The Listening Biennial, encompassing events held simultaneously around the world, begins in Istanbul on September 19, 2025. Following the 2023 edition held at the Istanbul Gazhane Museum, the second iteration of the Listening Biennial in Turkey will be hosted by AVTO on Kazancı Yokuşu in Taksim, Istanbul. The Listening Biennial will run from 12:00 PM on September 19 to 6:00 AM on September 20. While the program flow and volume will vary to ensure peace in the building and residential neighborhood, the event will run for 18 hours.

The Listening Biennial in Istanbul features live performances, recordings, conversations, and interventions by artists from Turkey, as well as works by 27 artists from around the world. Conceived as an 18-hour sound event, the Listening Biennial in Istanbul situates listening as a public, corporeal, and potentially radical act that is shared and disseminated in community. 

Listening Biennial in Istanbul artists: Aybike Çelik, Ertan Çetin, Didem Erbaş, Tuçe Erel, Günseli Naz Ferel, Berk Kır, Arda Küçükada, Chills and Quills, Kae Seferoğlu, Elif Gülin Soğuksu, Neval Tarım, Banu Çiçek Tülü, Merve Ünsal, Zeynep Yılmaz.

Listening Biennial artists: Florence Cats/Lilja María Ásmundsdóttir, Rachel S. Y. Chen, Kaur Chimuk, Čhoakkeladd, Chong Li-Chuan, Mariana Pinto Coelho Dias, MycoDyke, Hear & Found, Shwe Wutt Hmon, Lynn Nandar Htoo, Lagos Sound Artists Collective, Okui Lala, Ana Estrada, Nasrikah, Nicole L’Huillier, Subash Thebe Limbu, Elena Lucca, Imaad Majeed, Yara Mekawei, Graciela Muñoz, Jacqueline Nova, Lujáne Vaqar Pagganwala, Amanda Piña, Ruhail Qaisar, Superlative Futures, Irazema H. Vera, Valentina Villarroel, YIM Sui Fong, zeropowercut. 

This edition of the Listening Biennial is curated by Soledad García Saavedra, Alecia Neo and Suvani Suri with Brandon LaBelle. The Listening Biennial in Istanbul is organized by Elif Gülin Soğuksu, Banu Çiçek Tülü, and Merve Ünsal and hosted by AVTO. 

For more information about the biennial please visit

 

PROGRAM: 

 

September 19  12.00-14.30 – third listening to sounds of artists from around the world, selected by the Listening Biennial 

14.30-19.00 listening to research and performances by artists from Turkey, selected by the Listening Biennial Istanbul team

19.00-21.00 bio-break / Space is closed. 

21.00-03.00 listening to research and performances by artists from Turkey, selected by the Listening Biennial Istanbul team

September 20 03.00-04.00 Beyoğlu sound walk / Space is closed. 

04.00-06.00 – third listening to sounds of artists from around the world, selected by the Listening Biennial