Halkevleri

Halkevleri (People’s Houses) were a state-supported network of cultural and educational centers established in 1932 in the early Turkish Republic. Initiated by the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the Ministry of Education, the program sought to promote literacy, secular national education, and modern citizenship through local branches across towns and districts.

The centers offered a wide range of activities, including language and literacy classes, science courses, libraries and reading rooms, lectures, theatre, music, folk culture, exhibitions, and film screenings. They also published periodicals and educational materials, translated and adapted works for Turkish readers, and organized field trips to museums, factories, and sites of historical interest. Programs often targeted women and youth to broaden participation in public life.

Organization and operation: Halkevleri operated through local committees and staff aligned with central guidance from Ankara, funded by state resources and party support, and staffed by teachers, volunteers, and cultural workers. They served as a hub for cultural life in many communities, linking education, culture, and civic participation.

Legacy: The Halkevleri played a significant role in disseminating literacy, promoting Turkish language and secular culture, and supporting modernization aims of the early republic. They also reflected and reinforced Kemalist ideology, which drew both support and criticism. In the postwar period, political changes led to a reduction of their activities and eventual closure or transformation of many branches. Their history remains a point of discussion in assessments of state-sponsored cultural policy in Turkey.