7th Gazişehir Theatre Festival
10–18 October 2026
GAZİANTEP
Affiliates:
Kadıköy Boa Sahne
Doç. Dr. Zerrin Yanıkkaya
The 7th Gazişehir Theatre Festival, organised by the Gazişehir Culture and Arts Association (GAKSAD), took place in Gaziantep from 10 to 18 October 2026. Held under the theme “Common Ground”, the festival approached theatre as a shared space where diverse stories, ideas, communities and artistic practices can come together.
Bringing together independent theatre companies from different cities across Türkiye, institutional theatre companies such as the State Theatre and the City Theatre, and international artists, the festival featured a programme of performances, workshops, panel discussions, post-performance talks and special events. The programme also included companies selected through an open call that received 118 applications, creating opportunities for audiences to encounter a range of aesthetic approaches and modes of artistic production.
One of the festival’s key objectives is to strengthen Gaziantep’s local theatre ecosystem and increase the visibility of cultural and artistic production in the city. To this end, the OFF Gazişehir programme supports theatre companies based in Gaziantep in presenting their work to audiences. Workshops and talks also encourage the exchange of knowledge and experience among artists, young people, audiences and cultural professionals.
The festival further broadens its reach through initiatives that support children and communities with limited access to cultural activities in engaging with the arts. Events such as gatherings exploring stage culture and a book solidarity initiative establish connections between the city’s cultural memory, cultural participation and social solidarity.
The Gazişehir Theatre Festival aims to strengthen theatre in Gaziantep not merely as an art form to be watched, but as a common ground for thinking together, creating collectively and fostering a shared cultural life.
