KPY
KPY is a non-profit research center under Istanbul Bilgi University that conducts and publishes research on cultural policy and cultural management, serving academics, government officials, and cultural sector professionals through yearbooks, books, conferences, and the UNESCO Chair on Cultural Policy and Cultural Diplomacy.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersEyüp
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What KPY does
KPY (Kültür Politikaları ve Yönetimi Araştırma Merkezi) is a university-affiliated research center founded in 2010 by Istanbul Bilgi University in Istanbul, Turkey, focused on cultural policy and cultural management research. It is among Turkey's first dedicated research centers in this field, operating under a non-profit academic model that produces peer-reviewed publications, maintains a research library and a 15+ year archive of cultural policy press articles, and organizes conferences and speaker series including CAMMA Thursday Talks, KPY Tuesday Talks, KPY Conferences, and a Young Researchers Conference on Cultural Policy and Cultural Diplomacy. The center also hosts the UNESCO Chair on Cultural Policy and Cultural Diplomacy (established 2018, renewed through 2026) and serves academics, researchers, cultural policy makers, cultural sector professionals, and international cultural institutions.
The center's product surface is research and knowledge distribution rather than commercial technology. Core outputs include the annual Cultural Policy Yearbook published in both English and Turkish (distributed via Peter Lang and Istanbul Bilgi University Publications), standalone books on cultural policy topics, recurring speaker events, and a cultural policy research library. Distribution is primarily through academic channels: the Istanbul Bilgi University educational programs (Arts and Cultural Management BA, Cultural Management MA/CAMMA), direct publication sales, free online event archives, and engagement in international networks (ENCATC, IFACCA, UNESCO CultureLink, Europa Nostra Turkey).
The business model is non-commercial. Revenue is not disclosed and the entity is not structured for commercial monetization — publications are sold at standard academic pricing, events are free or low-cost, and operating funding flows through Istanbul Bilgi University budgets and project-based grants from international cultural foundations and government programs (e.g., Netherlands MATRA, European Cultural Foundation). Leadership is academic (Director Doç. Dr. Serhan Ada, also UNESCO Chairholder and elected period chair of the UNESCO Science Board), with a board drawn from Istanbul Bilgi University faculty across cultural studies, international relations, economics, and performing arts management.
KPY firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- KPY
- Legal name
- Kültür Politikaları ve Yönetimi Araştırma Merkezi
- Website
- https://kpy.bilgi.edu.tr
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- KPY is a non-profit research center under Istanbul Bilgi University that conducts and publishes research on cultural policy and cultural management, serving academics, government officials, and cultural sector professionals through yearbooks, books, conferences, and the UNESCO Chair on Cultural Policy and Cultural Diplomacy.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
KPY industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cultural Policy Research
- NAICS
- Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Education Policy Research Institutes & Think Tanks (EDADADAA)
Keywords
Where KPY is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Eyüp
Offices1 record
Markets served
KPY business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
KPY product offering
Product offeringCore offering
KPY is a university research center that conducts studies in cultural policy and cultural management. It produces the annual peer-reviewed Cultural Policy Yearbook (in English and Turkish), publishes academic books, and maintains an archive of cultural-policy press articles dating back to 2010. The center also runs recurring speaker series (CAMMA Thursday Talks, KPY Tuesday Talks), annual conferences, the Young Researchers Conference, and hosts the UNESCO Chair on Cultural Policy and Cultural Diplomacy established in 2018.
Product overview
KPY (Kültür Politikaları ve Yönetimi Araştırma Merkezi) is a cultural policy and management research center established by Istanbul Bilgi University in 2010. The organization operates as a unified research and publication platform rather than a product company, offering the Cultural Policy Yearbook (annual peer-reviewed publication in English and Turkish), published books on cultural policy and management topics, the CAMMA Thursday Talks speaker series, annual KPY Conferences with international speakers, the UNESCO Chair on Cultural Policy and Cultural Diplomacy academic program, and a cultural policy research library. These offerings collectively serve academics, researchers, cultural professionals, and students in the field of cultural policy.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Cultural Policy Yearbook International peer-reviewed annual publication producing original research on cultural policy and management, published in separate English and Turkish volumes for academics, researchers, policymakers, and cultural sector professionals.
- KPY Books Books covering cultural policy, cultural management, festivals, cultural heritage, and urban cultural development published by Istanbul Bilgi University and sold through Istanbul Bilgi University Publications and hiperkitap.com for academics and cultural sector professionals.
- CAMMA Thursday Talks Recurring speaker series organized by Istanbul Bilgi University's Cultural Management MA Program (CAMMA) featuring international scholars on cultural policy, heritage, and arts management topics, delivered on campus and via Zoom.
- KPY Conferences Annual conferences on cultural policy and management featuring international speakers, covering topics such as heritage, post-conflict recovery, and cultural diplomacy for academics, policymakers, and cultural professionals.
- UNESCO Chair on Cultural Policy and Cultural Diplomacy Interdisciplinary platform for education, research, and public action established in 2018 at Istanbul Bilgi University, focusing on cultural policy and cultural diplomacy with international partnerships, including UNESCO and peer UNESCO chairs.
Quantifiable outcome
- Annual Cultural Policy Yearbook published since 2009
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use KPY
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
KPY technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
KPY partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Purchase College, State University of New York (SUNY)minorCollaborative visitor experience research conducted at Pera Museum between May 20 - June 3, 2026. 18 students from both universities conducted surveys with over 200 visitors examining experience, expectations, and satisfaction levels. Led by Dr. Melissa Forstrom and Doç. Dr. Serhan Ada.
- UNESCOcoreIstanbul Bilgi University hosts the UNESCO Chair on Cultural Policy and Cultural Diplomacy, established in 2018 and renewed until 2026. The chair serves as an interdisciplinary platform for education, research, and public action. KPY Director Doç. Dr. Serhan Ada serves as Chairholder. The chair collaborates with UNESCO and other UNESCO chairs in similar fields internationally.
- European Cultural Foundation (ECF)coreECF supported the 'Developing Local Cultural Policies in Turkey' project in 2006 which led to KPY's establishment. KPY continues to collaborate with ECF on research and publishing activities.
- Anadolu KültürcoreAnadolu Kültür was a key partner in the 'Building Capacities for Local Cultural Policy Transformation in Turkey' project financed by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs MATRA program, which led to KPY's establishment as a research center.
- Boekmanstichting (Amsterdam)corePartner in the MATRA project 'Building Capacities for Local Cultural Policy Transformation in Turkey' along with European Cultural Foundation and Anadolu Kültür.
- Istanbul Bilgi University Programs and DepartmentscoreKPY collaborates with various departments within Istanbul Bilgi University including Cultural Studies, Economics, International Relations, Ph.D. in Communication, European Institute, and the Center for Migration Research. KPY feeds from and supports the Arts and Cultural Management BA and Cultural Management MA programs.
- Europa Nostra - TurkeyminorKPY is a member of Europa Nostra Turkey, Europe's leading heritage association, facilitating international cultural heritage policy cooperation.
- ENCATC (European Network of Cultural Administration Training Centres)minorKPY is a member of ENCATC, the European Network of Cultural Administration Training Centres, supporting international cultural policy education and research collaboration.
- IFACCA (International Federation of Art Councils and Agencies)minorKPY is a member of IFACCA, the International Federation of Art Councils and Agencies, connecting with international cultural policy organizations.
- UNESCO CultureLinkminorKPY participates in UNESCO CultureLink - Network for Research and Cooperation in Cultural Development.
- Bizim Avrupa / Europa Nostra TurkeyminorCollaboration with Europa Nostra Turkey and the Association of Archaeologists Istanbul Branch to organize 'Archaeology Knowledge Meeting Society' panels as part of European Archaeology Days 2022.
- Bağımsız Müzik Yapımcıları Derneği (BMYD)minorKPY served as content partner for the 'Independent Music Days' event at Müze Gazhane on November 13, 2022, organizing the 'Independent Music Perspective Workshop' as part of the programming.
- Arkeologlar Derneği İstanbul ŞubesiminorCollaboration with Archaeologists Association Istanbul Branch for European Archaeology Days 2022 panels on 'Archaeology Knowledge Meeting Society: Examples from Istanbul Field'.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
KPY competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Culture Action Europe: European-level cultural-policy advocacy and research platform. Overlaps with KPY's mission of supporting democratic, participatory cultural-policy development across Europe.
Direct peers
- UNESCO CultureLink: UNESCO-affiliated network for research and cooperation in cultural development. KPY's participation places it alongside this longer-running international cultural-policy research network.
- IFACCA (International Federation of Arts Councils and Cultural Agencies): Global network of arts councils and cultural agencies conducting comparative research on cultural policy. KPY's membership aligns it with this international cultural-policy research ecosystem.
- Boekmanstichting: Amsterdam-based research institute on arts, culture, and cultural policy. Closely comparable to KPY as a non-university-affiliated cultural-policy think tank that KPY partnered with in the MATRA 'Building Capacities for Local Cultural Policy Transformation in Turkey' project.
- European Cultural Foundation (ECF): European foundation funding and conducting cultural-policy research across the continent. ECF supported the 2006 'Developing Local Cultural Policies in Turkey' project that seeded KPY and remains a continuing collaboration partner.
- Compendium of Cultural Policies and Trends: Council of Europe / ERICarts-hosted comparative database of cultural policies in Europe. Operates as a parallel observatory on cultural-policy trends, comparable in function to KPY's annual Yearbook.
- Anadolu Kültür: Istanbul-based cultural foundation operating in Turkey with similar focus on cultural policy, capacity-building, and heritage. Co-partnered with KPY on the MATRA-funded local cultural-policy transformation project.
- ENCATC (European Network on Cultural Management and Cultural Policy): European network focused on cultural administration training and research. ENCATC membership positions KPY within the same international cultural-policy training and research community it serves.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
KPY social profiles
Digital presenceKPY financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
KPY leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
KPY funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
KPY M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about KPY
What does KPY do?
KPY is a university research center that conducts studies in cultural policy and cultural management. It produces the annual peer-reviewed Cultural Policy Yearbook (in English and Turkish), publishes academic books, and maintains an archive of cultural-policy press articles dating back to 2010. The center also runs recurring speaker series (CAMMA Thursday Talks, KPY Tuesday Talks), annual conferences, the Young Researchers Conference, and hosts the UNESCO Chair on Cultural Policy and Cultural Diplomacy established in 2018.
Is KPY a public or private company?
KPY is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was KPY founded?
KPY was founded in 2010. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is KPY based?
KPY is headquartered in Eyüp.
Who are KPY's main competitors?
Culture Action Europe is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are UNESCO CultureLink, IFACCA (International Federation of Arts Councils and Cultural Agencies), Boekmanstichting, European Cultural Foundation (ECF), Compendium of Cultural Policies and Trends, Anadolu Kültür and ENCATC (European Network on Cultural Management and Cultural Policy).
Does KPY have an API?
No public API is recorded for KPY.
What industry is KPY in?
KPY's product category is Cultural Policy Research. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDADADAA, Education Policy Research Institutes & Think Tanks. Its NAICS code is 541720.