State Artist (, also sometimes translated as "National Artist") is an

honorary title A title is one or more words used before or after a person's name, in certain contexts. It may signify their generation, official position, military rank, professional or academic qualification, or nobility. In some languages, titles may be ins ...

granted to prominent

artist An artist is a person engaged in an activity related to creating art, practicing the arts, or demonstrating the work of art. The most common usage (in both everyday speech and academic discourse) refers to a practitioner in the visual arts o ...

s by the government of

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

for their contributions to the

Turkish culture The culture of Turkey () or the Turkish culture () includes both the national culture and local cultures. Currently, Turkey has various local cultures. Things such as music, folk dance, or kebap variety may be used to identify a local area. Tur ...

. It was established in 1971 by the

President of Turkey The president of Turkey, officially the president of the Republic of Türkiye (), is the head of state and head of government of Turkey. The president directs the executive branch of the national government and is the commander-in-chief of the ...

(

Cevdet Sunay Ahmet Cevdet Sunay (10 February 1899 – 22 May 1982) was a Turkish politician and military officer who served as the fifth president of Turkey from 1966 to 1973. Early life and career Sunay was born in 1899 in the village of Ataköy nea ...

) and the Minister of Culture and Tourism. The award is issued for people occupied in various categories of arts: music, dance, theatre, photography, cinema, visual arts, literature, etc.

List of State Artists

By year, according to the list by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Turkey.State Artists
{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080501204122/http://www.discoverturkey.com/haberler/haberler-sanatcilar.html , date=2008-05-01

1971

Adnan Saygun Ahmet Adnan Saygun (; 7 September 1907 – 6 January 1991) was a Turkish composer, musicologist and writer on music. One of a group of composers known as the Turkish Five who pioneered western classical music in Turkey, his works show a maste ...

, composer *

Necil Kazım Akses Necil Kazım Akses (6 May 1908 – 16 February 1999) was a Turkish classical composer. Life Akses studied music and composition at the Musikakademie in Vienna with Joseph Marx and at the Prague Conservatory in Prague with Josef Suk and Aloi ...

, composer *

Ulvi Cemal Erkin Ulvi Cemal Erkin () (March 14, 1906 – September 15, 1972) was a member of the pioneer group of symphonic composers in Turkey, born in the period 1904–1910, who later came to be called The Turkish Five. These composers set out the direction o ...

, composer * Mithat Fenmen, composer *

İlhan Usmanbaş İlhan Usmanbaş (23 October 1921 – 30 January 2025) was a Turkish contemporary classical composer who was trained and recognised internationally. He was of the "second generation" of Turkish composers, who integrated European techniques int ...

, composer * Gülay Uğurata, pianist *

İdil Biret İdil Biret (born 21 November 1941) is a Turkish concert pianist. Education Biret began her lessons at the age of five with Mithat Fenmen, who had studied under Nadia Boulanger and Alfred Cortot. When she was seven, the Turkish parliament ena ...

, pianist *

Suna Kan Suna Kan (21 October 1936 – 11 June 2023) was a Turkish violinist who studied in France and appeared internationally. She was a soloist and concert master of the Presidential Symphony Orchestra for 44 years. She was professor of violin at th ...

, violinist *

Ayla Erduran Ayla Erduran (22 August 1934 – 7 January 2025) was a Turkish classical violinist. She studied in Istanbul, Paris, the US and Moscow. A fifth place prize in the 1957 Henryk Wieniawski Violin Competition opened an international career for her. S ...

, violinist *

Ayşegül Sarıca Ayşegül Sarıca (28 May 1935 – 10 March 2023) was a Turkish concert pianist, pedagogue. Life Ayşegül Sarıca was born into an Ottoman military family in Istanbul, Turkey in 1935. Ahmet İzzet Pasha (1864–1937), one of the last Ottoman g ...

, pianist *

Verda Erman Verda Erman (19 December 1944 – 21 July 2014) was a Turkish pianist. Born in Istanbul in 1944, she began her career at the Istanbul Municipal Conservatory. In 1957, she was sent to study at the Conservatoire de Paris under Turkish law no. 666 ...

, pianist

1981

* Nevid Kodallı, composer *

Cemal Reşit Rey Cemal Reşit Rey (; 25 October 1904 – 7 October 1985) was a Turkish people, Turkish composer, pianist, screenwriter, script writer and Conducting, conductor. He was well known for a string of successful and popular Turkish-language operettas fo ...

, composer *

Hikmet Şimşek Hikmet Şimşek (1924, Pervari – 12 October 2001, Ankara) was a Turkish people, Turkish conductor of Western classical music. Life His father was an officer. He was born in Pervari (of Siirt Province). But the family soon moved to Konya. In 1936, ...

, conductor *

Gürer Aykal Gürer Aykal (born May 22, 1942) is a Turkish conductor and adjunct professor at Bilkent University. He has been the musical director and principal conductor of the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra since 1999. Education Aykal was born ...

, conductor *

İsmail Aşan In the biblical Book of Genesis, Ishmael (; ; ; ) is the first son of Abraham. His mother was Hagar, the handmaiden of Abraham's wife Sarah. He died at the age of 137. Traditionally, he is seen as the ancestor of the Arabs. Within Islam, Ishm ...

, violinist *

Tunç Ünver Tunç is a Turkish name and may refer to: Given name * Tunç Başaran (1938–2019), Turkish screenwriter * Tunç Erem (born 1938), Turkish academic * Tunç Hamarat (born 1946), Turkish chess player * Tunch Ilkin (1957-2021), Turkish player of ...

, violinist *

Cüneyt Gökçer Cüneyt () is the Turkish spelling of Arabic masculine given name Junayd (Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in th ...

, actor *

Yıldız Kenter Ayşe Yıldız Kenter (11 October 1928 – 17 November 2019) was a Turkish actress and lecturer who was of English descent from her maternal side. Kenter was also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. Early years Ayşe Yıldız Kenter was born to diplom ...

, actress *

Meriç Sümen Meriç Sümen (born 25 May 1943) is a Turkish former ballerina and a choreographer. Life Meriç Sümen was born at Silivri, Turkey in 1943. She completed the ballet section of Ankara State Conservatory in 1961. She began a dancing career in th ...

, ballet dancer *

Suna Korad Suna may refer to: * Suna (name), feminine given name * Suna (Espoo), an area of Espoon keskus, Espoo, Finland * Suna (inhabited locality), name of several inhabited localities in Russia * Suna (river), a river in the Republic of Karelia, Russia ...

, opera singer

1987

Nevzat Atlığ Nevzat is a Turkish unisex given name. The word was borrowed from Persian and its source word is ''nevzād''. In Turkish it means "newborn child". Notable people named Nevzat include: Male * Nevzat Ayaz (1930–2020), Turkish civil servant and p ...

, choir conductor *

Ayhan Baran Ayhan is a unisex Turkish given name A Turkish name consists of an ''ad'' or an ''isim'' (given name; plural ''adlar'' and ''isimler'') and a ''soyadı'' or ''soyisim'' (surname). Turkish names exist in a "full name" format. While there is only ...

, opera singer * Vasfi Rıza Zobu, actor *

Bedia Muvahhit Emine Bedia Muvahhit (1896 – 20 January 1994) was a Turkish stage and movie actress. She is remembered as one of the first Muslim movie actresses in Turkey debuting in 1923. Personal life She was born in 1896 to Ahmet Şekip Bey, a prosecutor ...

, actress * Mükerrem Berk, flutist *

Gülsin Onay Gülsin Onay (born 12 September 1954) is a Turkish classical pianist. She lives in Cambridge, England. Education Born into a musical family, Gülsin Onay began to play the piano at the age of three. Her first teacher was her mother. When she ...

, pianist *

Ayten Gökçer Ayten Gökçer (; 26 January 1940 – 14 May 2024) was a Turkish actress who performed across theatre, film, and television with a career spanning from 1955 to 2017. Early life and education Ayten Gökçer was born in Ankara, Turkey ...

, actress

1988

Aydın Gün Aydın Gün; (1917, Adana - November 30, 2007, Berlin), was a Turkish opera singer, stage director, founder and intendant An intendant (; ; ) was, and sometimes still is, a public official, especially in France, Spain, Portugal, and Latin Am ...

, opera singer *

Leyla Gencer Leyla Gencer (, née Çeyrekgil; 10 October 192810 May 2008) also known as La Diva Turca was a Turkish operatic soprano. Gencer was a notable '' bel canto'' soprano who spent most of her career in Italy, from the early 1950s through the mid-1980 ...

, opera singer

1991

Necdet Yaşar Necdet Yaşar (; 1930 - October 24, 2017) was a Turkish ''tanbur'' lute player and teacher. A founding member of the Istanbul State Turkish Music Ensemble, he performed throughout the world as a cultural ambassador for Turkey and taught twice a ...

, classical Turkish musician *

İsmail Baha Sürelsan In the biblical Book of Genesis, Ishmael (; ; ; ) is the first son of Abraham. His mother was Hagar, the handmaiden of Abraham's wife Sarah. He died at the age of 137. Traditionally, he is seen as the ancestor of the Arabs. Within Islam, Ishm ...

, classical Turkish musician *

Alaattin Yavaşça Aladdin (, commonly ) (various spellings and transliterations) is a male given name which means "nobility of faith" or "nobility of creed/religion". It is one of a large class of names ending with ad-Din. The name may refer to: Given name *Ala al ...

, classical Turkish musician *

Zeki Müren Zeki Müren (; 6 December 1931 – 24 September 1996) was a Turkish singer, composer, songwriter, actor and poet. Known by the nicknames "The Sun of Art" and "Pasha", he was one of the prominent figures of Turkish classical music. Due to his co ...

, classical Turkish musician * Teoman Önaldı, classical Turkish musician * Yesari Asım Arsoy, classical Turkish musician * Sadi Yaver Ataman, Turkish folk musician *

Nida Tüfekçi Mehmet Nida Tüfekçi (1 March 1929 – 18 September 1993) was a Turkish folk music artist. Personal life Tüfekçi was born on 1 March 1929 in Akdağmadeni, Yozgat. His wife Neriman Altındağ Tüfekçi also was a Turkish folk singer. They left ...

, Turkish folk musician *

Mustafa Geceyatmaz Mustafa () is one of the names of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and the name means "chosen, selected, appointed, preferred", used as an Arabic given name and surname. Mustafa is a common name in the Muslim world. Given name Moustafa * Moustafa A ...

, Turkish folk musician * Mustafa Turan, folk dances *

Barış Manço Mehmet Barış Manço (born Tosun Yusuf Mehmet Barış Manço; 2 January 1943 – 1 February 1999), better known by his stage name Barış Manço, was a Turkish people, Turkish rock music, rock musician, singer, composer, actor, television ...

, pop music *

Hüseyin Sermet Hüseyin Sermet (born in Istanbul, 1955) is a Turkish pianist and composer.Hüseyin Sermet.
hexagone.ne ...

, pianist *

Güher Pekinel Güher Pekinel and Süher Pekinel (born March 29, 1951, Istanbul) are twin Turkish pianists performing mostly in duet. The Pekinels are among the world's most well known piano duos.Jean-Pierre Thiollet, ''88 notes pour piano solo'', « Solo de du ...

, pianist *

Süher Pekinel Güher Pekinel and Süher Pekinel (born March 29, 1951, Istanbul) are twin Turkey, Turkish pianists performing mostly in duet. The Pekinels are among the world's most well known piano duos.Jean-Pierre Thiollet, ''88 notes pour piano solo'', « Sol ...

, pianist *

Okan Demiriş Okan Demiriş (9 February 1942, in Istanbul – 18 June 2010) was a Turkish composer. He was married to the soprano Leyla Demiris. His works include several operas: * ''IV. Murat'' (pronounced ''Dördüncü Murat'') libretto: Turan Oflazoğlu thre ...

, opera singer *

Mete Uğur Mete is a common masculine Turkish given name. In Turkish, "Mete" means "brave", "galahad", "hero", "valiant", and/or "gallant". Mete is a deformed version of "Mo - du" which is the regional name of Modu Chanyu who was the founder of Xiongnu Empi ...

, opera singer *

Macide Tanır Macide Tanır (1 January 1922 – 6 February 2013) was a Turkish actress. In 1943, she joined the Turkish State Theatres and continued her career on stage until 1985. In 1991, she was named a State Artist. Aside from her career on stage and cinem ...

, actress * Bozkurt Kuruç, actor * Osman F. Seden, film director *

Türkan Şoray Türkan Şoray (born 28 June 1945) is a Turkish actress, writer and film director. She is known as "Sultan" of the Cinema of Turkey. She started her career in 1960, and won her first award as the most successful actress at the 1st Antalya Golde ...

, film actress *

Hülya Koçyiğit Hülya Koçyiğit (born 12 December 1947) is a Turkish actress. A prominent female lead in the Turkish cinema, she received numerous awards at international film festivals, including the Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival. Altogether, she ha ...

, film actress * Orhan Şaik Gökyay, poet *

Tarık Buğra Süleyman Tarık Buğra (2 September 1918 – 26 February 1994) was a Turkish journalist, novelist and short story author. He was well-known author at Republican literature in his country. He was honoured as a State Artist in 1991. Buğra is t ...

, writer *

Attila İlhan Attila ( or ; ), frequently called Attila the Hun, was the ruler of the Huns from 434 until his death in early 453. He was also the leader of an empire consisting of Huns, Ostrogoths, Alans, and Gepids, among others, in Central and East ...

, writer *

Ali Avni Çelebi Ali ibn Abi Talib (; ) was the fourth Rashidun caliph who ruled from until Assassination of Ali, his assassination in 661, as well as the first imamate in Shia doctrine, Shia Imam. He was the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muha ...

, painter * Sabri Berkel, painter * Turan Erol, painter * Devrim Erbil, painter *

Hüseyin Arıkan Özkan Hussein, Hossein, Hussain, Hossain, Huseyn, Husayn, Husein, Hussin, Hoessein, Houcine, Hocine or Husain (; ), coming from the triconsonantal root Ḥ-S-N (), is an Arabic name which is the diminutive of Hassan, meaning "good", "handsome" or " ...

, sculptor * Sadi Diren, ceramic art

1998

Müzeyyen Senar Müzeyyen Senar (; 16 July 1918 – 8 February 2015) was a Turkish classical music performer, known as the "''Diva of the Republic''". Early years Müzeyyen Dombayoğlu was born in 1918 in the village of Gököz, in Keles district of Bursa Prov ...

* Mehveş Emeç *

Şefika Kutluer Şefika Kutluer (born 5 May 1961) is a Turkish classical flautist. She was born in Ankara, Turkey. While still in the primary school, she transferred to the primary school section of Ankara State Conservatory upon the suggestion of Ulvi Cemal E ...

* Tekin Akmansoy *

Muazzez Abacı Hicran Muazzez Abacı (; born November 12, 1947) is a Turkish singer. Trained in Turkish classical music, she has achieved considerable popular success in the Turkish Classical Music genre.''Rough Guide to World Music: Africa, Europe and the M ...

Metin Akpınar Metin Akpınar (born 2 November 1941) is a Turkish actor. He has been one of the most successful comedians in Turkey. Biography He was born in Aksaray, Istanbul, and he graduated from Pertevniyal High School. He pursued his university career i ...

İzzet Altınmeşe İzzet is a Turkish language, Turkish given name for males and a surname. Outside Turkey the name is sometimes written as Izzet. Notable people with the name İzzet or Izzet include: Given name * İzzet Günay (born 1934), Turkish film actor * İz ...

Selmi Andak Selmi is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Ali Selmi, Tunisian football manager * Ali El Selmi, Egyptian academic * Djilali Selmi (born 1946), Algerian former footballer who played as a midfielder *Francesco Selmi Francesco Se ...

* Avni Anıl *

Nezihe Araz Fatma Nezihe Araz (11 May 1920 – 25 July 2009) was a Turkish writer and journalist. In addition to her 1959 best seller on the saints of Anatolia, she wrote several plays for television and the stage as well as three books about Mustafa Kemal A ...

Muzaffer Arıkan Muzaffar, Muzaffer, or Mozaffar (; "the Victorious") may refer to: People Given name *Al-Muzaffar Umar (died 1191), Ayyubid prince of Hama and a general of Saladin *Muzaffar Shah of Malacca (ruled 1445–1459), sultan of Malacca *Muzaffar II of ...

* Orhan Asena *

Semih Balcıoğlu Semih is a Turkish given name for males, meaning ''Generous'' and also ''Worthy'' and Great. Semiha is the female form. People named Semih include: * Semih Aydilek (born 1989), Turkish footballer * Semih Çalışkan (born 1986), Turkish noveli ...

Recep Bilginer Recep is a Turkish name deriving from the Arabic name Rajab. It may refer to: People Surname * Aziz Recep (born 1992), German-Greek footballer * Sibel Recep (born 1987), Swedish pop singer Given name * Recep Adanır (1929–2017), Turkish foo ...

* Ali Can *

Koral Çalgan Koral may refer to: * Koral, Pakistan, a village and Union Council in Islamabad Capital Territory, Pakistan * Zastava Koral or Yugo, a Yugoslav/Serbian car produced from 1980 to 2008 * KORAL Electronic Warfare System People * Alexander Koral (fl ...

İnci Çayırlı İnci is a Turkish surname and also a female given name that means “pearl.” Notable people with the surname include: * Arman İnci (born 1991), Turkish-German actor * Nazlıcan İnci (born 2000), Turkish badminton player See also

* İnci S ...

Merih Çimenciler Merih is a Turkish gender neutral unisex given name. It refers to the planet Mars. Notable people with the name are as follows: * Merih Demiral Merih Demiral (born 5 March 1998) is a Turkish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back f ...

Ali Doğan Ali ibn Abi Talib (; ) was the fourth Rashidun caliph who ruled from until Assassination of Ali, his assassination in 661, as well as the first imamate in Shia doctrine, Shia Imam. He was the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muha ...

Haldun Dormen Ahmet Haldun Dormen (born 5 April 1928) is a Turkish theater, movie and TV series actor and film director. Dormen is of Turkish Cypriot descent. Biography His father Sait Ömer Bey was a Cypriot businessman, while his mother Nimet Rüştü ...

Armağan Elçi Armağan may refer to: * Armağan (name), list of people with the name *Armağan Dam Armağan Dam is a dam in Kırklareli Province, Turkey, built between 1986 and 1998. It is a rockfill dam. See also *List of dams and reservoirs in Turkey Extern ...

Erol Erdinç Erol Erdinç (born 30 November 1945) is a Turkish conductor of classical music, composer, pianist and educator. Early life and education Erol Erdinç started out studying composition with Ahmet Adnan Saygun and piano with T. Çetiz at the Ankara ...

Özdemir Erdoğan Özdemir Erdoğan (born 17 June 1940) is a Turkish singer-songwriter and composer. He was elected as a Turkish state artist in 1998. Early life Of Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the Sout ...

Musa Eroğlu Musa Eroğlu (born 1946) is a Turkish folk musician and bağlama virtuoso. He was born in the Mut county district of Mersin. He is a Tahtacı. He completed his secondary education in Mut. He then started to perform Turkish folk dance and music. ...

Muazzez Ersoy Hatice Yıldız Levent, better known by her stage name Muazzez Ersoy, (born 9 August 1958) is a Turkish classical music singer. In 1998, with the suggestion of the 33rd government of Turkey's Ministry of Culture, she was chosen as a State Artis ...

Semiha Berksoy Semiha Berksoy (24 May 1910 – 15 August 2004) was a Turkish opera singer and painter. Early life Semiha Berksoy was born in Çengelköy, Istanbul on 25 May 1910. Her mother was a painter, her father a poet and accountant. Semiha Berksoy stu ...

Zeki Alasya Zeki Alasya (18 April 1943 – 8 May 2015) was a Turkish actor and film director. Alasya was of Turkish Cypriot descent and was related to Kıbrıslı Mehmed Kamil Pasha. Filmleri 1957 Bir Avuç Toprak 1958 Iftira 1959 Gurbet 1960 Tas Beb ...

Mengü Ertel Mengü Ertel (1931 – March 15, 2000) was a Turkish graphic artist, Ertel who graduated from the Istanbul Fine Arts Academy, became known for the decorations and posters he made for the theaters. The poster of the 1st Istanbul Festival was prepar ...

Orhan Gencebay Orhan Gencebay (born 4 August 1944) is a Turkish people, Turkish musician, bağlama virtuoso, composer, singer, arranger, record producer, music producer, music director, and actor. Gencebay was born in the coastal town of Samsun on 4 August 194 ...

* Nurşen Girginkoç *

Rengim Gökmen Rengim Gokmen (born August 19, 1955, Ankara) is a Turkish conducting, conductor. He is a music man who held important positions in classical music life of Turkey. He was the General Director of Turkish State Opera and Ballet between 1992-1995 ...

* Ruşen Güneş *

Fahrettin Güven Fakhr al-Din () is an Arabic male given name and (in modern usage) a surname, meaning ''honor/pride of the religion''. Alternative transliterations include Fachreddin, Fakhreddine, Fahrettin, Fakhraddin, Fakhreddin, Fakhreddine, Fakhruddin, Fexred ...

* Nedret Güvenç *

Fikret Hakan Fikret Hakan (born Gaffar Bumin Çıtanak; 23 April 1934 – 11 July 2017) was a prolific Turkish film actor and a recipient of the honorary State Artist, a title awarded by the Turkish government. Hakan was born as Gaffar Bumin Çıtanak in 1934 ...

Selahattin İçli Selahattin is the Turkish spelling of the Arabic Muslim masculine given name Salah ad-Din (Arabic: صَلَاح الدِّيْن ''ṣalāḥ ad-dīn''). Notable people with the name include: People * Selâhattin Âdil (1882–1961), Ottoman Army ...

Selim İleri Ali Selim İleri (30 April 1949 – 8 January 2025) was a Turkish writer, screenwriter, and film critic. He died on 8 January 2025, at the age of 75. Works Stories *' (1968) *''Pastırma Yazı'' (1971) *' (1975) *''Bir Denizin Eteklerinde'' (198 ...

Çolpan İlhan Çolpan İlhan (8 August 1936 – 25 July 2014) was a Turkish cinema and theatre actress. In 1998 she was awarded the title of State Artist of Turkey. She acted in more than 300 films and theater plays. First years İlhan received her seconda ...

* Yekta Kara * Cemil Karababa *

Müşfik Kenter Müşfik Galip Kenter (9 September 1932 – 15 August 2012) was a Turkish theatre and voice actor. He was of English descent from his maternal side. Müşfik Kenter was born to diplomat Ahmet Naci Kenter and his wife Nadide, née Olga Cynthi ...

* Kayıhan Keskinok *

Levent Kırca Zeki Levent Kırca (September 28, 1950 – October 12, 2015) was a Turkish comedian, stage and film actor, columnist of the newspaper ''Aydınlık'' and politician of the left-wing Patriotic Party ().1986 sketch series Olacak O Kadar, which he ...

Atilla Manizade Atilla Manizade (1945 – 10 July 2016) was a Turkish Cypriot opera singer (bass). Manizade was praised as an artist of great versatility. He had an extensive repertoire of more than forty operas ranging from dramatic roles to buffo parts. Maniza ...

Yusuf Nalkesen Yusuf ( ') is a male name meaning "God increases" (in piety, power and influence).From the Hebrew יהוה להוסיף ''YHWH Lhosif'' meaning "YHWH will increase/add". It is the Arabic equivalent of the Hebrew name Yosef and the English name ...

Tankut Öktem Tankut Öktem (1941, Istanbul – 5 December 2007, İstanbul) was a Turkish sculptor well known especially for his monumental works. Early years He was born 1941 in Istanbul and his childhood was spent moving from one location in Turkey to anoth ...

Gazanfer Özcan Gazanfer Özcan (27 January 1931 – 17 February 2009) was a Turkish actor. Biography Born on 27 January 1931 in Istanbul, He was a graduate of Vefa High School, Istanbul. Özcan started his career as an actor with the play Hisse-i Şaiya ...

Ahmet Özhan Ahmet Şükrü Kadıöz (born August 26, 1950) known by his stage name as Ahmet Özhan, is a prominent Turkish classic music singer, conductor, and actor. He represented Turkey at the 1985 ABU Popular Song Contest. Early Life Ahmet Şükrü ...

Münir Özkul Münir Özkul (15 August 1925 – 5 January 2018) was a Turkish cinema and theatre actor who was awarded the title of "State Artist of Turkey". In 1972, he won a International Antalya Film Festival, Golden Orange Award for Best Actor for his ...

* Sezen Cumhur Önal *

Kutlu Payaslı Kutlu is a common masculine Turkish given name. In Turkish, "Kutlu" means "holy", "hooly", and/or "blessed". Given name * Kutlu Adalı, Turkish Cypriot journalist * Kutlu Özmakinacı, bassist of Turkish rock band Yüksek Sadakat. * Kutlu Tor ...

Ajda Pekkan Ayşe Ajda Pekkan (; born 12 February 1946) is a Turkish singer. She is known by the title "superstar" in the Turkish media. Pekkan became a prominent figure of Turkish pop music with her songs, in which she tried to create a strong female figure. ...

Ali Poyrazoğlu Ali ibn Abi Talib (; ) was the fourth Rashidun caliph who ruled from until his assassination in 661, as well as the first Shia Imam. He was the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Born to Abu Talib ibn Abd al-Muttalib ...

Ozan Sağdıç Ozan may refer to: Companies * Ozan Lumber Company, a former company based in Arkansas People *, an itinerant poet, poet-singer (similar to "bard", "balladeer", or "troubadour") in Turkic traditions, predating the term ''ashik''. Some performed ...

* Mustafa Sağyaşar * Samime Sanay *

Emel Sayın Emel Sayın (born 20 November 1945) is a Turkish singer and actress. Life She was born in Şarkışla district of Sivas Province on 20 November 1945, to a father who immigrated from Skopje, and a mother from Mardin. Her parents moved frequently ...

Timur Selçuk Timur Selçuk (2 July 1946 – 6 November 2020) was a Turkish composer, pianist, singer and conductor. Biography One of the greatest Turkish composers, Timur Selçuk was the son of Turkish neo-classical music composer Münir Nurettin Selçu ...

* Nedret Selçuker *

Nesrin Sipahi Nesrin Sipahi (born 29 November 1934) is a Turkish singer of Crimean Tatar origin specialized on Turkish music. Life Nesrin Sipahi was born to Yusuf and Adile in Yeşilköy neighborhood of Bakırköy ilçe (district), Istanbul, Turkey on 29 ...

* Ferit Sidal *

Kamil Sönmez Kamil Sönmez (4 March 1947 – 20 December 2012) was a Turkish folk singer and actor. He is best known for his folk songs from the Black Sea Region of Turkey. In 1998, he received the title of "state artist". He suffered a cerebral hemorrhage ...

Muammer Sun Muammer Sun (15 October 1932 – 16 January 2021) was a Turkish composer of classical music. Biography Sun was born in Ankara. He entered the Military Band School in 1947 and the Ankara State Conservatory in 1953. He studied under Ahmet Adnan ...

Gülriz Sururi Gülriz Sururi (24 July 1929 – 31 December 2018) was a Turkish drama actress and author. She presented a TV cooking show and co-owned a theatre. Biography She was born in Istanbul, Turkey on 24 July 1929. Her father Lütfullah was the foun ...

Dinçer Sümer Dinçer is a surname of Turkish origin and may refer to: * Haluk Dinçer (born 1962), Turkish businessman * Kemal Dinçer (born 1963), Turkish basketball player * Ömer Dinçer Ömer Dinçer (born 10 September 1956 in Karaman) is a Turkish ...

Şener Şen Şener Şen (born 26 December 1941) is a Turkish film and theatre actor who has won the Golden Orange for Best Actor twice for his roles in '' Muhsin Bey'' (1985) and '' Gönül Yarası'' (2005), the Golden Orange for Best Supporting Actor for ' ...

Ziya Taşkent Ziya () is a Turkish given name for males and females, it is of Arabic origin, in Turkish ''Ziya'' means ''light''. * Ziya Doğan, Turkish football manager * Ziya Gökalp, Turkish sociologist * Nazmi Ziya Güran, Turkish impressionist painter * Ziy ...

* Orhan Taylan *

Okay Temiz Okay Temiz (born 11 February 1939, Istanbul, Turkey) is a Turkish fusion jazz percussionist and drummer. Biography Temiz was influenced by his mother, Naciye, who was classically trained in music. Temiz, who began playing professionally in 1955, ...

* Zekai Tunca *

Neriman Altındağ Tüfekçi Nariman (also spelled Narriman, Nareeman, Neriman, Nəriman) is a name of Persian origin ( ). It has roots traced to the Persian epic, Shahnameh, written by Ferdowsi. The name can mean "faith and brightness". It can also mean "brave, hero", with r ...

Dilek Türker Dilek is a Turkish word meaning ''wish'', ''request'' or ''desire''. It is used as a feminine given name as well as a noun and may refer to: Given name * Dilek Akagün Yılmaz (born 1963), Turkish politician * Dilek Gürsoy (born 1976), German hea ...

Nejat Uygur Nejat Günhan Uygur (10 August 1927 – 18 November 2013) was a Turkish actor and comedian. Early years Nejat Uygur was born on 10 August 1927 as the second of three children to an officer father and a teacher mother. He acted on stage alr ...

* Necdet Varol *

Gönül Yazar Gönül Yazar (born Mürşide Gönül Özyeğiner; 12 August 1936) is a Turkish singer and actress. In 1968 Yazar performed Marie Laforêt Marie Laforêt (born Maïtena Marie Brigitte Douménach; 5 October 1939 – 2 November 2019) was a ...

Jale Yılmabaşar Jale Yılmabaşar (born in Samsun, Turkey, 1939) is a Turkish painter and ceramicist. Early life and education Yılmabaşar was born in 1939 in Samsun, Turkey. Yılmabaşar's career as a ceramic artist began while studying in the United States at ...

Nilüfer Yumlu Nilüfer is the Turkish word for " water lily", from Persian ''nîlûfar'' (نیلوفر), which is ultimately derived from the Sanskrit word for the blue lotus ''nīḷōtpaḷa'' (नीळोत्पळ). It is a popular feminine given nam ...

Metin Yurdanur Metin Yurdanur (born 1951) is a sculptor based in Turkey, who was awarded the title State Artist (Turkey), State Artist of Turkey. Early years Yurdanur was born in 1951 in Sivrihisar town of Eskişehir Province in Turkey. He spent his childhood ...

Gülşen Tatu Gülşen is a Turkish given name for females (originally from Persian Golshan/گلشن, means place of flowers). People named Gülşen include: * Gülşen Aktaş (born 1957), Turkish schoolteacher and political scientist * Gülşen Bayraktar (born ...

References

1971 establishments in Turkey Lists of celebrities Honorary titles of Turkey