For over thirty years, Istanbul has been carving out a place for itself on the world's cultural map through its festivals. However, the purpose of these festivals and the art biennial is not merely to introduce the cultures/arts of other countries to a wider audience and foster intercultural interaction. They also serve other objectives, such as fulfilling the aspirations of the city's elite to restore Istanbul, which has lost much of its grandeur since the Republic, to its former status as a world city, and to transform Istanbul into a cultural capital in a global order where cities themselves can exist as a "spectacle." Therefore, festivals are no longer just cultural projects; they are equally economic and political endeavors.