D6:EU at BEYOND Istanbul

Some gatherings leave you with notes. Others leave you changed. The East Satellite BEYOND event Between Neighbours: Crossing Voices, Crossing Borders, held in Istanbul between May 4-6, 2026, was firmly the latter.

As D6:EU, we were happy to participate in this landmark gathering, organised by Culture Unleashed and Space-Time Works AB in partnership with Anadolu Kültür, İKSV, Postane and Roof, co-funded by the European Union. Bringing together artists, cultural professionals, researchers, and policymakers from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye, the event created something rare: a genuinely open space where the weight of history did not silence the imagination of the future.

Listening across the divide

BEYOND is Culture Action Europe’s strategic framework for reflection, active listening and joint advocacy across the cultural and creative sectors. While central BEYOND gatherings handle pan-European strategic orientation, the Satellite BEYOND events focus on local and regional context-specific exchanges. The East region chose Istanbul as its home – a diverse and vibrant city with culture at its core. Istanbul sits at a crossroads not just geographically, but culturally and politically, as a city that holds multitudes.

The four countries at the heart of this gathering, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Türkiye, share centuries of cultural ties: shared traditions, music, cuisine, architecture. And yet these same ties are woven through with histories of conflict, silence, and division. What the event dared to ask was: can culture be the thread that holds rather than tears?

Sitting in those sessions, we heard stories that moved us deeply. Stories of artists who create under censorship and self-censorship, cultural organisations navigating fragile infrastructures and scarce funding, communities with limited access to the digital tools that could amplify their voices. And running through all of it – a fierce, unextinguished creative spirit.

The work that moved us most

We came to Istanbul with open minds. We left with full hearts and two encounters in particular stayed with us.

Postane was one of them. As we have a close relationship with community gardens and the environment, learning about and experiencing Postane up close was genuinely moving. Postane is a cultural space that has reimagined what community and creativity can look like in an urban context; a place where the boundaries between artist, audience and visitor blur, and where culture becomes a lived, shared practice rather than a staged event. Their approach to cultural democracy was not abstract – it was written into the architecture of how they work. Postane runs a roof garden – everything they produce gets used in their vegan café and kitchen. On the roof they installed a special water collector and filter system that runs through the building – from toilets to watering the plants. And they also create their own fertiliser. Moreover, the space hosts a co-working space, a library, a small shop and can be transformed for a two-day conference!

Anadolu Kültür was the other. Anadolu Kültür is a non-for-profit organization based in Istanbul which was established in 2002 with the participation of individuals and institutions from art and culture, civil society, academia and social entrepreneurs. The institution’s work across borders embodies exactly the kind of ethical leadership and long-term cultural diplomacy that this region needs. To hear directly from the people doing this work, often under immense pressure, was humbling and inspiring in equal measure. 

What we carry forward

The sessions addressed some of the most urgent questions facing cultural actors today: freedom of artistic expression and sector autonomy, access to and participation in culture, cultural financing, and the tools of cultural democracy. These are not abstract policy debates; they are the daily realities of the communities this event brought together.

For D6:EU, participating in BEYOND Istanbul was a reminder of why this work matters. Culture is not decoration added to a society once the harder problems are solved. It is the work. It shapes how people imagine themselves, their neighbours, and their future.

We returned with a sharper sense of purpose, a wider network of allies, and a genuine belief that a more creative, connected, and courageous future is possible – not despite the complexity of this region, but because of the people willing to build it together.

Thank you to all the organisers, partners, and participants who made these three days possible. We look forward to continuing the conversation.

D6:EU participated as part of the Alliance for Socially Engaged Arts network. The East Satellite BEYOND event was co-funded by the European Union.