Momentum is a delegate programme that takes place in Edinburgh each August during the city’s busiest festival season. It invites key cultural figures from around the world to engage with Edinburgh’s festivals, the wider Scottish cultural sector, and the international creative community that gathers in the city at this time of year. Read more about the festivals at the Festivals Edinburgh website.
The programme supports the development of long-term, sustainable creative collaborations between the arts professionals and organisations based in focus countries and Scotland and Türkiye is one of these selected focus countries for a three years long period since 2024.
Momentum 2024: Türkiye Delegation
In the first year, aspart of the Momentum 2024 programme, five delegates from Türkiye have been invited to engage with Edinburgh festivals:
- Aslı Tohumcu (writer) participated in the Edinburgh International Book Festival’s Momentum Literature programme (12–16 August).
- Buse Yıldırım (Beykoz Kundura), Nilüfer Şaşmazer (Arter), and Yeşim Gürer Oymak (Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts ) took part in the Momentum Türkiye delegation programme (12–16 August).
- Murat Daltaban (DOT Theatre) attended the Edinburgh Theatre and Dance Showcase (18–24 August).
Expanding Connections: Other UK Festival Engagements
To further support Türkiye–Scotland artistic collaboration:
- In September 2024, Hande Şekerciler and Arda Yalkın from ha:ar travelled to Glasgow to participate in SONICA 2024.
- Earlier in January 2024, Aydın Dorsay and Kerem Gökbuget (Borusan Sanat), along with Defne Turaç and Zuhal Üreten (İşbank Sanat), attended Celtic Connections in Glasgow as part of a British Council-supported delegation programme
Upcoming Delegation Programmes
Momentum Country Focus 2025–26 15–19 August 2025
- Murat Baki – Event and Festival Manager, Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM)
- Bürge Kayacan – Artistic Director, State Opera and Ballet – Modern Dance Company, Ankara
- Handan Uzal Dündar – Programming Manager, Istanbul Theatre Festival, İKSV
- Ebru Nihan Celkan – Playwright, director, and gender equity consultant
Meet the delegates from Türkiye: https://vimeo.com/1099353495
Delegate Profiles
Bürge Kayacan
A choreographer, contemporary dance artist, and founding director of the Modern Dance Company (MDT) at Ankara State Opera and Ballet. She has led MDT since 2002 and teaches at various institutions while expanding MDT’s international presence.
Murat Baki
Event and Festival Manager at AKM, curating programming for the Istanbul State Opera and Ballet, Theatre, and Symphony Orchestra. He also leads the Children's Art Festival, shaping inclusive and engaging cultural events.
Handan Uzal Dündar
Programming Manager of the Istanbul Theatre Festival at İKSV. Since joining in 2010, she has played a key role in shaping its vision, supporting new talent, and building international partnerships.
Ebru Nihan Celkan
An award-winning playwright and director, and founder of the theatre company buluT. Her works have been staged across Europe, including at the Grec Festival and Schauspiel Stuttgart. She is also a consultant on gender equality and diversity, based between Istanbul and Berlin.
Edinburgh International Performing Arts Delegation (IPAD) 2025–26
15–20 August 2025
Barış Arman
Director and artistic director of Kazan Dairesi, Barış is known for site-sensitive, multidisciplinary theatre. A Chevening Scholar with MAs from Kadir Has University and LAMDA, he is also an alumnus of Lincoln Center Theater’s Directors Lab. His work focuses on inclusion and experimentation, and he is the 2024 recipient of the Gülriz Sururi–Engin Cezzar Theatre Encouragement Award.