Istanbul Art Immersion 2025
April 13- 16| 4-day classical art immersion experience in Istanbul, Türkiye
Islamic Calligraphy | Art of Illumination | Bookbinding | Guided tours
Cost: $ 850
(excluding flight & accommodation)
(Max Capacity of 8 students | Terms and Conditions Apply- Please scroll down )
Program Description
Join us for a four-day classical art immersion experience in Istanbul, Türkiye. Participate in workshops on Islamic calligraphy, the Art of Illumination (tehzip), and Turkish bookbinding led by classically trained instructors.
Enjoy guided tours of iconic sites, including Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace (featuring an extensive calligraphy exhibition), Çamlıca Mosque, Suleymaniye Mosque, Blue Mosque, and other mosques and prominent art galleries throughout the city.
The workshops will be held in three distinct venues in Uskudar and Umraniye. From days 1 through 3, workshops will be followed by site visits in the afternoon. On Day 4, we will have guided tours of the iconic sites in Fatih/Sultanahmet.
Open to all skill levels ages 21 and up
The fee Covers:
1. Tuition for all 3 workshops 2. Art supplies for all 3 workshops 3. Private comfortable transportation for registered students from Uskudar (meeting point) to and from classes and site visits 4. Guided tours of galleries, architectural landmarks, and mosques 5. Entry fees for Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, and Islam Medeniyetleri Museum 6. Lunch for all 4 days
The Fee does not cover:
Flight, Accommodation, and Other meals (excluding lunch)
Workshop Schedule
Time: 9 am - 6 pm aproximately
day 1 (April 13): Islamic Calligraphy with Deniz Öktem-Bektaş | Lunch included | Site visit to Çamlıca Mosque
In this workshop, students will explore the Naskh script, one of the six main styles of Islamic calligraphy. Students will be introduced to essential materials used in the art and will have the chance to practice writing letters and making connections between them. The workshop will also provide an opportunity to experience the training method by creating a mashq (a lesson written by the student).
Additionally, the venue features a gallery of artwork by contemporary calligraphers and artists, which they will visit during the class. After lunch, students will have a tour of Çamlıca Mosque and Islam Medeniyetleri Museum.
📍Venue: Muhibbi Sanat and Gallery (Uskudar, Istanbul) 📍Site visit - Çamlıca Mosque and İslam Medeniyetleri Museum
Day 2 (April 14): Bookbinding Foundations Workshop with Master bookbinder Osman Ömer Doruk | Lunch included | Site visit to Nevmekan sahil
In this workshop, students will learn how to make a leather-bound notebook, including formatting, spine stitching, binding, side paper attachment, guillotine usage, measuring cover size, cutting, folding, edge turning, mold printing, and assembly.
After the class, students will tour Nevmekan Sahil- a cultural landmark overlooking the Bosphorus that features a library and cafe.
📍 Venue: Uskudar, Istanbul 📍Site Visit- Nevmekan Sahil
Day 3 (April 15): Art of Illumination with Ahsen kurlu | Lunch included | Gallery visit to NAKKAŞ Traditional Arts Gallery
In this workshop, students will get an introduction to Turkish Illumination or tezhip including its history and theoretical foundations; the main materials used, such as brushes, gold and gouache; leaf and pattern drawing—key elements of illumination; techniques for transferring patterns onto paper; and methods for using gold, gilding, and watercolor to color the patterns.
After class, students will have lunch and visit Nakkaş Traditional Arts Gallery- a traditional art and education center. You can find more information here: https://www.nakkas.net.
📍 Venue: Umraniye, Istanbul 📍Site Visit -Nakkaş TSM
Day 4 (April 16): Guided tours to Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, blue mosque, and suleymaniye mosque | Lunch included
In this curated guided tour, students will be led by instructor Deniz Öktem-Bektaş and a local guide to explore Istanbul's iconic sites, including Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace (featuring a special calligraphy exhibition), Suleymaniye Mosque, and the Blue Mosque.
📍 Venue: Fatih, Istanbul
Our Instructors
Deniz Öktem-Bektaş
Deniz Öktem Bektaş studied English Literature at Boğaziçi University and attained her graduate studies in Communication, Culture, and Technology from Georgetown University. There, she began her calligraphy lessons in the riq’a and naskh scripts with Mohamed Zakariya. After returning to Turkey in late 2002, she continued her training under Hasan Çelebi and Davut Bektaş, focusing on riq’a, naskh, and thuluth scripts. In 2007, she earned her ijaza in naskh and thuluth. She received encouragement awards for naskh at the 7th International Calligraphy Competition organized by IRCICA in 2007 and at the Calligraphy Biennial in Sharjah in 2008. In 2015, she won third prize in a national calligraphy competition conducted by the Presidency of Religious Affairs of Turkey for her work on several pages from the Qur’an in naskh. Mrs. Öktem has exhibited her work both in Turkey and internationally, and she continues her artistic endeavors in their studio in Istanbul alongside her husband, Davut Bektaş.
IG: @hattatdenizbektas | https://www.hattatdenizbektas.com/
Osman Ömer Doruk
Osman Ömer Doruk is a master bookbinder and restorer based in Istanbul. recognized as one of the last classical artists in this craft, trained in the Ottoman tradition. He learned the art of bookbinding at Mimar Sinan University in 2005 and taught at the same institution for many years. In 2010, he founded Pürsanat art studio with his artist friend and focused his work there. While collaborating with significant rare book collectors both domestically and internationally, he continues to pursue style, technique, and materials in Turkish bookbinding.
Ahsen Kurlu
Ahsen Z. Kurlu was born in 2002 in İstanbul. She is a final-year law student at Medipol University's department of law.
Coming from a prominent artistic family, she has studied illumination for many years and has been teaching it for nearly two years. Ahsen has exhibited her work both locally and internationally and has received awards and recognition for her work.
Currently, she continues her artistic endeavors in her family’s atelier in Istanbul.
IG: @ahsenkurlu
Terms and Conditions
Full terms and Conditions Here
Bookings
The program has very limited seating. Please book in advance to secure your spot.
The full cost of the program is $850. A non-refundable 50 percent deposit of $425 is required at the time of registration to secure your spot. The remaining balance of $425 is due by Feb 1st, 2025.
The course fee covers tuition for all classes, art supplies, site entry fees, transportation to and from Uskudar to classes, and site visits. The fee also covers lunch for all 4 days.
The fee does NOT cover flight and accommodation. Students are responsible for arranging their accommodation and flight.
Transportation will be provided for the registered students for classes and site visits from the Mercure Istanbul Altunizade Hotel in Uskudar.
Other hotel options are within walking distance from the Mercure Istanbul Altunizade Hotel, including Aspera Hotel Altunizade and Holiday Inn Express Istanbul Altunizade.
Cancellation/Refund
Full refunds (excluding the non-refundable deposit) will be issued for cancellations made 8 weeks before the program.
No refunds will be issued if cancellations are made less than 8 weeks before the start of the program.
For further questions, please contact us at info@scriptsnscribes.com.
Some Places We will Visit
Our Instructor’s Artwork
