Manifesto

What Manifesto does

Manifesto SAS is a French cultural advisory and project-development firm founded in 2015 by Laure Confavreux-Colliex and Hervé Digne, headquartered in Paris with a regional office in Riyadh. The company provides end-to-end services across the cultural-project value chain — strategic consulting, artistic and cultural direction, delegated production, international distribution, and venue/exploitation management — for public institutions, museums, cities, corporations, and artists. Its service portfolio is organized into four operational sub-brands: Manifesto Expo (international touring exhibitions, 50+ delivered), Manifesto Immersive (immersive-format productions), Manifesto Studio (cultural engineering and residency management), and Manifesto Middle East (Gulf-region operations). The firm is structured as a private SAS with no disclosed external investors, funding rounds, or parent entity.

The firm's underlying operating model is the mobilization of multidisciplinary teams — artists, curators, scenographers, architects, urban planners, producers, technicians — assembled project-by-project. Its technology footprint is essentially human-capital intensive rather than software-driven; there are no disclosed APIs, proprietary platforms, patents, or AI/ML capabilities. Competitive differentiation rests on leadership pedigree (former French Prime Ministerial adviser, ENA, ESSEC, ESSCP alumni; senior staff drawn from Centre Pompidou, Victoria & Albert Museum, British Museum, Musée du Quai Branly) and a co-founded ecosystem asset, POUSH, a 20,000 m² artist residency in Aubervilliers housing 270 artists from 30+ countries.

Manifesto's revenue model is professional-services fee-for-mandate, with bespoke quote-based pricing on public tenders and direct corporate commissions. Its GTM motion is enterprise field sales through public procurement processes, institutional partnerships, and referral networks across cultural ministries, museums, and luxury maisons. Notable mandates include the Grand Paris Express metro art program (68 stations, 2017-2024), Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Village artistic direction, the AlUla Heritage Site strategic program with the Royal Commission for AlUla, the JAD (Jardin des métiers d'Art et du Design) management contract in Sèvres (2026-2029), and luxury commissions for Chaumet. Revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Manifesto

Legal name

Manifesto SAS

Website

https://manifesto.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Manifesto is a Paris-based cultural advisory firm providing end-to-end strategic consulting, artistic direction, production, distribution, and venue management for public institutions, museums, cities, and corporations across France, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Founded in 2015, it operates sub-brands covering exhibitions, immersive experiences, cultural engineering, and Gulf-region mandates.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Consulting and Arts Project Development

NAICS

Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413), Architectural Services (54131), Architectural Services (541310)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)

akta.pro primary industry

Exhibition, Retail & Experiential Design (BPAHAKAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Production Design & Art Department Services (Sets, Props, Scenic) (MPADAFAG), Event Fabrication & Scenic/Set Build (Custom Builds, Installations) (BPAFAGAK), Event Theming, Mood Boards & Concept Design (HSACAOAH), Community Engagement & Participatory Planning (BPAHAKAO), Tour & Artist Management Services (HSACAHAN)

Keywords

• Cultural project consulting
• Artistic direction services
• Exhibition production
• Museum programming
• Artist residency management

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Strategic Consulting: Advisory services on the entire chain of artistic and cultural projects including strategic planning, programming, and technical design for cultural facilities.
2. Artistic, Scientific and Cultural Direction: Creative direction services for exhibitions, events, public art, and cultural programs.
3. Production: Delegated production of artistic installations, exhibitions, scenography, and artworks for clients.
4. Distribution: International touring coordination of exhibitions and cultural programming across venues globally.
5. Exploitation: Operation and management of cultural venues, artist residencies, and ongoing artistic programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Manifesto conceives and delivers artistic and cultural projects on behalf of public institutions, museums, and corporate clients across creation, heritage, and museum sectors. Services span the full chain of a cultural project: strategic consulting, artistic/scientific/cultural direction, production, international distribution, and exploitation (venue and program operation), delivered through multidisciplinary teams of artists, curators, designers, scenographers, architects, urban planners, producers, and technicians.

Product overview

Manifesto is a cultural and artistic project development company that offers a portfolio of interconnected services organized into specialized divisions: Manifesto (core strategic consulting and implementation), Manifesto Expo (international exhibition coordination), Manifesto Immersive (immersive experience production), Manifesto Studio (cultural engineering and residency management), and Manifesto Middle East (regional operations). The company also manages POUSH, a major artists' residency facility. Services span strategic consulting, artistic direction, production, distribution, and exploitation across project types including exhibitions, public artworks, museum installations, urban routes, and cultural districts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Manifesto Expo: Division coordinating international touring exhibitions and collections
• Manifesto Immersive
• Manifesto Studio
• Manifesto Middle East

Products and services

• Strategic Consulting (Conseil stratégique) Advisory services covering the entire chain of artistic and cultural projects, including strategic planning, programming, feasibility, and technical design for cultural facilities, commissioned by public institutions, museums, and corporate clients.
• Artistic, Scientific and Cultural Direction (Direction artistique, scientifique et culturelle) Creative direction services for exhibitions, events, public art commissions, urban cultural routes, and cultural programs, curating artistic content and coordinating creative teams for institutional and corporate clients.
• Production Delegated production of artistic installations, exhibitions, scenography, public artworks, and museum displays for clients, managing multidisciplinary teams and project logistics from fabrication to installation.
• Distribution (International Touring Coordination) International touring coordination of exhibitions and collections across venues globally, including prospecting, financial negotiations, legal support, and on-tour project management for museums and cultural institutions.
• Exploitation (Venue and Program Operation) Operation and management of cultural venues, artist residencies, festivals, and ongoing artistic programs on behalf of public and institutional clients (e.g., JAD in Sèvres, Olympic Village public art programs).
• POUSH Artist Residency A 20,000 m² artist residency space in Aubervilliers offering studios, exhibition spaces, and professional development programs for 270 established or emerging visual artists, curators, performers, and chefs from over 30 countries. Operated jointly by Manifesto via ADLCA.

Named customers13 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

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• POUSHcoreOthersManifesto co-founded POUSH in 2020, a 20,000m² artist residency space in Aubervilliers hosting 270 artists from 30+ countries. Manifesto provides operational management and artistic programming support to POUSH.
• InspiratusminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner for Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial, collaborating on production and installation of artworks in public space.
• ElectraminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner for Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial, working on design and installation of artworks.
• ConceptominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLighting design agency collaborating with Manifesto on artistic installations at Porte de la Chapelle, Paris.
• La BoîteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative studio (led by Laurent Ghnassia, Tokyo) that designed Chaumet scenography; Manifesto served as executive producer.
• ADLCA (Association for the Development of Artists' Creative Spaces)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation co-founded by Manifesto founders in 2021 to carry the POUSH project, with Laure Confavreux-Colliex as co-chair.
• Yvannoé KrugercoreOthersDirector of POUSH, curate and partner contributing to artistic programs and commissions for Manifesto projects.
• Guillaume Olive RugeminorOthersSenior expert/partner with experience at Victoria & Albert Museum and British Museum, contributes to high-profile museum projects.
• Yves DessuantminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram designer and partner who has worked with Manifesto on projects including Les Lumières Pleyel and Giacometti Foundation.
• Laurent Ghnassia / La BoîteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative director of La Boîte studio in Tokyo; collaborated with Manifesto on Chaumet fine jewelry collection reveal.
• Dominique Pianon-Gergam / Triple SensminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorks with Manifesto on heritage transformation and activation projects.
• Laurence Chesneau-DupinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMuseum design expert who regularly collaborates with Manifesto on museum and heritage projects.
• GIP EuropeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing photography loans for Building Beyond festival program.
• Les AuguresminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization that supported Manifesto for sustainable culture initiatives.
• Patrice ChazottescoreOthersArtistic Director of JAD, works with Manifesto on festival direction and cultural programming.
• Gaël CharbaucoreOthersCurator collaborating with Manifesto on Olympic Village artistic direction (Courants Fertiles program).
• JTC ConsultingminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLocal partner in Gabon for Duvangu artistic residency implementation.
• Touch InnovativeminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLocal partner in Gabon for Duvangu artistic residency.
• Zoé AgencyminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCommercial agency partner for Duvangu artistic residency in Gabon.
• ASR CultureminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner with Manifesto on Île Seguin heritage analysis and positioning.
• Risette CollectiveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunications partner for Île Seguin project programming.
• Dezarts AgencyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunications agency for Île Seguin project visibility.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Lord Cultural Resources: Global cultural planning and museum management consulting firm. It is the most direct comparable: co-founder Laure Confavreux-Colliex spent a decade as EVP here, and the firms compete for the same institutional museum and cultural-engineering mandates.
• Culturespaces: French operator of cultural venues and producer of immersive digital-art exhibitions (e.g., Atelier des Lumières). Comparable as a French cultural production and venue-management business, with overlap in immersive experience production (Manifesto Immersive).
• Goppion: Italian maker of bespoke museum display cases and exhibition systems for major institutions worldwide. Comparable in the high-end exhibition-production layer, including the Louvre Abu Dhabi and similar flagship museums that overlap with Manifesto's client base.
• Réalisations: Canadian firm specialising in exhibition design, scenography, and museum production. Closely comparable in the scenography, fabrication, and exhibition-production layers of Manifesto's service offering.
• Tandem Cultural Consulting: Independent cultural strategy and management consultancy advising museums, foundations, and cities on programming, planning, and audience development. Direct overlap in strategy, audience, and cultural-project advisory services.
• Atelier Rolland Thibault: French scenography and exhibition-design studio working on permanent and temporary museum and cultural exhibitions. Direct overlap with Manifesto's scenography and exhibition-design work.
• Cultural Consulting (formerly Morris Hargreaves McIntyre): UK-based cultural strategy and audience-development consultancy serving museums, galleries, and cultural organisations. Direct peer in the cultural consulting and strategy layer of Manifesto's services.

Broad incumbents

• Diller Scofidio + Renfro: New York-based architecture firm renowned for cultural projects (The Shed, The High Line, the Broad). Comparable as a high-profile interdisciplinary firm working at the intersection of architecture, scenography, and cultural programming.
• Wilmotte & Associés: Established French architecture firm with a major cultural and museum portfolio (e.g., Musée d'Orsay, Musée de l'Orangerie renovations). Overlaps with Manifesto on museum architecture commissions but operates as a broader incumbent architect.
• Snøhetta: Global architecture and design firm with deep cultural-project credentials (e.g., SFMOMA expansion, National September 11 Memorial Pavilion). Comparable on large-scale cultural architecture and curatorial/visitor-experience design.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/manifesto-paris
• Xx.com/ManifestoFR

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries5 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 Manifesto