Dubai’s Content Market Expands Its Influence Eastward with Istanbul Launch

As the ninth Dubai International Content Market concludes, INDEX Holding and Turkey's leading producers sign an agreement to establish a sister market in Istanbul, extending the region's creative commerce across continents.

The ninth Dubai International Content Market drew to a close this week at Madinat Jumeirah with a significant gesture toward international expansion. Within its final hours, INDEX Holding and the Television and Cinema Film Producers Association of Türkiye signed an agreement to create the Istanbul Content Market, scheduled for 2027. The initiative reflects both Dubai’s deepening role in global content trade and the broadening ambitions of the region’s creative industries to establish themselves as connective hubs across geographies.

The partnership builds naturally on momentum already evident at this year’s market, which as we reported, brought together over 200 buyers from thirty countries alongside two thousand scheduled business meetings. That gathering underscored Dubai’s capacity to convene the world’s content creators, distributors and broadcasters in single, purposeful space. Now, that same organisational expertise and industry relationships will travel eastward to Istanbul, a city with formidable production credentials and its own strategic position within global entertainment networks.

The Istanbul Content Market will unfold over two days and adopt the proven format of its Dubai predecessor. It will welcome producers, content creators, distributors, buyers, television and digital platform representatives, investors and media institutions from Turkey, Central Asia, Russia, the Commonwealth of Independent States, and Eastern and Western Europe. The platform will facilitate networking, business development and the exploration of partnerships through business meetings, presentations, panel discussions and specialised programming. It will showcase local, regional and international productions whilst creating opportunities for content financing, co-production, licensing, distribution and acquisition.

Anas Abdulsalam Al Madani, Vice Chairman and CEO for Global Growth and Ventures at INDEX Holding, described the expansion as a strategic investment in the content industry’s future. He noted that Turkey holds an influential position in content and entertainment, supported by strong production capabilities and the international reach of its work, making Istanbul a natural destination for such a specialised market. The initiative, he said, represents a strategic step toward strengthening economic partnership between the UAE and Turkey whilst expanding cooperation in media and entertainment.

Birol Güven, General Director of Cinema at Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, emphasised that Istanbul possesses extensive production capabilities, creative talent and accumulated industry expertise. The market, he suggested, will create new opportunities for producers to connect with international partners, explore business prospects and expand the global reach of Turkish content.

What it means for Abu Dhabi

The launch of Istanbul Content Market 2027 reinforces Abu Dhabi and Dubai’s position as a centre of creative commerce with genuine international influence. Rather than operating as isolated markets, the region’s content platforms now function as part of a networked ecosystem that extends across continents, drawing investment and talent toward the Emirates whilst creating new pathways for Emirati and regional creators to access global opportunities.

The expansion also signals INDEX Holding’s confidence in replicating Dubai’s successful model elsewhere. As we reported, UAE entrepreneurs have been increasingly active in international expansion, with the Emirates Franchise Association showcasing the nation’s thriving sector at Istanbul’s expo. This content market partnership follows a similar pattern: Emirati expertise and operational excellence travelling abroad to create value and strengthen bilateral relationships, particularly with strategic partners like Turkey.