In its fourth season, Sabanci Foundation’s Turkey’s Changemakers Program continues to share the unique stories of extraordinary people who contribute to the social development.

Gulcin Kaya established the Art Without Obstacles Association in 2007 with an initial grant from the European Union. In her “Art Without Obstacles” project, she brought together 120 young people with mental disabilities, 50 European sociologists, psychologists and art teachers in different workshops ranging from drama to sculpture, glass painting and music. In 2010 these workshops were exhibited in the 5th World Youth Congress in which thousands of young people from 147 different countries participated. Young people from Spain and Greece also implemented the same project in their countries.

After the “Art Without Obstacles” project, Gulcin Kaya implemented the “Don’t Hide Under the Blanket” project based on the idea that people with disabilities are often associated with shame by the society. In this project she worked with 7 young people with disabilities who have been successful in different areas and aimed to include them into the society. First, these 7 people were photographed and then the photos showing their success instead of disabilities were exhibited in different galleries in Istanbul and Balikesir. Gulcin Kaya now plans to hold exhibitions in 20 other provinces of Turkey and publish a book sharing the stories of people with disabilities who have participated in the project.