Izmir Foundation for Culture Arts and Education (IKSEV) was founded in 1985 under the leadership of Dr. Nejat F. Eczacıbaşı. Non-profit, non-governmental and non-political, The Foundation has aimed to research and study, to support, create, protect and preserve culture and arts.

Owing to the enthusiastic work and uncompromising efforts of The Izmir Foundation for Culture, Arts and Education, Izmir, a 8000 year old city, known as the cradle of civilization, no doubt shall in the future, be remembered as “The City of Culture & Art”.

The Foundation organizes The International Izmir Festival in the mid of June-July annually since 1987; the Izmir European Jazz Festival in every March since 1994, is also the organizer of The Dr. Nejat F. Eczacıbaşı National Composition Contest biannually.

İKSEV, who has gained recognition and experience in the field of international music through Izmir Festivals, aims to share this experience with young generations. In conformity with its objectives, İKSEV established “Akademi İKSEV” mostly to serve on high standard music and dance education for all ages and levels in 2004 and since then has continued to organize many master classes on ballet, violin and jazz.

The Izmir European Jazz Festival organized every year since 1994, aims to bring together masters and lovers of Jazz in attempt of generating feelings of love, friendship and peace. In the days Turkey’s EU membership started to be worded more often, what started as The “Izmir European Jazz Days” expanded both in content and duration to become The “Izmir European Jazz Festival”. Performers and bands coming from Turkey, Germany, Austria, Italy, France and Greece with their experimental and electronic works constitute the finest examples of European Jazz. The festival which is organized in cooperation with The Goethe Institute, The Austrian Culture Institute, Izmir French Cultural Institute, The Italian Consulate, Izmir Consulate of Hellenic Republic, The Kingdom of Netherlands and Izmir Belgium Honorary Consulate, is a showcase of European cultural collaboration. The festival offers a panorama of what’s going on with jazz in Europe, an historical perspective and the latest discoveries by musicians rarely if ever heard in Turkey.