The Gümüşlük International Classical Music Festival, where you have been able to watch Juan Lago &amp; Balen Navarro and many concerts such as violin, cello and piano with bare feet at sunset and on the sand since July, will end on September 14 with the concert of Gülsin Onay and Bilkent Youth Symphony Orchestra. We met with Funda (Açıkbaş), the coordinator of the festival, to talk about the relationship between Gümüşlük and music on the sand. Funda suggested that we not miss Turgut Alp Bekiroğlu's project Love Jazz Quartet on September 6.<img src="https://images.aposto.com/2022/8/5/1662124896087.jpeg" width="550" style="width: 100%; max-width: 550px; vertical-align: middle; border-style: none; position: relative; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box;" ratio="0.75" fr-original-style="width: 100%; max-width: 550px;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable">Funda AçıkbaşPhotography:&nbsp;Zekican Sarısoy<hr fr-original-style="" style="height: 0px; overflow: visible; border-bottom-style: none; clear: both; -webkit-user-select: none; break-after: page; box-sizing: border-box;">Why is Gümüşlük the centre of an international music festival? Is Gümüşlük a place that opens up a space for art?In the 1980s, Gümüşlük was a meeting place for painters, musicians, theatre actors, writers and poets who are known and respected in Turkey and even the world. That is why it is known as the 'artist village'. The artistic director of the festival, Eren Levendoğlu, who is also a pianist, decided to settle here. When he came to Gümüşlük, the historical Eklisia Chapel was in use as an international art centre. International projects involving different art disciplines such as music, dance, theatre, photography, sculpture and installation were held here between 1989 and 2007. In 2003, Eren initiated the Piano Festival under the artistic direction and supervision of Gülsin Onay, who is a state artist.The starting point of the festival is to contribute to their music careers by offering an alternative education to talented music students. The virtuosos invited for the master classes also started to give recitals in Eklisia Chapel, and this is how the Gümüşlük Music Festival, which turned into a nineteen-year international music festival, began. Today it covers jazz and all other music genres. For the last 3 years, such activities have been organised under the name of Yeşil Yaşam Gümüşlük and with the theme of sustainable life, which aims to raise environmental awareness.<img src="https://images.aposto.com/2022/8/5/1662124924061.jpeg" width="550" style="width: 100%; max-width: 550px; vertical-align: middle; border-style: none; position: relative; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box;" ratio="1.50" fr-original-style="width: 100%; max-width: 550px;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable">On the beach of Gümüşlük, at the concert<hr fr-original-style="" style="height: 0px; overflow: visible; border-bottom-style: none; clear: both; -webkit-user-select: none; break-after: page; box-sizing: border-box;">There is also an 'artist residence' that is a part of the festival. What do you think this residence in Gümüşlük will bring to the artists and the neighbourhood?Artist residences are held in Gümüşlük simultaneously with the festival, which later becomes a part of the festival. So far, names such as Can Yücel, Tuncel Kurtiz, Nihat İleri, Civan Canova, Lale Müldür, Yaz, Poyraz, Efe, Fora Baltacıgil, Reyent Bölükbaşı, Ömer Uluç, Carlo Domeniconi, Yavuz Tanyeli, Bettina Franckenberg have come to the residence. At that time, there was no specific residence theme as today, and today the residence does not take place around a certain theme. It's kind of organic. One way or another, the artists we invite cannot leave here, or they come and stay here and start producing with the natural atmosphere of the Festival Center. In addition to the everyday life of Gümüşlük, the people, artists and students they meet here inspire them and offer them the opportunity to produce in a creative environment away from their daily routines. It becomes a source for unplanned projects that are not in their minds. Different ideas catch the attention of the neighbourhood and arouse the curiosity of the neighbourhood.<img src="https://images.aposto.com/2022/8/6/1662205722167.jpeg" style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px; border-style: none; position: relative; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box;" width="550" ratio="0.75" fr-original-style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable">A teammate exhausted from festival preparations. <hr fr-original-style="" style="height: 0px; overflow: visible; border-bottom-style: none; clear: both; -webkit-user-select: none; break-after: page; box-sizing: border-box;">How do the locals view the festival? Is there such a thing as owning the festival or helping the festival team?According to Eren, the shopkeepers were warmer to the festival when Eklisia was performing their first concert nineteen years ago. 'There was a time when we got support from all the restaurants,' says Eren. At that time there was the Municipality of Gümüşlük —&nbsp;Gümüşlük had not yet been a district of Bodrum. So, it was easier to get support from the tradesmen. After the municipalities merged, it became harder.However, due to the change in Gümüşlük in recent years and the commercial approach of the new owners who took over the well-established places, this sense of togetherness has decreased slightly. If we could understand how a network created in the first years of the festival, where cultural tourism can be established together, would contribute positively to Gümüşlük, very good partnerships could be established with new owners. The old tradesmen of Gümüşlük (such as Onion Garlic, Hotel Gümüşlük, Myndos Hotel, Sysyphos Pansiyon) do their best in important items such as accommodation and meals for artists, which strain the festival budget. In fact, it is mostly personal support that has enabled the festival to survive from the very beginning. The people we call Festival Dostları (Festival Friends) are actually everyone who knows the old and quiet times of Gümüşlük.<img src="https://images.aposto.com/2022/8/5/1662124953553.jpeg" width="550" style="width: 100%; max-width: 550px; vertical-align: middle; border-style: none; position: relative; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box;" ratio="1.50" fr-original-style="width: 100%; max-width: 550px;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable">A night time concert&nbsp;<hr fr-original-style="" style="height: 0px; overflow: visible; border-bottom-style: none; clear: both; -webkit-user-select: none; break-after: page; box-sizing: border-box;">To which stops in the neighbourhood are you a frequenter?Except for Tuz Duman Kumda, I think I mostly go to the municipality's kahve (café). There was also Faik'in Gahvesi in the past, whose owner changed this year, and when the owner changed, the kahve (café) changed its shape. Before everything got too expensive, that is, which was when we first moved here, we used to go to Hasan'ın Yeri, known as Gümüşlük Fish Cooking House&nbsp;now. And of course to Mars Café, where I can say that I am a frequenter. Mars Café was a real neighbourhood bar. The most enjoyable times there were the winter months. Unfortunately, we lost that too and now there is another bar in its place. I also think I am a regular at Yeni Hayat these days.

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