who want to work and create in different cultural fields.

Artist Residency in the World 

The "Artist Residency", which has been practiced around the world for nearly 30 years, is an experience that aims to bring culture and art out of their shells and make them visible. In many countries around the world, cultural institutions and local and private organizations follow a policy of inviting artists to their cities and offering them the opportunity to work outside their usual environments. Within the framework of their own cultural policies and choices, these institutions create a workspace where the artist can leave their current space and create or realize a project in a completely different atmosphere.

They offer a space that allows art to meet art, artists and art to meet the public. They prepare an environment where the artist will have a role in the public sphere. The "artist residency", which provides the individual with opportunities to think, research, create and show what they produce, includes all artists working in music, dance, theater, cinema, plastic arts, philosophy, handicrafts, literature, poetry, street performances and similar fields, and art lovers who want to participate in the work in these fields. The artist steps outside his/her own private space and begins a journey open to the outside world while realizing his/her creation in another place, in another environment. The artist, alone or as a group of artists, realizes a new project, a creation or a work that he/she has already started in this appropriate space. The artist tries out his/her work in this space, gives it shape, and aims to achieve the goal set during the stay by using the technical possibilities of the space. The timing is adjusted according to the envisaged creative project. The duration varies according to the location.

Artist Residence in Ayvalık

Karagöz Art House has been realizing the "Artist Residence" project, the general philosophy of which we have tried to explain above, in Ayvalık since its establishment.

Within this framework, Karagöz Art House envisions what it envisions:
By inviting national and international artists to Ayvalık, Karagöz Art House will provide accommodation and cultural production, contributing to the cultural image of the city.
It aims to support the cultural dynamism of the local area by taking advantage of the presence of the artist participating in the project in Ayvalık. During the period when the artist is in Ayvalık, it enables the artist to establish a relationship with people in other art branches in the town. It establishes cultural ties between the artist and different segments of the society and improves the relationship between the public and the artist. The work for the accommodation also witnesses the meeting and sharing of art with the public. Art is an important source of personal happiness and development. Karagöz Sanatevi aims to open the eyes and ears of the participants to culture, to broaden their horizons, to arouse curiosity, to look at and perceive life differently, while bringing the artist in residence into contact with various segments of society. In this direction, the artist shares his/her works with the social segments in Ayvalık and its surroundings, deepening the cultural exchange.

Karagöz Art House acts as a bridge between the artist and social dynamics such as neighborhoods, villages, schools, associations, local administrations, etc. in Ayvalık. While the artist presents his richness to art lovers in different segments of the public, he also learns from them. This mutual exchange enables people to meet art, the artist to get to know the public, both sides to be open to innovations and cultural enrichment. The encounter with the public is an opportunity for mutual interaction and development while respecting the work of the artist. If the artist in residence prefers to focus only on his/her own work, this approach is also respected.

Karagöz Sanatevi makes all kinds of local preparations for the realization of the event and for the artist to work in the best conditions. It informs the artist about accommodation etc. The artist provides the research and creation of the necessary budget for the residency. 

Karagöz Art House is rented for the artist residency for at least one week. 

Located on Cumhuriyet Street in the center of Ayvalık, Karagöz has two floors and a total usage area of 84 m2. It has been completely restored with stone, wood and iron work. There is a bar and sink inside.