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About Us

We Bring the Power of the Stage to Business

THE PLAY ACADEMY powered by SAKM was born from the synergy of three deep-rooted experiences: the 30-year stage and arts legacy of the Sadri Alışık Cultural Centre, the profound HR expertise of CoForward, and Önder Kilin’s 20+ years of field experience in training and consulting.

We are not just a training firm that transfers knowledge — we are an experiential learning platform where professionals discover their potential on stage. We approach the corporate world with academic rigour, turning learning into an ‘experience’ that creates lasting transformation in professional life.

The synergy of three deep-rooted experiences
Sadri Alışık Kültür Merkezi — SAKM
30-year stage and arts legacy
CoForward
Deep expertise in human resources
Önder Kilin
20+ years of field experience in training & consulting
The Play Academy
Experiential learning platform

Why Experiential Learning?

Not Knowing,

But Doing

At THE PLAY ACADEMY, we take learning beyond theoretical limits — using the dynamics of improvisation and the power of behavioural simulations to transform it into a living experience arena where professionals can react in real time.

In these interactive environments where making mistakes is safe, teams strengthen their muscles for adapting to uncertainty, active listening, and generating solutions in moments of crisis — through action itself.

“People forget what they hear, remember what they see — but understand and apply what they do themselves.”
Global Adult Learning Research
World Economic Forum, 2026
%75
Rate at which passively-learned knowledge is forgotten within a few days
Gartner, 2026
%70
Proportion of employees experiencing change fatigue — practical skills are critical
SHRM & WEF, 2026
Empathy · Resilience Active Learning
Competencies now the most valuable “human advantage” in business
How Do We Do It?

A 4-Step Experience Cycle

A cycle that kicks in where slides and monologues end — where participants react instantly, making mistakes is safe, and new capabilities are built.
01

Removing the Masks

PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY
A preparation space where, guided by SAKM’s philosophy of authenticity, titles are shed and vulnerability opens the door.
02

Drop Theory, Take Action

DYNAMIC SIMULATIONS
Getting up from the spectator’s seat and living the difficult client or the moment of crisis firsthand through improvisation.
03

Look in the Mirror

DEBRIEFING
Connecting the questions “What happened?” and “Why did we react this way?” to real business goals.
04

New Corporate Reflex

BEHAVIOURAL CALIBRATION
Transforming discovered competencies into measurable business outcomes integrated with PIL.
30+
YEARS OF SAKM LEGACY
18.000+
PARTICIPANTS
%94
SATISFACTION RATE
120+
CORPORATE CLIENTS
Corporate Reality & Individual Crisis

The Numbers Reveal the Truth

Traditional training models are falling short. Why?
Gartner, 2026
%70
Change Fatigue
The rate of change fatigue experienced by employees. Managers lack the practical skills to lead their teams.
Deloitte, 2026
ISOLATION
Digital Loneliness
Building a psychologically safe environment to counter the loneliness brought by digitalisation has become the most critical leadership priority.
WEF, 2026
%75
Passive Learning Loss
The rate at which knowledge learned only by passive listening is forgotten within a few days. Without taking action, learning doesn’t happen.
McKinsey, 2026
LEADERSHIP GAP
Lack of Long-Term Vision
Organisations struggle to move beyond short-term crises and build long-term vision. Leadership is now the scarcest and most valuable resource.
“As technology and automation accelerate; empathy, resilience, and active learning have become the most valuable ‘human advantage’.”
WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

FREE DISCOVERY CALL

Let's Raise the Curtain
Together

In 30 minutes we listen to your organisation's needs and determine together which programme will create the highest impact. Not a pitch — a real discovery conversation.
30 minutes, just to get to know you
Response guaranteed within 24 hours
200+ corporate client experience
SAKM's 30-year theatre legacy

    The Play Academy
    Sadri Alışık Kültür Merkezi · Cihangir, Beyoğlu
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