K2 Contemporary Art Center is a contemporary art institution operating in Izmir since 2003. It has presented the first sustainable contemporary art space in Izmir. It prioritizes working with emerging artists, while also creating opportunities for established artists to produce new works. It creates platforms where art is created, discussed and presented. It aims to be an open and inviting space for the local community and to play an active role in both the national and international art scene.
K2 Contemporary Art Association was established in 2006 to enable K2 to apply for national and international grant programs as a non-profit non-governmental organization.
K2 organizes public programs including exhibitions, conferences, seminars, talks, discussions, debates, performances, film and video screenings and publications by artists from Türkiye and abroad.
PORTIZMIR (Izmir International Contemporary Art Triennial) has been organized since 2007 by K2. The PORTIZMIR projects, which have been realized four times so far, aim to mobilize the artistic and cultural dynamics of the city of Izmir and to bring art to a wider audience through an international contemporary art platform.
With its rich library of visual arts reference resources and various publications and artist archives, K2 offers a public research-learning platform.
K2 also manages the K2 Urla Breathing Space (K2UBZ), a compound for artists, located on 45 acres of land surrounded by forest in Urla, Izmir.
In 2002, K2 revitalized the abandoned building Büyük Kardıçalı Han, an important example of Republican Turkish architecture in Izmir, and turned it into a base for art and cultural actors. It operated in this historic building with its office, gallery and library until 2020, along with various artist studios, art initiatives and NGOs.