As Deep Poverty Network, with Istanbul Music and Performing Artists Association, we met with over 100 performing artists (from violin, keyboard, org, piano, bağlama, guitar, drums, drum, darbuka, zurna, ney, tambourine players to soloists, illusionists, electricians, and actors) who cannot work over a year due to the pandemic.

These people cannot receive regular support and have to cope with bills (electric, water, natural gas), homelessness, and poverty. Some move to their friends' or relatives' house and some state that they had to sell their instruments. Moreover, they state that changing living standards have deteriorated their mental health. Thus, they feel hopeless, desperate, and exhausted; they say that they had to devise their own strategies throughout this process.

We believe that, within this extraordinary situation, our part is to provide solidarity. Therefore, in March, we provided nourishment and bill support to 100 musicians and their families in 22 districts of Istanbul.

The districts are: Avcılar, Ataşehir, Bağcılar, Bahçelievler, Bakırköy, Başakşehir, Beykoz, Beylikdüzü, Beyoğlu, Büyükçekmece, Esenler, Esenyurt,Eyüp, Fatih, Gaziosmanpaşa, Kağıthane, Küçükçekmece, Maltepe, Sarıyer, Sultangazi, Şişli, Zeytinburnu.