With the ideal of creating a society where all individuals benefit equally from rights, Sabancı Foundation, which has been working for 50 years, has awarded the Sakıp Sabancı Art Awards, held for 31 years to support young artists. 9 students, who graduated with honors from the Painting, Sculpture, and Traditional Turkish Arts departments of Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, became the owners of a total of 240 Cumhuriyet Altını.

The late Sakıp Sabancı, who started the initiative in 1994 to support young artists at the beginning of his career, has continued his legacy through the Sabancı Foundation with the Sakıp Sabancı Art Awards, which were presented to the recipients again this year.

Hosted by Melisa Sabancı Tapan, Board Member of Sabancı Holding, and Prof. Dr. Handan İnci Elçi, Rector of Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, the award ceremony was held at the Sakıp Sabancı Museum, The Seed. During the ceremony, awards were presented to young artists who graduated with the top three ranks from the Painting, Sculpture, and Traditional Turkish Arts departments of Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University. A total of 240 Cumhuriyet Altını was awarded to the 9 successful students who placed.

The award recipients from the Painting Department were Ayça Özkaynak, Beytullah Batuhan Daşdemir, and Öykü Pekgözlü; from the Sculpture Department, Irmak Döndüren, Aybike Keskin, and Lidya Duymuş; and from the Traditional Turkish Arts Department, Esra Şahin, Nagihan Eren, and Şevval Çağıran.

Melisa Sabancı Tapan, Board Member of Sabancı Holding, stated: “We are leading the transformation of society and the construction of new worlds with young artists who are shaping the future through art.”

Melisa Sabancı Tapan further emphasized, “My grandfather, Sakıp Sabancı, was eternally committed to the power and impact of art. Today, we honor his belief together. We are shaping the future with art. With young artists, we are leading the transformation of society, challenging boundaries, opening minds, and constructing new worlds. Each artist receiving an award on this stage is not only building today’s culture but also the culture of tomorrow. We have one expectation from you: Never stop dreaming and working toward those dreams! Because your voices in this journey will be some of the most powerful tools to guide society.”

Prof. Dr. Fatma Öztürk, Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, stated: “The Sakıp Sabancı Art Awards are not only a source of pride for our university but also open new doors for the artist candidates who graduate with honors from their departments.”

**Prof. Dr. Fatma Öztürk**, Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts at **Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University**, stated: “The **Sakıp Sabancı Art Awards**, which were initiated by the late **Sakıp Sabancı** 31 years ago and continued by the **Sabancı Foundation**, are not only a source of pride for our university but also open new doors for the artist candidates who graduate with honors from their departments. This prestigious award, which recognizes and rewards our students’ outstanding achievements in the field of art, demonstrates the importance of enhancing their potential and contributing to society. As the Faculty of Fine Arts at **Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University**, we find the awards provided by the **Sabancı Foundation** to be of great significance, as they contribute to promoting the students’ works and dedication. The recipients of these awards inspire their peers to achieve excellence and make positive contributions to society. We embark on our artistic journey with a dream, and I would like to thank all the members of the **Sabancı Family** and the **Sabancı Foundation** for supporting our artist candidates in realizing their dreams, and I congratulate our students on their success.”

With the Sakıp Sabancı Art Awards, 278 young artists have been awarded over 31 years.

In 1994, Sakıp Sabancı initiated the Sakıp Sabancı Art Awards in his own name and established the Sakıp Sabancı Fund within the Sabancı Foundation to continue his charitable works and award programs. Over the past 31 years, 278 young artists have been awarded a total of 7,425 Cumhuriyet Altını through the Sakıp Sabancı Art Awards, which are continued by the Sabancı Foundation.