The excitement of the Türkiye Culture Route Festival is set to be experienced for the third time in Nevşehir. From August 2 to 10, Nevşehir will host nearly 400 events across 37 different locations over nine days as part of the festival.
Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy stated, "With the Nevşehir Culture Route Festival, we are giving voice once again to Cappadocia's millennia-old silent heritage. These lands are not only a reflection of the past but also an inspiration for a future shaped by culture."
Ersoy highlighted that Nevşehir will host a cultural feast featuring concerts, exhibitions, workshops, talks, gastronomy experiences, and activities for all ages between August 2 and 10. The city, located at the heart of Cappadocia, is described as a magical open-air museum with fairy chimneys, valleys, underground cities, and thousands of years of history.
During the festival, Nevşehir residents will have the chance to explore the city's rich cultural heritage through exhibitions showcasing diverse artistic expressions. Ersoy added that the Culture Route Festival will offer an unforgettable experience for Nevşehir and all visitors.
One of the festival's most notable events is the "Pablo Picasso: Creation is Everything" exhibition, featuring 74 original works by Picasso, including engravings, drawings, lithographs, posters, and photographs. This special collection will be presented by the Lale Foundation at the Güray Museum.
Other exhibitions full of cultural richness include "Mysterious Anatolia" by Resul Çelik at Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University and "Unrestricted Connections" at the Meryem Ana Church, which blends traditional Ottoman miniatures with iconic Western artworks to create a new interdisciplinary aesthetic.
At the Mustafapaşa Eleni Church, the "Matraki" exhibition will reinterpret city paintings by Matrakçı Nasuh through contemporary artists, accompanied by a documentary titled "Matraki: An Ottoman Star." Additional exhibitions such as "Türkiye from the Sky," "From Sketch to Pixel," "Quasimotho," "Cengiz Yatağan," "Heritage of Civilizations," "Türkiye's Miniatures," "Digital Moving Miniature," "Masters of Türkiye Documentary," "Living Heritage," "Chinese Calligraphy and Painting," and "Cappadocia in My Suitcase" will be spread throughout the city.
A music festival will take place at the Göreme Festival Area main stage, featuring top Turkish musicians including Murat Boz, Murat Dalkılıç, Sinan Akçıl, Derya Uluğ, Ebru Yaşar, Ferhat Göçer, Bayhan, Uğur Işılak, and Sagopa Kajmer.
The festival will also host performances by artists like Tuluyhan Uğurlu, Tuluğ Tırpan, Serkan Çağrı, Mehmet Akatay, and Mehmet Özen. Cultural groups such as the Ankara State Classical Turkish Music Choir, Ankara State Performing Arts Ensemble, Ankara State Opera and Ballet, the Ministry of National Defense's Mehteran Band, and Hatay Civilizations Choir will enrich the program. The Konya Turkish Sufi Music Ensemble's "Semâ Mukâbelesi" will provide a mystical atmosphere.
As part of its social responsibility, the Culture Route Festival will bring art to inmates, with a special concert by artists from the General Directorate of Fine Arts at the Nevşehir E-Type Closed Penal Institution.
The festival will also host the 5th EthnoKino Film Festival, offering film screenings, performances, and talks under the fairy chimneys and stars for a cinematic experience. Photography enthusiasts can compete in "PhotoMarathon" and "PhotoMarathon Kids" events. A talk by Deniz Çeliker and an awards ceremony will be held at Cappadocia University.
Famous comedian Gökhan Ünver will perform a stand-up show. Traditional doll and costume workshops will be held as part of the "Bulgaria - Türkiye Cultural Meetings." The "Central Anatolian Musical" will bring the region's cultural heritage to the stage with folk songs, stories, and humor.
The performing arts program includes the Ankara State Theatre presenting "Kerbela," Konya State Theatre's "Taj Mahal Guards," and the Ankara State Opera and Ballet's "Tango Passion."
Workshops covering traditional arts such as felt pigeon making, kitre doll making, Chinese painting, pottery, marbling, carpet and kilim weaving, and calligraphy will provide hands-on cultural and artistic experiences supported by simulation technologies.
Talks and discussions will feature "Boundless Conversations with Züleyha" by Züleyha Ortak and Beyhan Budak, a session titled "Culture, Tourism, and Media" with Emin Pazarcı, Mehmet Acet, Zafer Şahin, Melik Yiğitel, and Sinan Burhan, and presentations on archaeological excavations and Sarı Saltuk, offering cultural and intellectual depth.
From August 7 to 10, the last four days of the festival, the International Balloon Festival will light up the skies of Cappadocia at the Göreme Festival Area with colorful and figurative balloons from 17 countries. "Night Glow" events will illuminate the night with art.
