KIRIK is a research-based, participatory and critical initiative for people and topics in the cracks. Through talks, screenings and workshops it aims to foster knowledge production and sharing.

By choosing KIRIK as the name of our initiative, we embrace and reclaim multiple meanings of this versatile word in Turkish such as crack, broken, hue, hybrid, fault, strange, queer and bent.

Our initiative comes as a response to the shrinking of individual, cultural and political spheres in Turkey in the past decade. While several collectives and solidarity organisations which we were part of struggled to sustain themselves, larger cultural institutions had to make concessions from programs that defined their long-term missions. Seeking comfort in actions of immediate solidarity and togetherness against oppression resulted in gathering only around certain defense lines. Unable to extend further than besides rights-based activism to push back the attacks on our lives, we were left with no time and space for nuanced debates.

We now believe that a new approach is needed. We propose to focus on what this emphasis on solidarity has been missing and will dare to expand beyond defense lines to activate discussions which remained in the cracks. Without forgetting the importance of togetherness, we would like to explore the creative potentials of in-betweenness.

KIRIK eventually aspires to have a physical space. Yet, for our foundation year, we start with online events which will be shaped by our constant discussions with our allies.