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Sing with me (2018)

Stephen Braisht

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Sing With Me is a collaborative singing experience that allows participants to sing part of a song and then see their contribution stitched into the song and projected onto a large public wall. It was designed and developed by Stephen Braisht for the 2018 Flying Carpet Music Festival in Mardin, Turkey. In the three days that the installation ran during the festival about 400 people (children and adults alike) sang in our singing booth and then ran into the adjacent room to see themselves projected onto a wall alongside the other participant contributions.

The temporary installation included a booth in which children were able to imitate the musical artists shown in a video when their video is also being recorded. The recorded clips were later used in an installation which was projected inside the room. A collage of all children and artists singing a single part of a song which together made up the whole song. The results were later published on the website: 

https://singwithme.braitsch.io

 

SHEK-SHEKAR (2018)

Soheila Bajelan & Ladan Mehranzadeh

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Shek-shekar is designed by Soheila Bajelan and was born at Sirkhane by Soheila and Ladan Mehranzadeh, two invited artists from Iran. Soheila and Ladan collaborating with children from Mardin Sirkhane center created Shek-shekar for the period of Flying Carpet Music Festival. Shek-shekar was later joined by three of his friends shipped from Iran and performed several times throughout the festival

The puppet-making workshops started in July and were initiated by Iranian puppet-makers Soheila Bajelan and Ladan Mehranzadeh. Through this project we were able to bring three other gigantic puppets from Iran which were originally designed by Soheila Bajelan and use them in every show. The puppet team occasionally performed at many public places throughout the city of Mardin for children and adults.

Flying Carpet (VR experience) (2019)

Nima Dehghani

This project was developed by Iranian American artist, Nima Dehghani for Flying Carpet 2019. The projects consisted of a VR experience, telling the story of a child passing the border to another culture riding on a magic carpet. The aim of the project was to make a simple explanation of migration and how to cope with the consequences of it. Nima developed this experience, along with a team of his friends from Iran.

Visual Storytelling Workshops (2019)

Hatiye GArip

Sock Puppets (2022)

Torfeh Ekhlasi

Clay Play Creative Workshop (2023)

Tonka Uzu


"In the months leading up to my journey to Mardin, I entertained various ideas. However, several considerations needed careful attention: First and foremost, I planned to procure all materials for the sessions locally. I cherished the prospect of experimenting with my pastels, pencils, and papers.

The organizers shared a common goal—to involve as many children as possible, spanning different ages, backgrounds, and abilities. Many of these children had endured trauma and hardship. On my part, I aimed to foster creative freedom by adapting the brief or keeping it flexible to accommodate different temperaments and the unique interests of each child. A language barrier posed a challenge, preventing me from relying on my background as an illustrator and storyteller.

In the end, I opted for a simple yet open-ended clay workshop. I leveraged the primal power and therapeutic potential of shaping the earth with our bare hands (and some tools), trusting the limitless creative possibilities it presented. I was not only amazed by the remarkable and inventive creations each child produced but also surprised that, despite the region's water scarcity, both adults and children enthusiastically embraced the messy process. Children would often engage in other activities, yet return repeatedly for more clay play.

I quickly learned that, besides 'teşekkür ederim' and 'çok güzel,' the most useful Turkish words for me were 'islak' (wet) and 'kuru' (dry). My heartfelt gratitude goes to fellow festival artists, local volunteers, and all who supported me, including the children, their parents, and teachers."

Ancient Treasures - DEQ (2023)

Rojda Orhan

This workshop is a mosaic of creativity that reflects the intricate patterns of our shared human experience. Through this workshop children are immersed in the world of ancient symbols, weaving connections between nature and the human experience. Together, we explore ancestral wisdom, embrace creativity and playfulness through collective printing of decorative garlands. This unique experience fosters a deeper connection to culture, as we collectively remember our roots and celebrate our intertwining ties with nature.

Monsters (2025)

Aida Noshali

Monsters was a drawing workshop that invited children from diverse backgrounds, including local communities and displaced families, to create their own monsters. Rather than focusing on artistic skill, the workshop explored imagination as a way of self-expression. Through the design of fantastical creatures, children revealed traces of their fears, memories, hopes, and cultural influences. Each monster became a unique visual narrative, offering a glimpse into how young participants perceive the world around them and their place within it. The workshop created a playful space where drawing became a tool for storytelling, communication, and connection across different experiences and identities.

Pinocchio Moving Paper Puppet Workshop (2025)

Shadi Vedaei

In this creative and joyful workshop, children began by designing the different parts of Pinocchio’s body. Each piece was then carefully colored and brought to life with their own unique artistic touch. Afterward, they assembled the separate parts using brass fasteners, connecting them at the joints to create movable limbs.By the end of the workshop, every child proudly held a fully articulated Pinocchio puppet made from cardboard. No two puppets were alike—each one reflected its young creator’s imagination, personality, and creativity, making every Pinocchio a truly unique character with its own special charm.

Flying Mirrors (2025)

Anika Kebetschek

An abstract (self-)portrait workshop for children at the Turkish–Syrian border, in which children transformed themselves and one another into colors, lines, and shapes. Through playful limitations such as blindfolds, they created portraits that reflect their inner light rather than outward appearance, exploring identity, imagination, and connection. Each portrait was linked through small overlapping sketches of things that give strength: something from home and something for hope. Together, these layers formed a living fabric banner, weaving sparks of joy, resilience, and belonging into a collective artwork that continues its journey onward.