http://www.datonet.at/kanonmedia/korhan_subclip24.mov

AR:
It sounds like some sort of public relation business.

KE:
I guess so …

AR:
I suppose, maybe …[it is meant to …,] it raises the international image and flair of Istanbul.

KE:
[Yes], I mean, I am not saying that they are useless. They still have an important mission. They are organizing some of the major festivals in Istanbul and some of them are good - like the theater festival is good and the music festival is also not bad. But still, the way the approach Turkish artists - I do n[o]t approve that.

http://www.datonet.at/kanonmedia/evrim_subclip26.mov

To work with children - it is very important for me and i will do it, [work as a] teacher also because you are looking [at these] little person[s], you are checking their behaviours, and for my job it [i]s so important. And - you know - playing is their job so - I am a player, theater player - so they are my partners all the time.

http://www.datonet.at/kanonmedia/stach_subclip18.mov

Es gibt Berufsvereinigungen – ich seh[e] das sehr einfach und praktisch –, es gibt Interessensgemeinschaften - Bildende Künstler und so weiter –, und es gibt Sozialverpflichtungen und Sozialleistungen, die zu dieser Titulatur gehören. Also: Für mich besteht im Grunde eigentlich kein Zweifel, dass Künstler-Sein – wie hast du gesagt? –, dass Künstlertum ein Beruf ist, ja.

http://www.datonet.at/kanonmedia/korhan_subclip23.mov

AR:
Are there any cultural forces [st]riving for establishment of such grant infrastructure?

KE:
I did n[o]t understand the question.

AR:
Sorry, I was too complicated. Are there any cultural politicians or even artists working in the field of culture politics?

KE:
I do n[o]t think so. I do n[o]t think the Turkish government has any politics regarding art. They do n[o]t have any policies, I do n[o]t think so. Yes, I am sure they have policies regarding the traditional arts - you know, the folk dancing and bla bla bla, but not for modern, no. It [i]s all in the hands of … the private sector.

AR:
Are companies interested in contemporary art?

KE:
Yes, yes, there a few banks who are doing nice things. And there is a foundation, it [i]s called - what [i]s the English [name] …? - Istanbul Foundation of Culture and Art. But … recently they have become a sort of monopoly and they do n[o]t really support Turkish art. They pay incredible amounts of money to musicians, like they host Simply Red in the jazz festival which has nothing to do with jazz. And they pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to them and they do n[o]t pay anything to Turkish musicians. So, I do n[o]t see them as supporting art any more. I see them as a business. They are actually sponsored or basically owned by a large group of companies and so I do n[o]t take them seriously any more. They used to have a mission but now they do n[o]t. I do n[o]t see them.

http://www.datonet.at/kanonmedia/evrim_subclip23.mov

I want to live like a child. I do n[o]t want to know what will happen tomorrow because in theater every time, every time you must produce something. You must learn new things and you must teach something to someone.

http://www.datonet.at/kanonmedia/stach_subclip16.mov

Die Frage, die dazu gehört, ist, ob das auch die Anerkennung da findet. Ich mein[e] jetzt nicht nur Anerkennung im Sinn sozusagen der Adoration, sondern Anerkennung, dass jemand sagt: ok, du bist ein Künstler. Ob gut oder schlecht, ist sozusagen dann eine nächste Frage. Also: Dieser Schritt oder diese Beziehung zu außen, die muss schon konkludent sein. Wenn nur ich sag[e], ich bin ein Künstler, und niemand anderer …

http://www.datonet.at/kanonmedia/korhan_subclip22.mov

AR:
And if we are talking about the framework in Turkey: you said there are no grants. No grants at all?

KE:
No. No, at least for music there are … [none]. Yes, I think sometimes you can get residencies for fine arts but not for music, as far as I know. If there are, I am not aware of them.