On February 9, the International TURKSOY Theatre Awards ceremony will take place in Istanbul. The event is jointly organized by the International Organization of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY) and the newspaper Anadolu Gazetesi.

The award aims to honor artists who have made significant contributions to the development of theatre arts in the Turkic world and is being held for the 11th time this year. During the gala evening, selected cultural figures from TURKSOY member states will receive awards for outstanding achievements in their respective fields, according to the organization’s press service.

This annual cultural event, held within the framework of the International “Anadolu” Theatre Awards, seeks to strengthen creative cooperation among theatres of the Turkic world, widely promote shared cultural heritage through performing arts, and support high-quality theatrical productions.

Recipients of the 2026 International TURKSOY Theatre Awards:

Kazakhstan – Best Theatre Director: Erenbak Toykenov
Uzbekistan – Best Actress: Lola Eltoeva
Turkmenistan – Best Actor: Batyr Charyev
Kyrgyzstan – Best Set Designer: Sadyr Niyazakunov
Azerbaijan – Best Playwright: Ali Amirli