Network-Available Comparative Assets of the Applicant City
It is strongly recommended that the city’s cultural and creative assets provide concise and relevant information so that the property can be valued, in order to make it an important driver for sustainable urban development in the area concerned.
Role and foundations of the relevant creative space in the history and development of the city
Beads extracted from the Neolithic Beaded Field excavation site; Finds from the tare excavations and M.S 4-6. The quarries dating to the 1st century BC point to the deep-rooted history of handicrafts, jewelry-design and embroidery in the region. Researcher Quataert stated the importance of weaving in Mardin with the knowledge that there were approximately 20,000 looms belonging to the art of weaving in the 19th century. In the 19th century, especially Armenian Chief Architect Sarkis Lole Giso was one of the important masters in Mardin; The city has been known as the “city of stone” throughout the historical process.
History BC. The filigree technique performed with silver and gold dating back to 3000’s; It is in a special place in terms of being unique to this region. The workshops that serve as locomotives in the city with 74 different professions are divided according to professions in the bazaars and continue with the master-apprentice relationship. The unique embroidery design of Mardin handicrafts, while preserving its style, has also inspired Zen Diamond and other important brands in the jewelry industry.
Current economic importance and dynamism of the cultural sector and in particular the relevant creative space: data, statistics and other indicators on its contribution to economic development and employment, etc. the number of cultural enterprises in the city.
After the agricultural sector that constitutes the economy of the city, crafts and folk arts have an important share. While the total number of arts in the city is 2,146, the estimated number of employment is 4,292. Activities in the city center on cultural heritage-focused work, while at the same time keeping the production economy of the city’s traditional crafts and occupations alive. 400 people in 100 workshops that currently operate in Mardin with filigree technique; 200 people work in 50 workshops dealing with stonework. There are 600 jewelery-silver shops selling with filigree art.
The Maturation Institute, Public Education Centers and University institutions that provide vocational education provide the educational dynamics of the city and have many courses and programs. 3658 courses were opened within the scope of these programs; 62,403 people received training and mastership certificates were given to 845 people. 774 unique products were produced within the scope of different folk crafts. In addition, while the Mardin Union of Chambers of Tradesmen and Craftsmen has information of 14,541 registered trades, 1,638 of the number is women.
With the course programs and mastership certificates provided, the employment of disadvantaged groups was ensured and new business lines were created.
Traditional viticulture and grape processing have a high potential in terms of cultural tourism diversity as well as handicrafts. There are two wine factories, many home-made wine producers and over 100 wine shops in the city. The wells in the Çelbira Archaeological Settlement, on the other hand, show the historical origin of grape processing.
Different communities and groups interested in the creative field of interest and / or receiving livelihoods
We can categorize the people / groups who are interested in the creative field and make a living here under 3 main headings:
Educational dimension: There are many students, masters-apprentices, teachers and academicians in institutions such as Mardin Artuklu University, Directorate of National Education, Maturation Institute, Public Education Center, NGOs, Fine Arts and Technical High Schools that are interested in the creative field.
Production dimension: Craft and folk arts are performed under many professions in Mardin. Silver-gold embroidery, beadwork, weaving, printing, soap, rosary, filigree art and stonework, etc. These arts are carried out by Armenian, Assyrian and Muslim masters.
Socio-economic dimension: Mardin has many stores engaged in production and marketing in the fields of crafts and folk arts. Mardin has a raw material potential for bitumen and its products. Procurement and raw material production provide significant employment opportunities for those living in the city. More than 40 NGOs facilitate the participation of particularly disadvantaged groups (women, refugees, disabled) and local people in the economic process. Another group are prisoners. While vocational training is provided for these people to adapt to society and be employed; Handicrafts made by prisoners are exhibited and sold at fairs.
Major fairs, conferences, congresses, congresses and other national and / or international events organized by the city in the last five years are offered to professionals and practitioners in the creative field (creators, producers, marketers, promoters, etc.)
Mardin Metropolitan Municipality, Public Institutions and NGOs in the province, their cultural activities, products and services, especially Crafts and Folk Art organizes national and international events for the dissemination and development of
In 2018, with the cooperation of TOBB and EUROCHAMBERS, within the scope of the Turkey – EU Business World Dialogue Grant Program, with the technical support of DİKA, the project was prepared with the technical support of our city’s professional organization Mardin TSO and Granada TSO, which operates in Spain, to increase the Sectoral Capacity, In this context, field visits were made in both cities, various workshops and stakeholder meetings were held.
“Limestone and Stone Working Art” workshop; In 2017, in Mardin Midyat, Artuklu University Midyat Vocational School, Dicle Development Agency and Design Foundation, bringing together professionals working in different disciplines, designing new products in joint investment areas together with them, addressing the local stone with new added values from a designer perspective, and opening up to new areas of use.
Midyat Filigree Design and Innovation Workshop for filigree professionals by DİKA in 2019, the award of filigree master Suphi HİNDİYERLİ, who was included in the UNESCO Living Human Treasures List in 2019, in 2019, with participation in the Istanbul 2nd Traditional Arts and Masters Workshop, The Vision Workshop of the Maturation Institutes, which conduct training, research and development activities, was held in Mardin in 2018. Within the scope of the Mardin Koru Project, in 2018, Mardin Stone Processing masters shared experiences with the relevant masters at Edinbourg Leadership School. At the same time, it provides training for the nomination of Living Human Treasures to support the status of masters with the two-year programs of the Maturation Institute.
Important festivals, congresses and other large-scale events in the creative field organized by the city in the last five years locally, nationally and internationally.
Telkari Week was celebrated by Artuklu University in 2017, in order to draw attention to local and national crafts and folk arts; In 2019, the “Contemporary Jewelry Exhibition” exhibited at Yunus Emre Institute in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, and a Jewelry Workshop in Spain within the scope of the 7th International Higher Education Art Events.
The presentation of Telkarin at the International Vicenzaoro Jewelery Fair, participation in the 22nd and 23rd EMITT Fairs, the Craft Istanbul International Handicraft Fair, the Mardin Promotion Days, which have been held in Istanbul and Ankara and have been continuing since 2015, in 2019. International Midyat Culture and Art Festival was organized.
Mardin Biennial is a multi-purpose cultural gathering that enables the international art community and local and international artists to exchange ideas. The most recent artistic activity took place in 2018 in Mardin.
The products produced by the refugees and other disadvantaged trainees who attend the workshops opened by the Maturation Institute, Public Education Centers and Municipalities are exhibited every year in public areas.
“A World Woman” International Mardin Symposium: The symposium, which featured more than 30 speakers from various countries in 2018, was realized with the theme of traditional designs that emerged by embroidering DEK (Tattoo-type) motifs from local handicrafts. Based on the fact that unemployment, which is one of the most important global problems of today, primarily affects women in the symposium; The revitalization of handicrafts by women and the effects and opportunities on women’s labor force participation were discussed.
Describe areas within both formal and informal education systems, including existing active institutions providing arts education, capacity building for young people in the creative field, with the main mechanisms, courses and programs to promote culture and creativity.
Directing young people to handcrafts and folk arts in Mardin, master-apprentice (common); MAU (formal); Lifelong Learning Centers; It is supported within 4 different programs in the form of NGOs and Associations. In Mardin, apprentices are trained by craftsmen in workshops within the framework of non-formal education. The presence of the Faculty of Fine Arts, Midyat Art and Design Faculty (Jewelery and Jewelry Design undergraduate department) and 2-year Vocational School (Jewelery and Jewelry Design associate degree program) at MAU encourages creativity among young people. There are many public institutions to promote handicraft and folk art education within the context of lifelong education. In addition, institutions carry out training programs to develop knowledge and skills in profession and income generating areas. They are. Some of these are: Directorate of National Education, GAP Administration, Maturation Institute, Public Education Center, Youth Centers, Art Academy, ÇATOM, MARMEK etc.
In addition, Mardin Design and Innovation Center and Midyat Telkari Design and Application Center are important centers for increasing creativity in folk arts, and important NGOs and Associations take part in the education mechanism with their course programs. Among these, NGOs such as the Foundation for the Support of Women’s Work, Leader Women Association, Artuklu Neighborhoods and Agricultural Development Cooperative, Mardin People Education and Solidarity Foundation carry out activities especially for women in the society.
Lifelong learning, higher education, vocational schools, training centers, other higher education institutions specialized in the creative field
There are main organizations working on lifelong learning in the fields of handicrafts and folk arts in the city. The first of these is the Maturation Institute, which researches, maintains, archives, produces true to its original, carries it to the future with designs, introduces it to the world and aims to become a cultural pioneer institution. In the Institute, which currently has 6 workshops, training for adults and young people is provided. There are many crafts such as soap, stone and silver, mother-of-pearl inlay, hand weaving, wood carving, wood etching. The second important institution is Public Education Center and Evening Art School. While the school has a serious potential for adult education since 1953; It provides training through courses in areas such as ceramics, glass, jewelery, handicrafts, weaving and embroidery. Another organization is Mardin Metropolitan Municipality. While providing trainings for women in the Vocational Acquisition Center (MARMEK) within the municipality, a training based on master-apprentice relationship is carried out in areas such as clothing-jewelry design, embroidery, printing, traditional Turkish embroidery on the machine. In addition, faculties, departments, high schools affiliated to Artuklu University; 35 High Schools and 3 Vocational Training Centers such as Mardin Fine Arts High School and Midyat Telkari Vocational and Technical Anatolian High Schools are educating individuals who live and make art, recognize and interpret artworks, and reveal their capacities through formal education.
Research centers, specialized institutes and programs in the relevant creative field
The main research centers of the city are MAU, Faculty of Fine Arts, Midyat Art and Design Faculty, Jewelery, Jewelry Design Department, Maturation Institute, Telkari Design and Innovation Center. While these centers actively raise students, research and publication activities are increasing day by day. The centers raise individuals who believe in the necessity of an intellectual effort in society and art as well as training skilled craftsmen in the field of handicrafts. Students receive the necessary art education by revealing their observation, analysis and creativity while gaining the basic knowledge and skills required by the profession in the workshop lessons. Specialist workshops in the city allow the city to combine traditional craft with modern art. Some of these are Suphi Hindiyerli’s filigree workshop, Hamdullah Aydoğan’s ceramic workshop, Selim Gökçen’s Engraving Workshop, and Nurettin Çakmak’s Sculptor Workshop. In addition, MAU’s students and academicians are trying to blend their talents and creative thoughts with the culture of the past and today’s technology while realizing their designs.
Recognized infrastructure for the professional creation, production and dissemination of activities, goods and services in the relevant creative field (e.g. professional centers, cultural enterprise incubators, chambers of commerce with special programs for cultural goods and services, etc.)
Hand and folk arts in Mardin are organized under the umbrella of the Union of Chambers of Tradesmen and Craftsmen. There are about 5088 members in the central district of the union. Mardin Chamber of Commerce and Industry, on the other hand, is one of the important centers working for the awareness and promotion of the city’s commercial and industrial activities, as well as its social, cultural and historical values. Mardin Joint Women’s Cooperation Association (MOKID), Mardin Telkari Protection and Development Association (MTKGD), which organizes various vocational skills courses in order to gain professional skills and economic empowerment of women, is a key center for the production and expansion of the creative field.
The places where promotion and marketing are concentrated: Maturation Institute, Public Education Center and Evening Art School, Mardin Art Academy, Amber Sales Center, ÇATOM, historical bazaars and handicraft showrooms within the Kasimiye Madrasa. Among them, ÇATOM, a product catalog for the promotion and marketing of the manufactured products in electronic environment has been prepared and made available on the WEB page. Abbaras in Mardin historical bazaars are important sales and incubation centers. Also Mardin Injured Ar Association’s Mardin branch also has a filigree workshop and shop, and products karalogs.
Mardin Jewelery Solidarity and Development Club is a community created for handicraft masters to come together to exchange views and to develop handicrafts.
The main (facilities, facilities, facilities and cultural actions specific to promotion, dissemination and application) targeting the general public or disadvantaged groups (youth, women, vulnerable groups, etc.) in the relevant creative field.
Annual festivals and big events are organized by Mardin Metropolitan Municipality, NGOs, Artuklu University and other stakeholders. Municipal Vocational Training Center (MARMEK), Maturation Institute and Public Education Centers (HEM) provide opportunities for the people of the city to practice handcrafts and folk arts. Cultural areas for the citizens to practice handicrafts and arts are the workshops and exhibition halls of Artuklu University, the Maturation Institute, Municipalities and Public Education Center (HEM).
The Maturation Institute, Public Education Centers and Marmek offer the opportunity to learn about this craft by bringing them together with the masters of Crafts and Folk Arts, especially the refugee women.
Turkey Handicapped Association Mardin Branch: The association, which has 17 thousand members with disabilities, 7 workshops and 1 sales office, provides handicraft training to its members, and the products produced in the workshops are offered for sale in the sales office and ensure the participation of disabled individuals in social and economic life.
Lifelong Learning Institutions, Annual Non-formal and Formal Education Institutions and Year-End Exhibitions of NGOs are organizations where non-professional trainees have the opportunity to share their work with a wider audience. In addition, workshops are held for the participation of the public in the annual festival organized by the Municipality. All exhibits include many crafts such as weaving, embroidery, sewing, needlework and jewelry making.
In the last 3 years Identify up to three main programs or projects developed by the city targeting disadvantaged or vulnerable social groups to promote wider participation in the relevant creative field, especially cultural life.
Soil to Plate Agricultural Development Cooperative: The cooperative, which was established in Mardin in 2019 with the support of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), was handed by the local plants of the province with projects where socio-economically disadvantaged refugees and women from the local community can realize themselves and earn income. It produces and sells soap from its arts products. In addition to the sales office of the cooperative, the Şemim Soaps brand starts selling on digital platforms so that the products can return to women as income during the pandemic period, increasing its product range by improving itself every day.
Learn, Win, Produce and Win Project implemented within the MoF in 2019: for housewives to employ women with low socioeconomic status in the province. handicraft (sewing, embroidery, etc.) courses and trainings were provided. Sales office established in 2019 for the sale of produced craft and handicraft products; Improving women’s products and bringing them a standard, Supporting women to participate in the trade of locally produced products (handicrafts). It is ensured that women’s labor adds a new dimension to Crafts and Folk Arts and turns it into an economic value.
Strengthening Social Cohesion Between Syrian Refugees and Turkish Local Communities: The project ‘Strengthening Social Cohesion Between Syrian Refugees and Turkish Local Communities’ between 2016-2019, in partnership with Welthungerhilfe (WHH), GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit) In the project implemented by the LIDER WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION; 8400 women in refugees and local communities; While learning how to make different handicrafts such as jewelry design, felt, knitting, weaving, embroidery, the social harmony and economic conditions between them have strengthened due to the coexistence of different groups.
Three major programs or projects developed in the last three years in the creative field, which are considered to help create and / or strengthen collaborative relationships between different actors, including the city, private sector, creators, civil society, academia and other relevant stakeholders.
Mardin Sustainable Tourism Project (2014-2023): With the EU IPA Program Grant Support, the tourism diversification project in Mardin aims to create a brand concept for the city through branding and accompanying visual and textural designs; It is a project aiming to protect and develop cultural heritage assets (stone houses and historical bazaars) and to reduce environmental problems by protecting natural assets. Within the scope of the project, programs for tourism infrastructure are implemented, contributing to the city’s becoming a Center of Attraction by strengthening in Crafts and Folk Arts.
Conducted by DİKA, Artuklu University and MBB Mardin Design and Innovation Center is a project that includes activities aimed at ensuring the continuity of crafts and increasing the economic added value of handicraft products.
Midyat Telkari Design and Application Center is a joint project by the Dicle Development Agency, Artuklu University and the Municipality since 2020 to strengthen the design dimension of filigree, one of the local craft products, to standardize the product value chain by supporting it with technology, and to improve income and employment opportunities by increasing the economic value.
The role and influence of the main professional, industrial or sectoral and non-governmental organizations active in the relevant creative field in the city
We can define the stks that carry out studies in the relevant field in 3 axes:
1st Axis; Transfer of handicrafts to future generations: Mardin Joint Women’s Cooperation Association (MOKID), Mardin Filigree Protection and Development Association, Leader Women’s Association, Multi-Purpose Community Centers (Çatom), etc. It provides vocational training courses in order to ensure that handicraft reaches future generations.
2nd Axis; Increasing the participation of refugees in social life and improving their economic status: The Foundation for the Support of Women’s Work (KEDV), Amber Sales Center supported by MBB, provides support by creating sales points in product development, design and market access to support refugee women in improving their quality of life and economic status. On the other hand, KEKIK (Cooperative for the Development and Improvement of Women’s Labor), workshops (carpet, filigree workshops that Turkish and Syrian women learn and produce together also contribute to the social harmony between the two communities.
3rd Axis; Dissemination and Sustainability: It develops policies to ensure cultural creativity, knowledge and sustainability.
The main initiatives, policies, guidelines, programs and measures implemented by the city (creators and professionals) over the past five years to improve the situation of professional craftsmen, creators, and to support creative work, particularly in the relevant creative field.
Revitalization Project of Bakırcılar Bazaar; The Municipality has carried out improvement projects within the framework of promoting the sustainability and capacity building of the historical bazaar, Bakırcılar bazaar, ateliers and production places, where crafts and folk arts come to life, nurtured and developed. Since 2016, 22 bazaars have been rehabilitated. Within the scope of creating visibility and awareness, new spaces are created and these spaces are decorated with the works of local craftsmen in accordance with the identity of the city.
Repair House Project: During the restoration of Repair House, which started in 2017, it hosted a protection camp for university students, as well as trainings for carpenters and stone craftsmen. Stone engraving masters received training by visiting many areas in Edimburg, Scotland. The Repair House creates an energy-efficient architectural conservation model by supporting the preservation of cultural heritage, the development of the stonemasonry and therefore the capacity building in the field of craftsmen.
Two-year training programs were initiated in 2017 to improve the skills of Crafts and Folk Art masters and to train new masters. 16 different program implementations were realized with the Project We are Raising the Masters of the Future. In addition, the Municipality and other institutions allocate a budget each year for the promotion and marketing of crafts and folk art through fairs and exhibitions.
What are the main initiatives, policies, guidelines, programs and measures implemented in the past five years to support and develop local cultural industries in the creative field?
The city has national and local funding mechanisms for local industries and new entrepreneurs. DİKA, Agriculture and Rural Development Support Institution (TKDK), Small and Medium Enterprises Development Organization (KOSGEB) provide local financing to SMEs in the field of handicrafts and folk arts. National financing mechanisms are provided by provincial public institutions and disseminated by NGOs. In this context, ENS TEKSTİL SEWING PROJECT and CİHAN TELKARİ WORKSHOP projects were implemented between 2018-2020, with the total cost of ARDSK supporting social entrepreneurs in the field of handicrafts exceeding 2.141.627,33 TL.
Municipality, DİKA and other public institutions; It provides opportunities for the development of human resources by providing technical trainings, entrepreneurship and business development consultancy to cultural industries.
Research and Development (R&D); In order to develop and reveal crafts and folk art, and to establish a new R&D center in order to develop new quality standards, the Living Handicraft Project in Mardin, We Discover Our Artistic Values Project and the Living Human Treasures Project were implemented. New research projects Maturation Institute is supported by DİKA and Artuklu University.
What are the international and / or regional cooperation initiatives developed in the relevant creative field from different countries, cities in the last five years?
Conservation of Upper Dicle Valley Intangible Cultural Heritage and Raising Awareness Project;
Supported by BRITISH COUNCIL in 2017 and 2019; The project implemented in the partnership of DİKA, History Foundation and Mardin Museum; Awareness raising activities are carried out with the identification and documentation of the intangible cultural heritage elements (Crafts and Folk Arts) and their creators, oral history trainings and short films.
KORU PROJECT: As part of the Capacity Building in the Preservation of Cultural Heritage (KORU) Project, which was supported by the British Council, one of the world’s largest charities, and carried out jointly by the Association for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage and Edinburgh World Heritage in 2017-2019, the masters of masonry from Mardin, the capital of Scotland. They were taken to Edinburgh and included in vocational training programs. The masters, who were trained, created awareness in the restoration of the historical Mardin Houses, with stonemasonry and Crafts and Folk Arts.
In the “Days of Turkey” event organized in 2017 in Tirana, the capital of Albania with the cooperation of Yunus Emre Institute, Tirana Embassy and Tirana Municipality, Mardin Maturation Institute exhibited examples from many applied handicraft branches such as filigree, stone embroidery, weaving and mother-of-pearl inlay.
In 2021, the city of Kütahya was invited to Mardin and exchanged ideas to learn from its experiences as a creative city in the field of crafts and folk art and to explore possible areas for further cooperation.
Zoom meeting will be added, work to be done with the city of invitation will be added
What are the main programs or projects implemented in the last three years that create and support synergies directly or indirectly with at least one of the other creative areas in the Network?
Joint initiatives were initiated in the field of gastronomy as a result of the participation in the International Gastronomy Festival held in Gaziantep, the Gastronomy City in 2018, and various ongoing visits. In this context, technical support has been provided for the local cuisine in the city to be designed with Mardin Stone Processing. Again, food presentations started to be made with copper plates and trays produced by Mardin Craftsmen, thus the presentation of local flavors in Gaziantep started to take place in an authentic atmosphere. Within this framework, the Gastronomy Museum and Application Center Project was created in the city of Mardin, using the motifs of local craftsmen with stonework.
In 2019, joint initiatives were initiated in the field of design by participating in Craft Week events held in Design City Istanbul. In this context, the designs of the kites used in the International Kite Festivals held in Mardin since 2017 have been enriched by local craftsmen.
Again, MBB and the Institute of Maturation carry out works by local craftsmen, professionals and designers to produce new products and architectural designs by integrating stone processing into the buildings in the restoration of the buildings. All of these are examples of the intersection between handicrafts and folk art and design.
Major international cooperation initiatives and / or partnerships (cross-section and / or intersectoral projects) that have developed and included at least two of the seven creative areas covered by the Network over the last three years
Mardin Biennial: It is a multi-purpose cultural meeting that enables the international art community and local and international artists to exchange ideas. With the collaborations made; Biennials aim to bring Mardin to a central position with a series of prestigious exhibitions by animating the Mardin geography with artists, academicians, students and different cultural communities through art. The historical places of Mardin revive through art and add a literary atmosphere to the ancient city. The 5th Mardin Biennial, which will be held soon, has decided to focus on refugees and other vulnerable groups this time.
International Mardin Kite Festival: The festival, which has been organized by the Metropolitan Municipality since 2017, has been held in Mardin, with participation from various countries. The kites embroidered with motifs such as Shahmaran, filigree, dove representing Mardin represented our country and our city by flying in the skies of Malaysia, Thailand, Ukraine, Malta and South Africa.
What are the main facilities and infrastructures and events (fairs, conferences, congresses etc.) organized by the city in the last three years, aiming to promote the creative spaces covered by the network outside the relevant creative area?
2018-2019 Flying Carpet Children’s Music Festival was held with the participation of 45 artists from 12 different countries in cooperation with the Art Everywhere Association and the Mardin Museum.
International SineMardin- Film Festival: The 14th of the International Mardin Film Festival, which has been held since 2007 with its corporate identity, which made Mardin known as a plateau as one of the attractive venues of our country and world cinema, was held in Mardin in 2020.
Mardin Harire Festival: Harire dessert, which is obtained by boiling the grapes picked at the time of harvest, is one of the original local desserts of Mardin Gastronomy. In order to keep this dessert tradition, which is a cultural value, and to ensure its branding, festivals are held in October every year.
Mardin Fairy Tales Festival: Organized annually since 2016; Storytellers from different provinces of Turkey are telling tales in Turkish, Kurdish, Arabic, Armenian and Syriac with a program that reflects the multi-lingual and multi-religious culture of the city, and contributes to the continuation of the oral literature tradition.
International Congress of Urban History Writers: The International Congress of Urban History Writers held in 2020 in partnership with the Writers Union of Turkey and Martin Artuklu University; It was hosted by the city with the theme of “City, Literature and Art”.
Provide an account of the city’s general income and expenditure for the last five years, showing the amounts allocated to the relevant creative area.
The budget allocated by the Metropolitan Municipality of Mardin for Crafts and Folk Arts activities is as follows: Budgets are given in US Dollars.
2017: $ 1,273,050
2018: $ 1,637,577
2019: $ 1,001,700
2020: $ 1,344,800
2021: $ 1,124,928