De Roma

What De Roma does

De Roma is a non-profit cultural venue (VZW/vereniging zonder winstoogmerk) operating from a 1928-built Art Deco building at Turnhoutsebaan 286 in Borgerhout, Antwerp, Belgium. Originally opened as Kinema Roma cinema in 1928, the venue was abandoned for roughly two decades after its early-1980s closure before being renovated and reopened in 2003 by Paul Schyvens with a volunteer team. Today it functions as a 1,000+-capacity concert hall and community arts venue hosting concerts, cinema screenings, comedy, talks, and social programming under the 'Spreken is Goud' umbrella. Its technology stack is straightforward and event-operations oriented: Ticketmatic powers online ticketing, Ticketswap handles approved secondary resale, and Sennheiser MobileConnect provides hearing accessibility. The adjacent AMOR restaurant (Turnhoutsebaan 288) operates separately but synergistically with pre-show dining packages.

The business model is multi-stream and 91% self-funded. Primary revenue comes from ticket sales (€13–€49 per ticket) distributed through De Roma's website, a physical ticket counter, FNAC retail outlets, and Ticketswap. AMOR contributes €35 per-person concert menus. Secondary streams include venue hire, co-organization with external artists, merchandise and gift vouchers via the webshop, and tax-deductible donations routed through the Fonds Vrienden van De Roma at the King Baudouin Foundation (€40/year minimum for 45% Belgian tax reduction). The venue is operated by approximately 30 permanent staff across administration, production, communication, ticketing, technique, and catering, supported by over 500 active volunteers. Customer segments span general concert-goers, youth under 26 (via the Roekoekoepon €30 three-concert pass), accessibility-needs audiences, and dining-out patrons. The organization has no parent company, no subsidiaries, and is independently held as a Belgian non-profit.

Name

De Roma

Legal name

VZW De Roma

Website

https://deroma.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

De Roma is a non-profit Art Deco concert and cultural venue in Borgerhout, Antwerp, hosting concerts, cinema, and social programming since 1928 (reopened 2003). It serves general concert-goers, youth under 26, accessibility-needs audiences, and dining patrons via its adjacent AMOR restaurant, operating at 91% self-funded with ~30 staff and 500+ volunteers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Music Venue

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues) (MPAGALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG), Live Music Clubs & Venues (MPAGAIAB)

Keywords

• Live concert venue
• Cultural event programming
• Concert ticketing services
• Nonprofit arts venue
• Music and cinema events

Headquarters

HQ city

Borgerhout

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Ticket sales for concerts and events: De Roma organizes concerts and events in its own name, selling tickets directly through its website (Ticketmatic-powered), at its physical ticket counter, and through FNAC. The venue uses Ticketswap as an approved secondary market for ticket resale. Ticket prices range from €13 to €49 depending on the event and seating type.
2. AMOR restaurant and dining: The adjacent AMOR restaurant serves a two-course concert menu for €35 per person, generating revenue from pre-show dining. The restaurant is separately managed and located at Turnhoutsebaan 288.
3. Venue hire and co-organization: De Roma rents its venue to external organizers in exceptional cases and co-organizes events with external artists and organizations, generating hire and co-production revenue.
4. Merchandise and gift vouchers: The webshop sells merchandise and gift vouchers, providing additional revenue from ticket buyers and visitors.
5. Filantropic donations and bequests: De Roma operates the Fonds Vrienden van De Roma through the King Baudouin Foundation, accepting one-time and recurring donations and bequests. Belgian donations from €40 per year qualify for 45% tax reduction.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

De Roma operates as a community concert and cultural venue in Borgerhout, Antwerp, hosting live music concerts, film screenings, comedy, and socially themed events ('Spreken is Goud') in a historic Art Deco hall. The venue sells tickets directly to consumers and is complemented by the adjacent AMOR restaurant, a youth concert pass (Roekoekoepon), cinema programming, gift vouchers, and guided heritage tours.

Product overview

De Roma is a community theatre and music venue in Borgerhout, Antwerp, operating as a non-profit organization (vzw) with approximately 30 staff and over 500 volunteers. The offering is a unified venue-and-programming model centered on the main concert hall (De Roma), supplemented by the AMOR restaurant for pre-show dining, Cinema Roma for film screenings, the Roekoekoepon youth concert pass bundle, and the Spreken is Goud social programming initiative. Additional services include accessibility accommodations, gift vouchers, and guided tours. The venue generates 91% of its funding through own operations with minimal subsidies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AMOR: Restaurant adjacent to De Roma at Turnhoutsebaan 288, offering pre-concert dining and intimate concerts in a separate space within the venue.

Products and services

• De Roma Concert Venue

Quantifiable outcome

• 7th visit for Cristina Branco; 14th performance for Jef Neve — demonstrating high repeat artist engagement
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TicketmaticcoreTechnology or IntegrationTicketmatic is the primary ticketing platform powering De Roma's online ticket sales through an embedded widget on the venue's website. It handles ticket issuance, order management, and digital ticket delivery.
• TicketswapcoreTechnology or IntegrationDe Roma works structurally with Ticketswap as its approved secondary market for ticket resale. This ensures ticket holders unable to attend can resell tickets legitimately while De Roma maintains control over unofficial ticket channels.
• NMBS / Belgian National RailwaysminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBravo! Ticket De Roma partnership with NMBS allows ticket buyers to travel to Antwerp-Centraal with 40% discount on the day of their event and the following day. This partnership removes a transportation barrier for regional attendees.
• FNAC BelgiumminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFNAC retail stores in Belgium serve as physical ticket resale points for De Roma events, extending ticket distribution to walk-in customers in FNAC's retail network.
• AMOR restaurantcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAMOR is an adjacent restaurant operated in close connection with De Roma. It serves as both a pre-show dining venue (two-course menu for €35 per person) and an intimate concert space. The two venues share the same address area and are marketed together as an integrated evening experience.
• Studio Brussel / StuBruminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFlemish public radio station and media partner for selected events. Listed as a partner logo on the De Roma website, indicating co-promotional support for events such as the Pitou concert.
• Radio 1minorGTM or Marketing PartnerBelgian public radio station listed as a partner, co-promoting events such as the Sixpence None The Richer concert.
• Radio 2minorGTM or Marketing PartnerBelgian public radio station listed as a partner, co-promoting the Sixpence None The Richer concert.
• KlaraminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBelgian classical music radio station listed as a media partner for the Jef Neve solo concert.
• City of AntwerpminorOthersThe City of Antwerp is referenced as a partner in accessibility provisions and UiTPAS discount programs. De Roma applies the Verhoogde Tegemoetkoming discount rate in partnership with the city's social programs.
• Koning Boudewijnstichting (King Baudouin Foundation)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerDe Roma's philanthropic fund 'Fonds Vrienden van De Roma' is managed by the King Baudouin Foundation, enabling tax-deductible donations from Belgian donors (45% tax reduction on gifts from €40/year). This partnership enables fundraising and donor management.
• Antwerpen (City of Antwerp logo partner)minorOthersListed as a logo partner on the De Roma website footer, indicating a municipal partnership or support relationship.
• UiTPASminorOthersUiTPAS is a cultural pass program in Belgium that shares personal data with De Roma to apply the Verhoogde Tegemoetkoming (increased contribution) discount rate for eligible cardholders.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• De Vooruit: Ghent arts venue combining concert halls, social programming, and community engagement in a historic socialist-cultural-house building. Directly comparable Belgian venue combining heritage architecture, civic values, and live music programming.
• Paradiso: Iconic Amsterdam concert hall in a former church building, mixing historic-venue charm with an active concert and social-programming calendar. Closely comparable historic-venue-plus-cultural-mission model serving a similar European mid-sized city market.
• Melkweg: Amsterdam multi-room venue hosting concerts, cinema, and social/cultural programming with strong community and values-driven positioning. Comparable multi-purpose venue model spanning music, film, and societal themes.
• Trix: Concert and club venue in Antwerp operating across multiple rooms with a similar mix of indie, alternative, and emerging Belgian and international artists. Comparable in scale, city market, and youth-oriented programming positioning.

Regional players

• Het Depot: Leuven concert venue focused on indie, alternative, and emerging artists in a smaller-capacity setting. Comparable Belgian mid-sized venue targeting similar music-discovery audiences, though at smaller scale.
• Flagey: Brussels cultural institution in a 1930s art deco building hosting concerts, cinema, and broadcasts across jazz, classical, and contemporary music. Comparable historic Belgian venue with integrated music, film, and cultural programming.
• De Bijloke: Ghent concert and performing arts venue set in a historic hospital complex, hosting classical, jazz, and world music. Comparable Belgian performing-arts venue with similar historic-building repositioning, though more focused on classical and curated programming.

Broad incumbents

• Tivoli Vredenburg: Large multi-venue music complex in Utrecht hosting concerts across five halls with capacity up to ~3,500. Broader incumbent comparison as a major Dutch live-music hub serving a similar regional Benelux audience base.
• La Cigale: Historic Parisian concert hall in Montmartre with a 1,000+ capacity and a heritage dating to 1887. Comparable historic European concert venue with similar capacity and programming mix spanning French and international acts.
• Ancienne Belgique (AB): Belgium's largest dedicated concert hall in Brussels, hosting both Belgian and international touring artists across multiple capacities. Comparable Belgian cultural-venue context but significantly larger scale and broader commercial orientation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/deromavzw
• Facebookfacebook.com/vzwDeRoma
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/de-roma

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about De Roma