To the esteemed artist candidate embracing the theme of "BIRTH" and the call "What Now?",

We kindly request that you carefully read this guide, prepared in a Q&A format, before starting to fill out the application form. The Cappadocia Biennial possesses a mission distinct from conventional art events. For your application to be eligible for evaluation, it must fully meet the conceptual framework and technical requirements of the biennial.

Applications that do not comply with the guidelines in this guide, contain incomplete documents, or fail to meet technical specifications will not be included in the Selection Committee evaluation process, regardless of their content.

The Biennial management reserves the right to make changes to this guide. However, contracts signed with the selected artists shall remain valid in the form in which they were signed.

• January 20: Application Deadline

• February 10: Pre-selection Results

• February 15: Artist Interviews

• March 10: Announcement of Final Results

• April 20: Artwork Delivery

When preparing your application dossier, please ensure your project addresses the questions below. We are not merely seeking an aesthetic artwork; we are looking for an attitude.

1. Our Starting Point:

When disasters, wars, and economic depressions shake the world, we all ask that inevitable question: "what now?" This question sometimes expresses despair, and sometimes a breaking point. We accept this question not as a sign of helplessness, but as the harbinger of a new beginning, transforming it into a call to action.

2. Our Expectation:

In the inaugural year of the Cappadocia Biennial, under the theme of "BIRTH", we expect artists not only to bear witness to the situation but to become part of the solution.

We question how art can respond to the most basic vital needs such as Nourishment, Shelter, Health, Education, and Clothing. Regarding these needs, does your work:

• Offer a sustainable perspective?

• Develop a practical and creative solution proposal?

• Make the viewer say, "another world is possible"?

We await productions that find meaning not in the abstract realm of art, but at the very center of life.

With the Cappadocia Biennial, we aim to transform art into a bridge that facilitates access to basic vital needs and offers sustainable solutions.

The Cappadocia Biennial will take place from May 7 to September 3, 2026, across five different centers of Cappadocia —Göreme, Ürgüp, Avanos, Uçhisar, and Ortahisar— in unique venues intertwined with the region's natural and cultural heritage.

You may list one of the following locations in response to the question "In which venue do you envision your work?"found on the application form. (Example: Ürgüp, Temenni Hill)

Potential Biennial Venues:

GÖREME

Göreme Açık Hava Müzesi

Aşk Vadisi

Güvercinlik Vadisi

Göreme Milli Parkı

Karanlık Kilise

Zemi Vadisi

Göreme Panorama

Tokalı Kilise

El Nazar Kilisesi

Aziz Basil Şapeli

Yılanlı Kilise

Imperial Art Gallery

Güllüdere Vadisi / Rose Valley

ÜRGÜP

Mazı Yeraltı Şehri

Kızılçukur Vadisi

Turasan Şarap Mahzenleri

Kapadokya Kahve Müzesi

Kapadokya Sanat ve Tarih Müzesi

Ürgüp Büyükakten Yeraltı Evi

Ürgüp Müzesi

Kapadokya Ebru Sanat Evi

Ürgüp Erhan Ayata Güzel Atlar Sergisi

Temenni Tepesi

Kapadokya Üniversitesi

Ürgüp Kadıkalesi

Üç Güzeller

Gomeda Vadisi

Üzengi Vadisi

Keşlik Manastırı

Aziz Nikolas Manastırı

Aziz Stefanos Kilisesi

Konstantin Eleni Kilisesi

Sinasos Kalesi

AVANOS

Güray Müze

Zelve Açık Hava Müzesi

Çavuşin Kilisesi / Çavuşin Eski Cami

Paşabağ Vadisi / Paşabağları Müze ve Örenyeri

The Çanak Sanat Galerisi

Salkım Şarap Evi

Chez Galip Pottery And Ceramics

Saç Müzesi Chez Galip Hair Museum

Saruhan Kültür ve Kongre Merkezi

Kapadokya Yaşayan Miras Müzesi

Bei Kaya Art House

Avanos Pottery Workshop

Hacı Nuri Bey Konağı

Avanos Windmill

Devrent Vadisi

Evani Kır Düğün ve Etkinlik Alanı

Toprağın Sesi

Özkonak Belha Manastırı / Özkonak Yeraltı Şehri

Noyan Yayla Art Studio

Gölge Art

Artevino Cappadocia

Tasarım Çömlek Atölyesi

Venessa Seramik

Vaftizci Yahya Kilisesi

UÇHİSAR

Uçhisar Kalesi

Kapadokya Sanat ve Kültür Merkezi

Hisarönü Seramik Art Galeri

Naile Art Galeri

Maison du Kilim

Galerie Faruk

ORTAHİSAR

Ortahisar Kalesi

Kültür Müzesi (Ortahisar Etnografya Müzesi)

Abdioğlu Cami

Motif Kültür Merkezi

Hallaç Manastırı

Manzara Kültür Parkı

Derviş Evi

Tarihi Soğuk Hava Depoları

İshak Kalesi

Üzümlü Kilise

Cambazlı (Sarıca) Kilisesi

Pancarlık Vadisi ve Pancarlık Kilisesi

Aynalı (Fırkatan) Kilisesi

Alternative Venues:

NEVŞEHİR

Derinkuyu Yeraltı Şehri

Kaymaklı Yeraltı Şehri

Hacı Bektaş-ı Veli Türbesi ve Müzesi

Damat İbrahim Paşa Külliyesi

Nevşehir Kalesi

Açık Saray Müzesi

Tatlarin Yeraltı Şehri

Çat Vadisi

Hacıbektaş Atatürk Evi

Suluca-Karahöyük

Kadıncık Ana Türbesi

Çilehane

Balım Sultan Türbesi

Garip Dede Kültür Konuk Evi

AKSARAY

Ihlara Vadisi, Selime Katedrali

KAYSERİ

Soğanlı Örenyeri

NİĞDE

Gümüşler Manastırı

The Cappadocia Biennial is an international contemporary art event brought to life by the Sinemasal Culture & Arts Association. It envisions art not merely as a form of aesthetic expression, but as a tool to generate sustainable solutions for social and global issues.

While the association's name, "Sinemasal," might initially suggest a focus solely on "cinema/film," the Cappadocia Biennial embraces a strictly interdisciplinary approach.

We are open to all artists from around the world producing in the fields of painting, sculpture, ceramics, textile, photography, video art, installation, performance, architectural design, new media, sound art, and digital art. The Biennial embraces all forms of visual and auditory arts. (Criterion: No matter which discipline you come from, "Social Benefit" and "Solution Proposal" must be at the center of your work.)

Furthermore, a rich calendar of events is being prepared within the scope of the Biennial, including handicraft workshops encouraging local participation, educational programs for children and youth, guided tours, concerts, stage performances, and film screenings.

Before proceeding to the answer, we strongly recommend that you carefully read the "Theme & Conceptual Framework" section located at the beginning of our Cappadocia Biennial page.

The Core Philosophy of the Cappadocia Biennial (in connection with Sinemasal): IMPACT of ART

Unlike traditional biennials, the Cappadocia Biennial is not merely a space for exhibiting artworks; it is an impact platform that centers on the "healing and transformative" power of art. It positions art as a practice for generating solutions to basic vital needs and crises (disasters, wars, inequalities).

Theme: BIRTH

Taking place in the unique geography of Cappadocia, the Cappadocia Biennial carries the transformative power of art to the center of life with the theme of "BIRTH" in its inaugural year. Focusing on the human courage to start over in the face of disasters, wars, and economic depressions, the biennial invites artists not only to bear witness but to develop concrete approaches to social and global issues by utilizing art's healing, unifying, and mobilizing potential. In this respect, the biennial treats art not just as an aesthetic field of expression, but as a practice of thinking and producing that directly touches life.

The "BIRTH" theme aims to touch the heart of life, moving out of the abstract realm of art by focusing on access to the most basic vital needs, from shelter to food, from education to health.

Every artwork is viewed as a solution proposal; every proposal as a symbol of rebirth.

Call: so, what now?

At the center of the Cappadocia Biennial lies the question, "so, what now?". This question also serves as a call to action.

The question "So, what now?" is evaluated not as an expression of despair following global depressions, but as a call to action stating, "Now is the time to dare to think of the world from a new perspective!"

In summary; the Cappadocia Biennial aims to be a space for solidarity, awareness, and rebirth. In this gathering where art merges with the human will to exist again, that very question comes to mind first: so, what now?

The Biennial views every participating artist as a "solution partner." Accordingly, participating artists are expected to develop practical, sustainable, and creative proposals regarding basic vital needs such as nourishment, shelter, health, education, and clothing in their works.

Is the phrase "Practical, sustainable, and creative proposals regarding basic vital needs" conceptual or concrete?

"Am I supposed to create an artwork, or an invention/social responsibility project?"

"By 'Concrete Solution Proposal,' do you expect an engineering project?"

Answer: No. We are an art biennial, not a science fair. However, we believe in the functional power of art. Our expectation is not engineering solutions, but aesthetic productions that point to problems through the language of art, create awareness, or offer conceptual alternatives. You can offer a "concrete perspective" or an "applicable inspiration" to the problem without losing aesthetic concern.

Regarding "Nutrition"; we do not expect "food that looks good on a plate," but rather the development of "production and storage models resilient to food crises."

Regarding "Shelter"; you can create a sculpture drawing attention to the need for housing; perhaps this sculpture is a temporary shelter prototype created from waste materials.

Regarding "Health"; we expect you to develop designs that will keep us alive until professional medical help is reached during a crisis, or that protect our mental health.

Regarding "Education"; you can create a video art piece; this video can fictionally narrate an alternative learning model.

Under the "Clothing" title; you can develop projects focused on survival, sustainability, and waste management. We do not expect a 'seasonal collection' from you. We expect prototypes on what people will wear to survive in a future world facing water scarcity, migration, or climate crisis, or how they can dress without harming nature.

During your application via Google Forms, the system will request you to upload files. To avoid technical issues and ensure a professional presentation, please strictly adhere to the following rules:

File Naming: You must name each of your files in the following format:

Name_Surname_ProjectTitle_FileNumber.JPG (Example: Jane_Doe_Awakening_1.JPG)

Proper file naming is of great importance to ensure your application is transmitted completely to the selection committee without being eliminated.

- You must upload at least 1 and at most 5 reference project images related to the proposed work. Each file must be in JPG or PNG format and maximum 10 MB in size.

Reference project images should consist of visuals from previously produced works—preferably those that have been exhibited—which demonstrate the applicant’s artistic practice, aesthetic approach, and technical competence. This section is used to assess the feasibility and realizability of the proposed artwork.

- You may upload technical drawings/sketches for newly produced works in the section titled "Artwork Sketches or Plan Drawings," adhering to the quantity and format specified in that section.

In the Sketches or Plan Drawings section, applicants are expected to upload sketches, diagrams, or technical drawings that illustrate the proposed artwork’s relationship with the site, its scale, placement, and production logic. These visuals will be used to evaluate the artwork’s feasibility and installation process.

- You may provide an optional video link (YouTube or Vimeo).

- You must upload your portfolio (maximum 5 past works, if applicable) in PDF format only, with a file size of maximum 100 MB. The first page of the PDF must include your CV/Biography. (Word, JPEG, or ZIP files are not accepted.)

Troubleshooting: If you experience issues with file uploading, first check that your file format is JPG or PNG and that each individual file size is not larger than 10 MB. Then, ensure that the Google account you used to start filling out the form is still logged in. Check your internet connection.

If the problem persists, you can report the situation to info@sinemasal.org by writing "APPLICATION ERROR" in the email subject line.

Please add the link to your sound art work in the SoundCloud Link section. If your link is password-protected, please ensure you enter the password in the Audio Password section.

For sound works, please upload at least 1 image (such as an album cover) to the Reference Project Images section.

Yes. Please upload at least 1 image (such as a poster or still frame) to the Reference Project Images section for video works.

Please add the link to your video work in the Video Link (YouTube or Vimeo) section. If your link is password-protected, please ensure you enter the password in the Video Password section.

No. There are no limitations regarding size or technique. However, you are required to clearly and fully specify the following three points in the relevant sections of the application form:

- The exact dimensions of your artwork.

- All technical details and requirements related to your artwork.

- Any spatial limitations, if applicable. For example: due to its sensitivity to humidity, my artwork is not suitable for exhibition in a cave environment.

Each artist may apply with a maximum of 3 project proposals. You must fill out the form again for each project.

Yes. Please write the collective's name or the group representative's details in the "Name & Surname" section of the application form, and list the names of all members in the PDF file you upload to the Portfolio section.

The shipping and logistics processes for the artworks selected for the Biennial will be organized in coordination with the artist, and all expenses will be covered by Sinemasal.

Insurance for the selected artworks will be provided by Sinemasal.

We will provide transportation (via partner companies) and accommodation support (in partner hotels/dormitories) to selected artists who must be personally present during the installation process of their work (and to their own installation teams, subject to approval by the Biennial management).

Additionally, within the scope of available resources, we plan to provide every artist participating in the Biennial with transportation to Cappadocia at least once and accommodation for at least one day. The dates for this visit will be determined according to the Biennial schedule.

Material/production support will be provided to a portion of the selected artworks through our sponsors. The scope of support may vary for each project. The process will be managed collaboratively by the Biennial team and the selected artists.

To be considered for this limited support, you must clearly indicate in the relevant section of the application form whether you require material/production support and explicitly state the exact nature of the support expected.

No cash artist fee (honorarium) will be paid to artists for this edition.

You may also apply with existing works that have not yet been exhibited anywhere (or have not been exhibited in the Cappadocia region). All artworks are expected to be related to the Biennial's "BIRTH" theme and the call "so, what now?".

All copyrights of the work belong to the artist. The Biennial holds the right to use visuals of the work solely for promotion, archive, and catalog purposes. A detailed contract within this scope will be signed with the selected artists.

The Biennial is a non-profit exhibition. However, an art fair will be organized as a parallel event by New Saga, the co-producer of the Cappadocia Biennial. If you wish for your work to be available for sale on a commission basis within the scope of the art fair, please complete the relevant section in the application form so that we may discuss the details with you.

Artists who complete this section are deemed to have granted the necessary KVKK (Personal Data Protection Law)permissions for the information provided via the form to be shared with New Saga Fikir Sanat A.Ş.

What are the Venue Characteristics?

Due to the unique nature of Cappadocia, exhibition spaces differ from conventional "White Cube" gallery settings. Exhibitions will take place in caves, open-air spaces, and historical textures.

(Warning: Caves can be humid. Paper works or delicate photographs may be damaged. Your work may deteriorate.)

If your work is sensitive to humidity, temperature fluctuations, or dust, you must strictly state this in the Technical Requirements section of the application form. If you do not specify venue constraints in the application form, all responsibility lies with you, and the Biennial management accepts no liability.

Can I Intervene with the Walls?

Due to the historical texture, hammering nails, drilling, or painting walls is strictly prohibited in most venues. You are expected to specify alternative hanging/installation methods (fishing line, pedestal, free-standing display, etc.) in the Technical Requirements section of the application form.

Who Covers Technical Needs?

Basic technical needs such as power supply and extension cables for works like video art will be provided by the Biennial. However, not every technical need may be met by the Biennial. Therefore, you must fill out the Technical Requirements section in the application form completely.

Installation: Does the Artist Have to Come to Cappadocia for Setup?

Generally, artwork installation will be carried out by the Biennial technical team. However, if the artist needs to perform the installation personally and/or with their team, please state this completely in the Installation Requirements or Venue Preferences section of the application form.

If the artist wishes to perform the installation personally and/or with their team, they must also clearly state whether they request transportation and accommodation support in the Installation Requirements or Venue Preferences section.

Transportation (via partner companies) and accommodation support (in partner hotels/dormitories) will be provided to selected artists who must be personally present during the installation process (and to their own installation teams, subject to approval by the Biennial management).

IMPORTANT: Artists who will produce new works must share any technical requirements/needs that were not previously specified in the application form and/or that they have just realized during the production process with the Biennial management without delay. In such cases, as long as the artist provides the necessary communication in a timely and complete manner, the Biennial will endeavor to meet the additional requirement/need. For issues that cannot be met, the process will be conducted with the artist within the framework of good will.

1. Project Proposal and Conceptual Framework (The Most Critical Part): Have you added your work's response to the question "so, what now?" and its proposal regarding basic vital needs (shelter, nutrition, etc.) to the "Explain your relationship with the biennial theme" section of the application form?

2. Technical Details: Have you completely and accurately added technical details such as dimensions, material information, and installation needs to the "Technical Requirements" section of the application form?

3. Visuals: Have you completed the visual and file uploads fully and accurately?

4. Contact Info: Ensure that the contact information you entered in the form is up to date.

5. Confirmation: Make sure you see the "We have received your application" message after submitting the form.

Beyond being merely an art event, the Cappadocia Biennial aims to establish a new ground for dialogue in this geography. The Biennial chooses not to be a spectator standing on the edge of transformation, but to be the transformation itself.

If you believe that through your art, you can offer the herald of a "BIRTH" to those asking "so, what now?" in the midst of disasters, wars, and crises, and to those succumbing to despair, we eagerly await your application.

Now is the time to dare to think of the world from a new perspective!