Help Build the Anatolian Cultures & Arts Center

Every stitch tells a story.

I am Ylvia Asal, a Anatolian (Turkish) folk , textile artist , and teacher. Since moving to the United States in 2003, I have devoted my life to preserving and sharing the traditional arts of Anatolia—not only as beautiful crafts, but as living stories of resilience, identity, and human connection.

For generations, women expressed their hopes, love, grief, and dreams through the delicate art of Oya, Anatolia's handmade lace. These traditions are slowly disappearing. I believe they deserve not only to be remembered, but to be experienced, shared, and passed on to future generations.

That is why I created Ylvia Asal Studio-Anatolian Cultures and Arts in downtown Haddonfield, New Jersey. Today it serves as a gallery, maker space, classroom, and cultural gathering place where people of every age and background can discover the richness of Anatolian culture through art.

But my vision is much bigger.

I dream of creating the Anatolian Cultures & Arts Center—a permanent home where people can come together to learn traditional arts, attend exhibitions, hear music, share stories, and build understanding across cultures. It will be a place where heritage is not locked away in museums but lives through hands-on experiences, education, and community.

Your support will help expand this vision by creating a larger, more welcoming space for workshops, exhibitions, artist residencies, school programs, and community events. Every contribution—large or small—brings us one step closer to preserving endangered traditions while inspiring new generations of artists and cultural learners.

This is more than supporting one artist.

It is an investment in cultural preservation, education, and community. It is helping ensure that the voices, stories, and artistry of countless generations continue to inspire people for years to come.

Like every piece of lace, this dream is built one stitch at a time.

I invite you to become part of that story.

Together, we can create a place where art connects cultures, traditions are kept alive, and every visitor leaves with a deeper appreciation of our shared humanity.

Come experience Anatolian cultures with me—and help build a home where these traditions can flourish for generations to come.

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