Born in Ankara in 1960, Nilgün Altan developed an interest in painting during her high school years. Although she completed her university education in a different field, she continued painting and received training in color and drawing at various studios. She also worked in ceramics and mosaic art.
Altan published and edited three art magazines, two in print and one digital. In 2015, she became one of the founders of the Anatolian Visual Arts Association and served as the Chair of the Board for three terms.
A member of UPSD, AGSAD, and SK, Nilgün Altan has participated in more than one hundred national and international group exhibitions, as well as ten solo exhibitions. She has also taken part in the ArtAnkara Contemporary Art Fair nine times through various galleries.
Her works are included in numerous private collections in Turkey and abroad. Since 2005, the artist has continued her practice in her own studio.