EJN Staff Exchange Programme

Sending EJN member: Enjoy Jazz Festival (Germany)
Hosting EJN member: Istanbul Jazz Festival (Turkey)
Dates of the exchange: 30 June – 7 July 2025

My adventure at the Istanbul Jazz Festival began on 30 June 2025. Before flying to Istanbul, I was able to meet two of my colleagues, Günsu and Harun, during an online meeting. Günsu also invited me to attend the GEZGIN Salon Festival, organised by IKSV, on the evening before my official staff exchange began.

The core team of the Istanbul Jazz Festival, which is part of IKSV, a cultural institution based in Istanbul, consists of only three permanent employees, but grows significantly during the festival period, reaching around 200 staff members. There is a dedicated team for each area, with each one responsible for its own processes and tasks.

During my time at the festival, I was part of the backstage team, which consists of four people. Our role was to make the artists’ stay at the venues as pleasant as possible. As the festival does not have a single fixed venue, and in addition to the Harbiye Cemil Topuzlu Open Air Theatre — one of the largest open-air venues in Istanbul, with a standard concert infrastructure — several events took place in locations such as the Italian and French Consulates or Ataşehir Park, which do not have dedicated backstage facilities. These venues placed specific demands on the team, and when no rooms were available at all, campers were rented, furnished, and adapted to serve as backstage areas.

It was particularly striking to see how much effort the festival and the entire team put into ensuring that artists had a positive experience. This care extended not only to the artists but also to all staff members. A dedicated team was always responsible for providing food and drinks and looking after everyone’s well-being. Given the long working days, with some staff starting preparations as early as 8 a.m., this was both a practical solution and a meaningful sign of appreciation.

Thanks to daily collaboration, shared lunch breaks, and collective experiences, I quickly felt part of a large family. The presence of the core team every evening was especially noticeable and demonstrated genuine appreciation for each individual. Their openness and helpfulness made it much easier for me to settle in.

I am very grateful to have taken part in the EJN Staff Exchange. It not only gave me insight into a different festival context but also the opportunity to meet kind and inspiring people from different cultures. In just one week, I learned a great deal, experienced outstanding artists both on and off stage, and met wonderful people.