Hürriyet / MOTİVASYONU SANATA YATIRIM

Zorlu PSM, which hosted 700,000 art lovers last season, is also ambitious in the new season. Zorlu PSM General Manager Filiz Ova stated, "Investing more in art motivates us to surpass what we did in the previous season. We position ourselves not just as a venue in the cultural and artistic field, but also as a 'global bridge.' We are strengthening our local and international collaborations to bring art and culture to a wider audience. By showcasing internationally recognized performances and productions, we aim to enrich Turkey's cultural landscape."

How many guests does Zorlu PSM host each year, and what kind of economy do you represent? Can you describe PSM with numbers?

Since we opened, we have brought together more than 7 million guests at various events, providing enjoyable and inspiring experiences. Last season, we surpassed our previous years, hosting nearly 700,000 art lovers across a total of 1,066 events in one season under the Zorlu PSM roof.

We are one of the largest and most equipped performing arts centers in Europe in our category. We occupy a total area of 55,000 m² with five different event spaces, including the 2,200-seat Turkcell Stage and a foyer area that spans 2,500 m² over three floors.

On average, we host more than a thousand events in our five different venues and event spaces for 300 days of the year. Eighty percent of our events are sold out. When it comes to world-famous musicals, shows, concerts, and plays, Zorlu PSM is the first address that comes to mind in Turkey. About 40% of our event volume consists of international artists and events. Of course, we also feature established names in Turkish art and emerging young artists. Additionally, we have become a cultural and artistic institution that collaborates with different stakeholders beyond our stage identity, presenting our own productions. We have signed off on more than 20 productions to date. Our producer identity continues with productions that have made a significant impact in the cultural and artistic community.

According to the latest research, one in two people in Turkey knows about PSM. In Istanbul, this rate reaches 90%, with nine out of ten people saying they have either heard of Zorlu PSM or participated in events here. These figures prove that we are on the right track. Investing more in art motivates us to surpass what we did in the previous season. How did last year go, and are there any surprises in the new season? We had a very successful season at Zorlu PSM. In our 11th season, we provided unforgettable experiences for our audience, ranging from popular concerts, musicals, and plays to festivals, stand-up shows, and international productions. We kicked off our 12th season on September 14 with the musical play "Afife," featuring Demet Evgar in the lead role and directed by Serdar Biliş. The play tells the story of the actress's struggle to perform on stage as a woman, inspired by the life of Afife Jale.

This season, in addition to Afife, we are bringing three more plays to the theatre stage with our producer identity. Yastık Adam, directed by İbrahim Çiçek and starring Selahattin Paşalı, and İnsanlar, Mekanlar ve Nesneler, also directed by İbrahim Çiçek, featuring Merve Dizdar, Kerem Arslanoğlu, and Nejdet Sert, will be our new productions. Furthermore, there will be another special production on our main stage. Enis Arıkan will present "Hayalperest," a big show featuring a large cast of dancers, combining elements of humor and drama with snippets from his own life.

Comedy masters Cem Yılmaz and Ata Demirer will perform exclusively at Zorlu PSM throughout the season. We will bring world-renowned works to the Istanbul audience, including the famous show "Peaky Blinders" by Rambert Dance Company, "Formidable! Aznavour," honoring French chanson icon Charles Aznavour, "Slava's Snow Show," "Chicago the Musical," and the "Hammer Dance Show."

Will Zorlu PSM continue its social benefit projects that introduce disadvantaged groups to art and support education in the culture-art sector? Do you have any new projects for the new season?

With our social benefit projects, we continue to 'introduce disadvantaged groups to art' and contribute to the sustainability of culture and art through 'education.' For instance, we have been implementing our "First Theatre, First Concert" project in collaboration with Sosyalben and TEV for two years. In this process, we have welcomed over 2,000 adults, children, and youth living in disadvantaged areas who had never attended a concert or theatre event to Zorlu PSM events for free, introducing them to art. This season, we have expanded the scope of this project even further.

Through the social initiative Askıda Ne Var, the Mehmet Zorlu Foundation, and the awareness education platform YETGEN, we are conducting comprehensive efforts aimed at reaching more youth and children, including Istanbul's district municipalities. By the end of 2024, our number will exceed 4,000. Our long-term goal is to spread this project throughout Türkiye.

.45 STUDENTS GRADUATED

Zorlu PSM's first talent development program, PSM Atölye, is entering its fourth year to provide unique content to theatre. With corporate support from Mey Diageo, 69 students have presented 26 original plays over three years at PSM Atölye. Additionally, we are collaborating with Bahçeşehir University to train stage technicians, the unsung heroes of concerts, operas, ballets, and dance performances. Through the 'Stage Technician Training Program,' we have graduated a total of 45 students in two years and integrated them into the cultural and artistic world as a workforce.

Ultimately, we aim to sustain and expand the projects we have developed for many years and touch the lives of more people.

We promote cultural change.

World-renowned musicals and international artists come to Zorlu PSM to meet Turkish art lovers. What role do you play in promoting Turkey? We say, "Art lovers watch world-famous musicals at Zorlu PSM." We work hard in this area as Zorlu PSM. We are an institution that greatly contributes to Istanbul's and then Turkey's cultural and artistic life. Beyond being a venue in the culture and art sector, we position ourselves as a "global bridge." We strengthen our local and international collaborations to bring art and culture to wider audiences. By showcasing internationally recognized performances and productions, we aim to enrich Turkey's cultural landscape.

We aim to encourage cultural change by introducing different global perspectives to our audience. We closely follow leading music and performing arts events and festivals around the world. We keep an eye on innovations in the sector and work to bring international concerts and performances to Turkey or to take on the production role in Turkey. Additionally, we collaborate with numerous international festivals and institutions to connect artists in international joint projects.

Zorlu Holding CEO Cem Köksal mentioned that they aim to make PSM the center of Zorlu Group's social investments. Can you elaborate on this goal?

Zorlu PSM was established by the Zorlu Family in 2013 to contribute to our country's cultural and artistic life. Today, it has evolved into a cultural icon, far beyond just being an arts center. There is no other institution in Turkey that offers rich content like we do, and in terms of event volume and diversity, we are among the few examples in the world.

One of the most important factors behind this success is undoubtedly the value that the Zorlu Family and Zorlu Group place on art and culture. Over time, Zorlu PSM has transformed into a collective space for creative thinking, production, inspiration, and experience, exceeding expectations of what a performing arts center can provide, thanks to its broad and multidisciplinary content spectrum. Zorlu PSM's ability to raise expectations across the board has strengthened Zorlu Holding's ties to the cultural-art ecosystem and creative industries.

Can you describe your PSM Membership Program?

We tell art lovers in all our visual communications and messages, "Change Your World." We emphasize that Zorlu PSM is not just an event venue but always a space for experiences for art lovers. In this context, we launched the Zorlu PSM Membership Program last season. The Zorlu PSM Membership Program offers three different card models providing numerous advantages to art lovers. These cards, called "Star," "Elite," and "Friends," offer personalized advantages based on the membership model, including discounts on ticket purchases, priority ticket sales, special invitations to Zorlu PSM curated events, surprise campaigns throughout the season, entry to events without waiting in line, free valet service, or exclusive lounge areas for members.