Projects Supported

An institution supporting cultural development in each area of life: Vehbi Koç Foundation

Vehbi Koç Foundation supports large scale cultural projects representing the “firsts” for Turkey.
 

Projects supported:

Sagalassos Excavations (2017)
The Vehbi Koç Foundation contributes to the studies initiated by the Global Heritage Fund in 2015 on the Sagalassos Ancient City, which is located in Ağlasun district of Burdur. Sagalassos is one of the best preserved ancient cities in Turkey. With at least a thousand years of ceramic production, Sagalassos has been nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as the longest-lasting ceramic production center in antiquity.

Istanbul Jazz Festival (2016 – ongoing)
The Vehbi Koç Foundation has been supporting refugee participation at one of the concerts within the scope of the Istanbul Jazz Festival.

https://caz.iksv.org/en

Claros Excavations (2016)
As one of the most important centers of prophecy in ancient times, Claros is located close to the village of Ahmetli in the Menderes district of Izmir province. The Vehbi Koç Foundation sponsored work to document, preserve and restore the finds uncovered.

Ankara University Mustafa V. Koç Research Center for Maritime Archaeology (2015)
Turkey’s first underwater archaeology research-application center was established in Urla in the province of Izmir by Ankara University Underwater Archaeology Research and Application Center with financial support from the Vehbi Koç Foundation and help from the Turkish Foundation for Underwater Archaeology (TINA).

http://ankusam.ankara.edu.tr/

Greek-Turkish Youth Orchestra (2015 - 2017)
The Vehbi Koç Foundation supported the Greek Turkish Youth Orchestra, which is a group of 50 young Greek and Turkish musicians and aims to foster friendship between the two countries through music.

www.gtyo.org

Zengibar Castle Excavations (2014 – 2015)
Excavations began in the ancient settlement of Isaura Nea, in the Bozkır district of Konya, under the supervision of the archaeologist Dr. Osman Doğanay in 2010 and have received support from the Vehbi Koç Foundation.

Saint Euphemia Church Restorations (2013 - ongoing)
Conservation and restoration work of the Church of St. Euphemia at Sultanahmet was begun within the scope of an agreement between the Vehbi Koç Foundation and the Istanbul Directorate of Survey and Monuments on behalf of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Engin Akyürek, Professor of Archeology and Art History at Koç University, is head of the project’s scientific advisory board overseeing the restoration work.

Restoration work currently in progress at Saint Euphemia Church aims to repair the frescoes and architectural remains, build a modern roof over fragments dating back to the thirteenth century, landscape the area, and open the church up to the public as a museum.

Pamukkale Hierapolis Excavations (2013 - ongoing)
Excavation works and reconstruction of the ancient theater in Hierapolis have been supported by the Vehbi Koç Foundation and Tofaş, a Koç Group company. As one of the biggest ancient cities in Turkey, Hierapolis joined the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1988.

Istanbul Tanpınar Literature Festival (2012 - 2014)
Named after the writer Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar, the event has the distinction of being Turkey’s first international literary festival. The Vehbi Koç Foundation was the festival’s main sponsor in 2012, 2013 and 2014.

https://www.itef.com.tr/en/

ATARC BOUN Cultural Heritage Project (2012 – 2014)
The project was conducted by the Boğaziçi University’s Applied Tourism Administration and Research Center (ATARC) to encourage appreciation of cultural heritage at a young age with support from several institutions, including the Vehbi Koç Foundation. The project studied the effects of a multi-dimensional education program created to develop and measure cultural heritage awareness in elementary school pupils of 2nd through to 4th grades.

International Sevgi Gönül Byzantine Studies Symposium (2007 – ongoing)
International Sevgi Gönül Byzantine Studies Symposium is organized every three years in memory of late Sevgi Gönül (1938-2003), who was a life-long supporter of efforts to promote research on the Byzantine era in Turkey and encourage society to embrace their cultural heritage. The symposium aims for sharing ongoing scientific research in Turkey and abroad on an international platform, improving the consciousness of cultural heritage through publications, and supporting research in this field as well as supporting the young Byzantinists.

https://sgsymposium.ku.edu.tr/

Atatürk Library (1973)
The Atatürk Library, located on the Taksim-Dolmabahçe route, was commissioned to Sedad Hakkı Eldem for its architectural design by the Vehbi Koç Foundation on behalf of Koç Group to mark the 50th anniversary of the Turkish Republic.

http://ataturkkitapligi.ibb.gov.tr/ataturkkitapligi/index.php?dil=en

The Vehbi Koç Foundation has also sponsored the following international art exhibitions:

“Style and Status: Imperial Costumes from Ottoman Turkey”, exhibition at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, October, 2005 – January, 2006
The first international exhibition devoted to sumptuous and graphically stunning imperial Turkish kaftans from the 16th and 17th century.

“Celebrating Rûmi: An Evening of Mevlâna Celâleddin Rûmi’s poetry and Sûfi music” at the Library of Congress and at the Freer Gallery of Art, 2007
The event held for celebrating the the UNESCO International Rumi Year, which is the 800th anniversary of the birth of Rûmi, a 13th century poet and mystic philosopher whose work has not only survived for 800 years, but also has been translated into numerous languages around the world.

“Beyond Babylon: Art, Trade and Diplomacy in the Second Millennium B.C.” Exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum, 2008
The exhibition brought into focus the cultural enrichment shared by the civilizations of the Eastern Mediterranean region.

Koç Family Galleries of Ottoman Art at the Metropolitan Museum, 2009
Two galleries in the Metropolitan Museum Islamic Arts Section, were established in New York with the support of the Vehbi Koç Foundation and named after the Koç family. For its 40th anniversary, the VKV supported the expansion, redesign, and renovation of the galleries. The gallery, which reflects the multi-layered society and art of the Ottoman era, will carry the Koç name for 75 years.

www.metmuseum.org

For further information about the cultural projects that VKV conducted or supported, you can visit the Vehbi Koç Foundation Encyclopedia from the following link: https://encyclopedia.vkv.org.tr/