The Masters of Turkey Project, carried out in cooperation with the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism, is a project that identifies addresses by compiling an inventory of artisans, workshops, universities, application and research centers/institutes, institutions and non-governmental organizations that work in the field of traditional Turkish arts and crafts, and it aims to help make the Turkish cultural heritage visible and carry it on to future generations.

Masters of Turkey is the first project of its kind in Turkey, and it consists of an online map, a book, an e-book, and a trilingual website in Turkish/English/Arabic which includes geographical, demographic and artistic branch statistics, as well as the inventory of traditional Turkish arts and crafts, the introduction of artisans and institutions, contact information, images of their artworks, as well as statistics on geography, demography and artistic branches.

The project began in 2010 with Istanbul, was updated in 2017 to include the Marmara region, and in 2023, the Aegean region shall also be added to the inventory. The project’s ultimate goal is to become the most comprehensive inventory of traditional Turkish arts and crafts, covering all regions of Turkey with the widest range of artists, institutions and addresses.

The names and institutions identified as the result of online applications via turkiyeninustalari.org  are listed in alphabetical order on the website and in the book. In addition, through the categorization of art branches and cities, user-friendly navigation and search in both the book and on the website is possible.

This inventory study, which is a resource for researchers and enthusiasts, aims to play an active role in determining the cultural and artistic policies and strategies of central and local authorities.

We believe that the project will contribute to the promotion of the cultural and artistic richness of Turkey within the country and abroad, and ensure the continuity of tradition and encourage our artists.

We would like to thank the workshops and educational institutions that have contributed to the project, the officers at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism for their support, our project team and everyone who has contributed to the project.

Take Your Part Among Masters of Turkey!

To take part in the inventory project, you can fill out the Application Form on the turkiyeninustalari.org website.