The Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye has initiated the restoration and renovation works of Alsancak Tekel Factory, which has a history of almost 140 years, in order to reintegrate it into urban life. In 2022, in coordination with the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums and the Directorate of Surveying and Monuments in İzmir, the unused buildings were freed from the annexes that have been created over time and affect the original identity of the structures, and the historic factory campus was rebuilt in İzmir as the İzmir Culture and Arts Factory.

During the on-site assessment, the original factory structures on the campus were preserved, the damaged parts were restored to their original form, and the original structure of the factory was preserved. The buildings were re-functionalized taking into account their size and their potential uses, as they were used in the past as production areas.

The largest and central building is the Archaeology and Ethnography Museum and the second largest building is the İzmir Painting and Sculpture Museum. Other buildings are envisioned as libraries, art workshops and book cafés, underscoring the center’s claim to be a social and cultural attraction. In addition, landscaping works on the 9,200 m² open space have created a new green area that will bring a breath of fresh air to İzmir, as will the open-air cinema and concert areas, and the center unites all citizens aged 7 to 70.

The İzmir Culture and Arts Factory covers an area of approximately 17,000 m² and is one of the most remarkable examples of sustainable urban architecture that has been transferred to the present day by reusing the symbolic and monumental architectural heritage of the city. İzmir Culture and Arts Factory is one of the windows opening for culture and art in our country and İzmir. As a contemporary cultural and art center that responds to the cultural, educational and artistic needs of society, it offers its visitors of all ages a completely new socio-cultural experience in the public space.