Collect Gallery

Collect Gallery is a compact contemporary art space occupying what visitors describe as the single smallest room in Istanbul's JUMA building, located in the Tophane district — an area that briefly flourished as a gallery hub before many spaces shuttered. The gallery runs a parallel space in Sofia, Bulgaria, and frames itself as a cross-border platform connecting Bulgaria, Turkey, and the Greek island of Limnos, with a programming focus on Balkan and international contemporary artists. Solo exhibitions are the format of choice, typically presenting fewer than five works per show — past exhibitions include Elenka Nazarova's "Love and Intimacy" and a solo by Bulgarian artist Kalina Dimitrova. The team is noted as welcoming, though opening hours have reportedly been inconsistent; checking ahead before visiting is advisable.