New Museum

USA

SAHA x TPF Art Circle is launching a new curatorial program partnership with the New Museum, regarded among the most innovative contemporary art institutions in New York. Established in the United States in partnership with Turkish Philanthropy Funds, the SAHA x TPF Art Circle, which is funded by SAHA and USA-based supporters from Türkiye, will see an associate-level curator selected by the New Museum join the institution’s curatorial department as the “SAHA Curator”.

The program aims to provide the selected curator with the opportunity to work directly with museum management and team members over a two-year term on exhibitions, research, and public programs. Through this experience, the curator is expected to gain firsthand experience in institutional operations, global curatorial practices, and interdisciplinary collaboration, while also developing programs connected to Turkey.

This initiative builds on SAHA’s ongoing commitment to fostering long-term collaborations with international institutions: Following curator Ulya Soley’s appointment as “SAHA Curator” between 2025 and 2028 at Hamburger Bahnhof, through the funds raised by SAHA, Akbank Sanat, burdbad GmbH, and co-supporters, this is the second time a professional position has been established at an international art institution. The new collaboration at the New Museum now enables a curator from Turkey to take on a role at one of America’s leading contemporary art institutions. 

Through these institutional partnerships, SAHA continues to support the integration of Turkey’s art ecosystem into the international scene and help art professionals gain international experience.

A launch event was held in New York on April 22 to introduce the program. Opening with speeches by Lisa Philips, New Museum Director, Füsun Eczacıbaşı, Chair of the SAHA Board of Directors and the Vice President of the New Museum Board of Trustees, and Mustafa Kemal Abadan, Chair of the Turkish Philanthropy Funds Board of Directors, the event included a special guided tour of the new museum building, which opened in March 2026, led by Massimiliano Gioni, Edlis Neeson Artistic Director at the New Museum.

The New Museum plans to begin accepting applications for the position of SAHA Curator following the institution’s job posting this summer.

About New Museum

The New Museum is the only museum in New York City exclusively devoted to contemporary art. Founded in 1977, the New Museum is a center for exhibitions, information, and documentation about living artists from around the world. From its beginnings as a one-room office on Hudson Street, to the inauguration of its SANAA-designed flagship building in 2007, to the OMA-designed expansion of its home on the Bowery in 2026, the New Museum continues to be a place of experimentation and a hub of new art and new ideas. 

About Turkish Philanthropy Funds - TPF

For nearly two decades, Turkish Philanthropy Funds (TPF) has brought together a community of individuals committed to creating opportunity and shaping a more equitable future. With the generosity of more than 100,000 donors, TPF has mobilized close to $60 million, touching over 3 million lives. At its heart, TPF is built on the power of connection—linking people who want to make a difference with the organizations and ideas that can turn that intention into meaningful change. 

https://donate.tpfund.org/campaign/425-saha/c741604