Press Release 2026/1

PRESS RELEASE 2026/1

At a three-hour meeting held on Wednesday, 21 January 2026 at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism between our union's Board of Directors and Ministry officials, the current situation regarding the working conditions and financial rights of artists employed at arts institutions affiliated with the Ministry was assessed.

Representing the Ministry at the meeting was Ms. Ayşegül Genç, Advisor to Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Batuhan Mumcu; representing Kültür Emek-Sen were General President Yavuz Demirkaya, General Secretary Alper Tazebaş, and Legal and Collective Bargaining Secretary Burç Balcı.

Topics addressed at the meeting:

• —Risks at the Sivas State Theatre, which has been found to be earthquake-resistant deficient yet remains open for service
• —Administrative and operational problems at State Theatres (Devlet Tiyatroları)
• —4/B employment practices as an artist staffing model and the effects of the suspension of trainee artist recruitment
• —The adverse financial situation of existing 4/B artists and technical personnel
• —Income losses suffered by permanently employed artists and technical personnel due to across-the-board pay increases
• —Inequalities in the criteria for incentive bonuses
• —Late payment of travel allowances
• —Inequalities in additional payment practices for artist-managers
• —Problems with fixed-asset instrument and costume allowances in symphony orchestras
• —Deductions and practices resulting from DÖSİMM circulars

Ministry officials stated that "the reclassification issue for artists and technical personnel has been approved by the Presidential Strategy and Budget Directorate" and indicated that a resolution was imminent.

Our union will continue to monitor the process.