İstanbul, Turkey · lemanf.yilmaz@outlook.com.tr · +90 537 644 6654 · Turkish, French, English
Professional Profile
Leman Figen Yılmaz is an associate professor, festival director, artistic programmer, cultural manager, choreographer and lecturer working across theatre, dance, performance, festival programming and performing arts management. She has more than twenty-five years of experience in the arts and culture sector, with a strong focus on international performing arts, festival direction, artistic programming, cultural diplomacy, institutional development, project management and education.
Her professional work brings together academic research, curatorial practice, festival leadership, production management, teaching and international collaboration. She is Associate Professor and Head of the Performing Arts Department at İstanbul Bilgi University, Project Director at DasDas, and Founder and Artistic Director of İO International Theatre Festival.
Current Positions
• Associate Professor and Head of Performing Arts Department, İstanbul Bilgi University — Full-time faculty member since 2016; Head of Department since April 2026. She teaches performing arts management, stage management, event management, theatre organization, financial tools for performing arts and graduation project supervision.
• Project Director, DasDas — Since 2022, she has developed and coordinated artistic and cultural projects, festivals, public events, educational collaborations and international projects.
• Founder and Artistic Director, İO International Theatre Festival — Since 2022, she has led an international performing arts festival bringing together theatre, dance, performance, staged readings, university productions, workshops, artist talks and national and international productions.
• Lecturer, DasDas Akademi — Since 2023, she has taught Contemporary Theatre Movements and Movement, focusing on contemporary theatre practices, performance languages, body awareness, movement and stage expression.
Honours and Awards
In 2025, Leman Figen Yılmaz was awarded the rank of Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture for her contributions to international collaborations in the performing arts and to French–Turkish cultural dialogue. The medal was presented by the Consul General of France in İstanbul, Nadia Fanton, at the Palais de France on 3 June 2025.
Professional Experience
• Artistic Director / Festival Director, İstanbul Theatre Festival, İKSV — 2013–2022. Directed the artistic programme of one of Turkey’s leading international performing arts festivals, including international and local theatre, dance and performance productions, special projects, co-productions, talks, workshops, panels and public programmes.
• Assistant to the Artistic Director, İstanbul Theatre Festival, İKSV — 2005–2013. Supported the creation and operation of the festival’s artistic programme, contributing to international research, programme development, production coordination and artist relations.
• Assistant Professor in Performing Arts Management — İstanbul State Conservatory, 2020–2021; Maltepe University, 2020–2021; Beykent University, 2016–2019.
• Director’s Assistant, Théâtre Vidy-Lausanne — 2004. Worked as director’s assistant for Eraritjaritjaka, directed by Heiner Goebbels.
• Institut Français d’Istanbul — 1999–2004. Worked on cultural and artistic projects involving Turkish and French artists, festival collaborations and the hosting of French companies and artists.
• History Foundation of Turkey — Project Manager, 1999. Worked on the Local History Competition among High School Students and contributed to the institutional book of Emlak Bank.
• Journalism — Foreign News Editor at Sabah Group, 1995–1999, and Milliyet Newspaper, 1992–1994.
Teaching
At İstanbul Bilgi University, she has taught Introduction to Stage Management, Stage Management, Event Management, Tiyatro Organizasyonu Modelleri / Models of Theatre Organization, Financial Tools and Son Sınıf Projesi / Graduation Project. At DasDas Akademi, she teaches Contemporary Theatre Movements and Movement. Her teaching combines practical experience in festival management, artistic programming, production, budgeting and institutional development with academic approaches to contemporary performing arts.
Festival Direction, Artistic Programming and Projects
• Founder and Artistic Director of İO International Theatre Festival at DasDas.
• Artistic Director / Festival Director of İstanbul Theatre Festival, İKSV.
• Performing arts programmer with extensive international festival experience.
• Project Manager for Performing Arts, Turkish Season in France and Polish Season in Turkey.
• Project Manager and lecturer for “Creating a New Academy in Tuşba-Van”.
• Dancer for twenty-five years; choreographer for theatre productions at İstanbul State Theatre.
• Founder of BGST; teacher in the Pantomime Department at the Conservatory.
Publications and Writings
• Yirmi: 1989’dan Bugüne İstanbul Tiyatro Festivali, İKSV, 2017 — co-prepared with Özlem Hemiş; a reference book documenting the İstanbul Theatre Festival from 1989 to 2017.
• “78. Avignon Tiyatro Festivali’nin Ardından…”, Reportare, 2024.
• “Milo Rau’nun Festival Başarısı: Free Republik of Vienna”, Reportare, 2024.
• “Tüm Kent Tiyatro Sahnesi”, Cumhuriyet, 2017.
• Contribution to Dikmen Gürün’e Yazılar, Doğan Kitap, 2020.
• Simyacı, Dostlar Tiyatrosu — adaptation / dramaturgical writing with Genco Erkal for the Turkish stage adaptation of Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist.
• Selected early writings in Cumhuriyet, 1995 and 2001.
Selected Talks, Panels and Public Conversations
• “What are the conditions for a fruitful intercultural dialogue in the arts?”, Festival d’Avignon, Les Rencontres européennes, 2008.
• “Birlikte Konuşalım / Kent Tiyatroları Şehir Kimliğini Oluşturabilir mi?”, İstanbul Theatre Festival / Habitus Kitap, 2019.
• “Türkiye Tiyatrosu’nun ve İstanbul Tiyatro Festivali’nin 1980’lerden Günümüze Yolculuğu”, ENKA Sanat / İstanbul Theatre Festival, 2020.
• “Tiyatrolarda Perde Zamanı”, Yapı Kredi Yayınları, Sanat Dünyamız Konuşmaları, 2020.
• “Tiyatro Üzerine Söyleşi”, Silivri Belediyesi, World Theatre Day Programme, 2022.
• “Üretimi Sürdürmek” and “KİOSK: Eteğimizdeki Taşlar”, Bergama Theatre Festival, 2024.
• “Dünden Bugüne Tiyatromuza Bakmak”, Üsküdar Belediyesi, 27 March World Theatre Day, 2025.
• “İstanbul: Gizemin Odağında Bir Labirent Kent”, Meşher, Çağrışımlar Paneli: Hikâye İstanbul’da Geçiyor, 2025.
Jury Memberships
Her international jury memberships include Festival Emulation at Théâtre de Liège, Tarabya Cultural Academy, Boska Komedia Theatre Festival, Fajr International Theatre Festival and Dutch Dance Festival / Nederlandse Dansdagen. Nationally, she has served on juries including the Cevdet Kudret Literature Awards, TEB Theatre Awards, Bir Hayal Bir Oyun Competition, Afife Theatre Awards, Gülriz Sururi–Engin Cezzar Theatre Incentive Award and Ortak Yapım Project.
Education
• PhD in Theatre, İstanbul University, Department of Theatre Criticism and Dramaturgy, 2000. Doctoral research focused on movement in theatre and dance.
• Master of Arts, Boğaziçi University, Department of History, 1994. Thesis: Turkish Dance History as the Socialization Process of the Turkish Republic.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology, Boğaziçi University, Department of Sociology, 1991.
Languages and Core Competencies
Languages: Turkish: native; French: fluent; English: fluent. Core competencies include festival direction, artistic programming, performing arts management, international cultural collaboration, project development, budget planning, fundraising and sponsorship, stage management, event management, theatre organization, academic teaching, curriculum development, movement and choreography, cultural diplomacy, institutional coordination, public programming, artist relations and team management.