İstanbul Kültür Sanat Vakfı (İKSV), kâr amacı gütmeyen bir sivil toplum kuruluşu olarak İstanbul'da uluslararası sanat festivalleri düzenlemek amacıyla 1973 yılında Dr. Nejat F. Eczacıbaşı önderliğindeki 17 işadamı ve sanatsever tarafından kuruldu. İKSV, amaçları doğrultusunda Türkiye ve yurtdışında düzenlediği festival ve etkinliklerin yanı sıra geleneksel sanat ve kültürel mirasın korunması, farklı disiplinlerde sanatsal üretimin sağlanması ve kültür politikalarının geliştirilmesi konularında çalışır. - The Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) was founded in 1973 with the goal of offering the Turkish public opportunities to experience the finest examples of cultural and artistic production from around the world and learn about new initiatives and movements. Further objectives included introducing the world to Turkey's cultural and artistic assets and transforming Istanbul into a major international centre for culture and the arts. The general objectives of the Foundation are: to make Istanbul one of the world's foremost capitals of culture and the arts; to create continuous interaction between national and universal values and traditional and contemporary values via culture and the arts; and to contribute actively to the development of cultural policies. In addition to organising festivals, biennials and events in Turkey and abroad, the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts is involved in conserving traditional arts and cultural heritage, encouraging and facilitating artistic production in diverse disciplines, and contributing to the development of cultural policies.