Circulart

What Circulart does

Circulart is the leading Ibero-American music market platform, founded in 2010 in Medellín, Colombia, and operated by REDELAE.LAT, a non-profit civil association (asociación civil sin ánimo de lucro, NIT 800199677-0). Its core product is an annual four-day in-person market held in Medellín that connects independent artists, bands, agencies, record labels, music programmers (festival directors, venue curators, streaming supervisors), and value-chain professionals through three integrated zones: Encuentros de Negocios (timed 12-minute business meetings), SEDD / Circulart Lab academic conversations on digital rights, copyright, and AI in music, and Artistic Showcases (live performances). The 2026 edition is the 17th, and the open call drew 1,359 applications from 30 countries, with 105 artists and 21 agencies selected for business meetings and 24 artists additionally selected for showcases.

The platform's technology layer centers on a digital business-meeting scheduling system (plataforma.circulart.org), the year-round Circulart Conecta virtual professional directory for informal meetings and relationship management beyond the event dates, native Android and iOS mobile applications, and an annually published digital catalogue in PDF/Adobe InDesign formats that functions as a permanent discovery asset. Curatorial selection is performed by a rotating international committee, with the 2026 curators drawn from Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia, prioritizing artistic identity, live performance strength, circulation capacity, and geographic/genre diversity.

Circulart's revenue model combines paid professional registration fees (tiered by residency and timing, e.g., $50–100 USD for international programmers and 200,000–400,000 COP for Colombian residents), Circulart Camp immersive participation fees at early-bird and full-price tiers ($27–55 USD / 100,000–200,000 COP), and a significant share of institutional grants and in-kind venue subsidies from public-sector partners (Alcaldía de Medellín, Colombia's Ministerio de las Culturas, Idartes, Cámara de Comercio de Medellín, ProColombia) and private cultural organizations (Comfama). Pricing is publicly disclosed. Approximately 25 staff members operate across programming, production, communications, hospitality, technology platforms, and administration, with a small executive team led by Director Octavio Arbeláez.

Name

Circulart

Legal name

REDELAE.LAT

Website

https://circulart.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Circulart is a Colombian non-profit that operates the leading Ibero-American music market, connecting independent artists, agencies, and music programmers through annual timed business meetings, live showcases, and academic seminars in Medellín, supported by a year-round digital networking platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Market Platform

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Other Performing Arts Companies (711190), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Professional & Association Conferences (MPAGAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Virtual/Hybrid Conference Production & Platform Management (THAHACAM), Corporate Meetings & Conferences (Internal/External Business Events) (MPAGAHAA)

Keywords

• Music market platform
• Industry networking events
• Artist booking services
• Festival showcase programming
• Professional music conferences

Headquarters

HQ city

Medellín

HQ country

Colombia

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Professional Registration Fees: Music industry professionals and programmers pay registration fees to attend Circulart. Fees vary by residency (Colombian vs. international) and registration period (early bird vs. standard). Business meetings are included with registration; formal Encuentros de Negocios participation is by invitation/selection.
2. Circulart Camp Registration: A paid tier offering general market access with additional benefits including credential, welcome kit, SEDD access, showcase access, digital catalogue, and Circulart Conecta access. Priced in USD for international participants and COP for Colombian participants, with early-bird discounts.
3. Venue and Event Operations: Circulart utilizes venues donated or subsidized by public and private partners (Comfama, Cámara de Comercio de Medellín, Teatro Pablo Tobón Uribe, Teatro Comfama). This public-private structure supports event viability.
4. Sponsorships and Institutional Grants: The event receives support from government bodies (Alcaldía de Medellín, Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Knowledges of Colombia, Idartes), trade associations (Cámara de Comercio), and private cultural organizations (Comfama), as well as international partners (Chile Música, INAMU Argentina, IMESUR, etc.).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Circulart is the Ibero-American music market platform, hosting an annual in-person event in Medellín where curated independent artists, agencies, record labels, and music industry professionals participate in timed business meetings (Encuentros de Negocios), live artistic showcases (Muestras Artísticas), and academic conversations including the SEDD digital rights seminar (Seminario de Derechos Digitales). It operates a year-round digital scheduling platform and virtual professional directory (Circulart Conecta), plus mobile applications and a published digital catalog of participants.

Product overview

Circulart operates as a unified music market platform developed by Redelae.lat, consisting of three integrated zones (Business Zone, Conversation Zone, and Artistic Showcases Zone) along with associated sub-products including Circulart Camp for participant immersion, Circulart Conecta for virtual networking, a Podcast series, and the parallel Circulart Escénicas for performing arts. The platform is built around an annual market event (17th edition in 2026) plus year-round digital engagement tools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Circulart Annual Music Market (Core Platform) The annual in-person Ibero-American music market held in Medellín that integrates three zones (Business, Conversations/Academic, and Artistic Showcases) for selected independent artists, agencies, record labels, programmers, and music industry professionals.
• Encuentros de Negocios (Business Meetings) Facilitated 12-minute timed face-to-face business meetings between selected artists/agencies and registered programmers and industry professionals during the annual event. More than 2,000 such meetings are generated per edition.
• Muestras Artísticas (Artistic Showcases) Live music showcases where selected artists perform before market professionals and general audiences during the Circulart edition, covering diverse genres from theater, dance, classical, and world music.
• SEDD - Seminario de Derechos Digitales (Digital Rights Seminar) Academic seminar program featuring discussions, conferences, and workshops on copyright, AI applications in music synchronization and marketing, digital monetization, and intellectual property for the Ibero-American music industry.
• Circulart Camp Paid immersive participation tier offering general market access with bundled benefits including credential, welcome kit, SEDD access, showcase access, digital catalogue, and Circulart Conecta access. Priced at USD 27 early bird / USD 55 full (international) and COP 100,000 early bird / COP 200,000 full (Colombian).
• Circulart Conecta (Virtual Professional Directory) Virtual professional directory of all market participants that enables year-round relationship management and informal meeting scheduling, accessible via the digital platform for several months after each event.
• Circulart Professional Registration (Business Meeting Access) Registration product granting music programmers and industry professionals access to Circulart business meetings and the annual market. International pricing: USD 50 until April 6, 2026; USD 100 from April 7 to May 15, 2026. Colombian pricing: COP 200,000 until April 6, 2026; COP 400,000 from April 7 to May 15, 2026.
• Circulart Escénicas (Performing Arts Market) Separate market for Ibero-American performing arts held in November in Medellín in partnership with Festival de Teatro Comfama San Ignacio, running parallel or adjacent to the main music market.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2,000 business meetings generated per edition, each contributing to commercial transactions for Ibero-American music
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• REDELAE.LAT (Red Latinoamericana de Empresas Culturales)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCirculart is a cultural promotion and internationalization platform developed by REDELAE.LAT (Red Latinoamericana de Empresas Culturales), a nonprofit civil association (NIT 800199677-0) headquartered in Manizales, Colombia. REDELAE.LAT is the legal entity and organizational parent of Circulart, providing the institutional framework and mission alignment for the music market.
• Comfama (Caja de Compensación Familiar de Antioquia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerComfama is a key strategic partner providing major venue infrastructure (Teatro Comfama Alfonso Restrepo Moreno, Centro Cultural Claustro Comfama) and co-developing programming including El Pauer cultural entrepreneurship project and the Festival de Teatro Comfama San Ignacio within which Circulart Escénicas operates. Comfama's support has been continuous since the founding of Circulart.
• Alcaldía de Medellín (Mayor of Medellín)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe municipal government of Medellín is a founding and ongoing strategic partner, providing institutional support, promoting Medellín as a UNESCO City of Music, and facilitating city-level policy frameworks (e.g., the Medellín Capital Creativa initiative) that strengthen the local music ecosystem in alignment with Circulart's mission.
• Ministerio de las Culturas, las Artes y los Saberes de ColombiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerColombia's national Ministry of Culture is a key institutional partner providing governmental support, policy alignment, and direct sponsorship for Circulart. Through the Ministry's entrepreneurship area and national cultural programs, it supports the internationalization of Colombian music and the regional positioning of the market.
• Cámara de Comercio de Medellín para AntioquiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Medellín Chamber of Commerce provides venue access (Auditorio de Cámara for the SEDD), supports the Cluster of Creative Industries roadmap for the music sector, and co-develops programming that strengthens enterprise capabilities among music sector participants.
• Idartes (Instituto Distrital de las Artes de Bogotá)minorOthersIdartes, Bogotá's district arts institute, participates as a regional institutional partner, contributing to the cross-regional collaboration that makes Circulart a pan-Ibero-American rather than purely Colombian event.
• Chile Música (Chilean Music Industry Association)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerChile Música represents Chile as an international institutional partner, facilitating participation of Chilean artists and industry professionals in Circulart and promoting cross-border collaboration between Chile and Colombia in the music sector.
• INAMU (Instituto Nacional de Música de Uruguay)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerINAMU serves as Uruguay's national music institute partner, supporting the participation of Uruguayan artists and professionals in Circulart and fostering regional exchange within the Río de la Plata music ecosystem.
• Asociación de la Música Independiente de ParaguayminorGTM or Marketing PartnerParaguay's independent music association participates as an institutional partner, facilitating Paraguayan artist participation and cross-border music industry networking within the Southern Cone.
• Brasil Música y ArtesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrasil Música y Artes represents Brazil's music industry as an institutional partner, facilitating the strong Brazilian presence at Circulart and cross-border circulation of Brazilian artists into the Ibero-American market circuit.
• UNISONcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCirculart partners with UNISON for the SEDD (Seminario de Derechos Digitales), combining Circulart's platform reach with UNISON's expertise in digital rights and copyright management for Latin American musicians.
• ElPauercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerElPauer is Comfama's cultural entrepreneurship project with which Circulart co-develops the Seminar (Seminario Internacional) and other academic programming. ElPauer strengthens the cultural enterprise ecosystem in Medellín and has been a collaborative partner since at least 2020.
• WOMEX (World Music Expo)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCirculart works associatively with WOMEX at the international private sector level, promoting Ibero-American artists into the global world music circuit and positioning Circulart as a feeder market for the largest world music showcase in Europe.
• MAPAS (Mercado de Artes Escénicas de Tenerife)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCirculart collaborates with MAPAS (Spain) as part of its international network of performing arts and music markets, facilitating cross-market artist circulation between Ibero-American regions.
• FIMPRO (Festival de la Producción Musical, Mexico)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerFIMPRO is a Mexican music industry partner collaborating with Circulart on cross-border artist circulation and industry network building between Mexico and the broader Ibero-American music ecosystem.
• Glomnet (Korea)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerGlomnet represents an Asian market partnership, extending Circulart's reach beyond the Ibero-American region to facilitate exchange with the Korean music market and East Asian music industry networks.
• Visa for Music (Africa)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerVisa for Music is an African music market with which Circulart maintains an associative relationship, expanding its international network to include the African continent and supporting pan-continental music exchange.
• ProColombiacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerProColombia is the Colombian government export and tourism promotion agency that supports Circulart's positioning internationally, helping position Colombia as a music hub and facilitating international visibility for participating artists.
• Festival Internacional AltavozminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Festival Internacional Altavoz in Medellín partners with Circulart to include Circulart artists in the festival's programming, notably featuring Ferales for the 2026 Showcase at Teatro Pablo Tobón Uribe.
• Cámara de Comercio de BogotáminorOthersBogotá Chamber of Commerce participates as a national institutional partner supporting the Colombian music industry's participation in Circulart.
• Secretaría de Cultura de BarranquillaminorOthersBarranquilla's municipal cultural secretariat participates as a regional partner, facilitating participation from the Colombian Caribbean music scene.
• Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud de Costa RicaminorOthersCosta Rica's Ministry of Culture and Youth participates as an international public institutional partner, facilitating Costa Rican artist and industry professional participation.
• Ministerio de las Culturas, las Artes y el Patrimonio de ChileminorOthersChile's national Ministry of Culture participates as an international public institutional partner, supporting the participation of Chilean artists and industry professionals.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• FIMPRO (Festival de la Producción Musical): Mexico's leading music industry market and Circulart's named partner. FIMPRO runs a business-meeting and showcase format nearly identical to Circulart's, serving the Mexican and Latin American music ecosystem with comparable professional programming and selection criteria.
• Live at Heart: Sweden-based music showcase and conference combining artist performances with industry networking. Comparable to Circulart in the integrated showcase-plus-meetings model targeting music professionals and emerging international talent.
• The Great Escape: UK-based new music showcase and conference combining live performances across multiple venues with industry panels and networking. Comparable to Circulart in its integration of curated showcases with music industry professional programming.
• BIME (Bilbao International Music Expo): Spain's flagship music industry conference combining professional programming, showcases, and B2B meetings. BIME is comparable to Circulart in targeting Ibero-American music professionals and running a multi-zone event format with both conference and showcase components.
• MAPAS (Mercado de las Artes Escénicas de Tenerife): Spain's leading performing arts and live music market, and a Circulart partner. MAPAS runs a curated marketplace with timed professional meetings and showcases, directly comparable in mission, structure, and Ibero-American scope.
• Visa for Music: Africa's leading music industry market based in Morocco and a Circulart partner. Visa for Music operates the same business-meeting-plus-showcase model for African artists seeking international programming, making it a direct functional peer in a different region.

Broad incumbents

• MIDEM: The historically dominant global B2B music industry trade event held in Cannes. MIDEM targets music industry executives with conferences, exhibitions, and networking—comparable to Circulart's professional-meeting and showcase format at a much broader international scale.
• Eurosonic Noorderslag: One of Europe's largest music showcase and conference events, with curated artist showcases, professional panels, and extensive industry networking. Comparable to Circulart in combining business meetings, academic programming, and live performances, but at a larger European scale.
• WOMEX (World Music Expo): The largest global world music trade fair, held annually in Europe. WOMEX is Circulart's most prominent international partner and the global benchmark for regional music markets—directly comparable in business-meeting format, professional networking, and showcase programming, but at a broader geographic and scale.
• SXSW (South by Southwest) Music: The most globally recognized music industry conference and showcase festival. While SXSW spans film, tech, and music at massive scale, its music component offers directly comparable showcases, business-meeting programming, and artist-industry networking to Circulart.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights2 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Circulart_
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCp1LtBBVxj68-drbIhJg71Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/Circulart
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/circulart
• Instagraminstagram.com/circulartmc
• TikToktiktok.com/@circulart_

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Circulart