ARTER opened on May 8th with its first exhibition “Starter” curated by René Block

Initiated by the Vehbi Koç Foundation, "ARTER - Space for Art" is conceived as an exhibition space and its programmes are created with the aim of encouraging production of contemporary artworks, providing a platform of visibility for artistic practices, producing and presenting exhibitions curated from the VKF Contemporary Art Collection, as well as from private collections and archives. Furthermore, joint productions with international institutions are intended to be included in the programme. In terms of funding, exhibiting, promotion and publications, as well as support for educational activities ARTER will offer artists a sustainable infrastructure for producing new works.

ARTER is built as an exhibition space and is not a museum; furthermore there are no plans to convert the current building into a museum in the future. As a new art space in Istanbul ARTER will provide an experimental and testing ground in preparation for the museum complex the Vehbi Koç Foundation envisions.