Music: The most reliable guide to music events in the city is fly posters and banners along Istiklal Caddesi. The only purpose-built opera house in the city is the 900-seat Atatürk Cultural Centre (AKM), which is shared by the State Opera and Ballet, the State Theatre and the State Symphony Orchestra (0212) 251 56 00 or 10 23), as well as the Istanbul Festivals. The most stunning venue in the city, however, is the Byzantine church of Haghia Eirene on the grounds of the Topkapi Palace complex, now a museum and used by the IKSV during the Classical Music Festival in June. The most popular summer venue is the Acik Hava Tiyatrosu (Open Air Theatre), Takisla Cadessi, Congress Valley in Harbiye, which hosts Jazz Festival events and other contemporary concerts.

Theatre: Plays by international and Turkish playwrights are frequently staged in Istanbul, many in smaller venues off Istiklal Caddesi, while the more commercial extravaganzas (such as during the Istanbul International Theatre Festival in May) are at the Atatürk Kültür Merkezi in Taksim, sometimes with digital subtitling in English. In 2000, Mozart's famous opera Abduction from the Seraglio, which had for years been staged (with difficulty) at Yildiz Palace and Topkapi, was finally filmed in the actual Topkapi Harem in a joint venture with the BBC and Antelope Productions.

Dance: The Turkish State Opera and Ballet performs at the AKM and there are also dance performances at the Cemal Resit Rey Concert Hall, Darulbedal Caddesi in Conference Valley (0212) 231 51 03 or 240 50 12). Performances by Istanbul's prime modern dance choreographer, Aydin Teker, however, usually take place in galleries or smaller venues and are worth checking the press for.

Film: Foreign films (mostly Hollywood) outnumber Turkish domestic output and generally show in their original language with Turkish subtitles. Most of the city's cinemas are in Istiklal Caddesi and it is best to check the Turkish Daily News for listings or simply comb the streets. The Alkazar, Fitas, Emek and Beyoglu are good bets, with European, Turkish, and Hollywood films. Mega cinema complexes are only found at huge shopping malls in the outer suburbs. As to films set in Istanbul, Ferhan Ozpetek's Hamam (a gay romp with some nostalgic scenes of old Istanbul) won several awards at worldwide film festivals in 1998.

Cultural events: Istanbul's many cultural festivals vary in date each year in line with moving Muslim holidays and other factors, including economic. The uncertainty of dates has earned it the nickname 'Last Minute City' because things are very often subject to change with the whim of the government, the sponsors and other unforeseen factors such as earthquakes.

It is safe to say, however, that the season kicks off with the International Istanbul Film Festival in April, the International Istanbul Theatre Festival, Fujifilm World Music Days, International Istanbul Puppet Festival and Conquest Week Celebrations in May, the International Istanbul Music Festival and International Bosphorus Festival in June. The International Istanbul Jazz Festival and Rumeli Hisari Concerts liven up July and August and the J&B Dance & Techno Festival rounds off the season in September. The coming of autumn brings with it the International Istanbul Biennale (next scheduled in 2003) and the Intercontinental Istanbul Eurasia Marathon supported by the Hash House Harriers, the Akbank Jazz Festival, Istanbul Arts Fair and Efes Pilsen Blues Festival.

Istanbul Kultur ve Sanat Merkezi (IKSV, or Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Art; puts on a series of annual festivals.