The Department of Traditional Turkish Arts was established in 1982 as part of Dokuz Eylül University’s Faculty of Fine Arts. It started its educational activities in the 1986-1987 academic year as the “Department of Traditional Turkish Crafts.” The department was initially located temporarily within the campus of Ege University and later moved to the Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of Architecture and Fine Arts campus in Alsancak. Since the 1998-1999 academic year, it has been operating in the modern faculty building located in the Health and Art Campus in Narlıdere.

On January 26, 2009, the name of the department was changed to the “Department of Traditional Turkish Arts” by a decision of our university’s Senate. While the Bookbinding Main Art Branch is open in the department, student registrations are only made for the Carpet, Kilim and Traditional Fabric Designs, Old Ceramic Design and Restoration, Illumination Art, and Calligraphy Main Art Branches.

In addition to providing undergraduate and postgraduate education, the department has organized numerous symposiums, exhibitions, applications, and projects since its establishment to promote, protect, and pass on Traditional Turkish Arts to future generations. In this regard, it has become one of the leading institutions among universities in our country.

The name of the Department of Traditional Turkish Arts at Dokuz Eylül University’s Faculty of Fine Arts has developed and grown along with the national and international symposiums it has organized in the field of handicrafts. The first national crafts symposium, organized by the “Anatolian Handicrafts Research Institute” within Ege University in 1981, was followed by the second symposium held at Dokuz Eylül University after the institute became part of the university in 1982. The continuation of these symposiums, which were held for the third time in 1983 and the fourth time in 1984, has been carried out by the Department of Traditional Turkish Arts since the establishment of the Department of Traditional Turkish Crafts at Dokuz Eylül University’s Faculty of Fine Arts and the dissolution of the “Anatolian Handicrafts Research Institute.” The 5th symposium was held in 1992, the 6th symposium in 1996, the 7th symposium in 1999, the 8th symposium in 2002, the 9th symposium in 2006, and the 10th symposium in 2009.