Festival De Liège

What Festival De Liège does

Festival de Liège is a Belgian nonprofit performing arts organization (enterprise number BE 0419 304 274) founded in 2001, headquartered at the Manège Fonck — a heritage-listed former cavalry barracks on Rue Ransonnet 2, Liège — whose wooden roof structure, rising to 22 meters, is a classified architectural feature. The organization produces the Biennale internationale des arts de la scène, a three-week international performing arts festival held in late January to late February in odd years (with a 2022 addition post-COVID), presenting roughly 19+ productions spanning theatre, dance, music, performance, and spoken word drawn from 15+ countries in recent editions. It also operates the Factory platform, an annual September event and year-round residency program (co-founded with La chargerie acte 1) that supports emerging performing arts companies from Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles through paid residencies, administrative compagnonnage, and presentation to Belgian and international programming professionals.

The business model combines three revenue streams: ticket sales (via the third-party utick platform, with dynamic pricing tiers including full, reduced, school, and Article 27 rates for welfare beneficiaries); year-round venue rental of Manège Fonck to resident companies, co-productions, and external events; and public cultural subsidies from four core Belgian institutional funders (Province de Liège, Ville de Liège, Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, and Région wallonne). The organization is governed by a co-direction team of three (Pierre Clément, Catherine De Michele, Charline Hamaite) and a nine-member Assembly General & Administrative Board, supported by a technical team of four and rotating interns. There is no proprietary technology; the technology footprint is limited to standard ticketing, email, and social media infrastructure. The festival's market position is anchored in an explicitly political and social editorial identity, accessible programming (LSFB sign language, reduced rates, LGBTQIA+ events), and a content library of co-produced touring productions (Discours à la nation, Laïka, Marche salope).

Name

Festival De Liège

Legal name

Festival de Liège

Website

https://festivaldeliege.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Festival de Liège is a Belgian nonprofit founded in 2001 that operates the Manège Fonck venue in Liège and produces an international biennial performing arts festival (theatre, dance, music) alongside the Factory platform for emerging artists, serving general audiences, schools, and programming professionals with public funding and ticket revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Festival

NAICS

Performing Arts Companies (7111), Other Performing Arts Companies (71119), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (711310)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts & Culture Community Festivals (Multidisciplinary Arts Weeks) (MPAGAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Music Festival Organizers & Promoters (MPAGAAAB), Concert Venue Operators (Arenas, Amphitheaters, Clubs) (MPAGAAAC)

Keywords

• Performing arts festival
• Live theatre performances
• International arts biennial
• Cultural venue rental
• Emerging artist residencies

Headquarters

HQ city

Liège

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ticket sales: Revenue is primarily generated from ticket sales for festival performances at Manège Fonck and partner venues in Liège. Tickets are sold online via the utick platform, at the box office, and by telephone. The festival practices dynamic pricing with full rate, reduced rates (seniors 60+, under 25, job seekers, performing arts professionals), school rates, and Article 27 subsidies for disadvantaged audiences. Payments accepted: bank transfer, credit card (Visa, Amex, Mastercard), Bancontact, Belfius pay button, KBC/CBC button, and cash at the venue.
2. Venue rental and space hire: Manège Fonck generates revenue year-round through renting its spaces to external companies, festivals, and events. The venue hosts resident companies and co-productions, diversifying income beyond the biennial festival. The space is described as an accessible venue for small operators and emerging artists.
3. Public cultural funding: Festival de Liège receives institutional support from multiple Belgian public bodies: Province de Liège, Ville de Liège, Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles (FWB), and Région wallonne. These subsidies are critical to the festival's operating model and are acknowledged as insufficient for year-round activities (especially non-festival programming at Manège Fonck).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Festival De Liège is a biennial international performing arts festival held in Liège, Belgium, presenting theatre, dance, and music productions by international and Belgian artists over approximately three weeks at the Manège Fonck venue. The organization also operates Manège Fonck year-round as a performance venue for resident companies, co-productions, and external event rentals, and runs the Factory platform supporting emerging performing arts companies through paid residencies, production support, and an annual showcase festival in September.

Product overview

Festival de Liège is a biennial international performing arts festival (Biennale des arts de la scène) that takes place primarily at the Manège Fonck venue in Liège, Belgium. The organization operates as a cultural center offering multiple interconnected programs: the main festival featuring theatre, dance, and music performances from international and local artists; venue rental services at Manège Fonck; touring productions produced or co-produced by the festival; the Factory platform supporting emerging artists through residencies and the annual Factory Festival; Docu-Cabaret documentary screenings; Intros & Rencontres educational talks; Afters & Concerts evening events; and exhibition programming. The festival is governed by a co-director team and hosts approximately 20+ productions during each edition, running from late January through February.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Festival de Liège / Biennale internationale des arts de la scène International performing arts biennial featuring theatre, dance, and music performances held in Liège, Belgium. The festival hosts artists from around the world and runs for approximately three weeks at the Manège Fonck venue.
• Manège Fonck (Maison des arts vivants) Historic performance venue in Liège, Belgium, with a classified wooden roof structure rising to 22 meters. The primary venue for the Festival de Liège and a year-round cultural hub hosting resident companies, co-productions, and external events.
• Productions Available for Tour Festival-produced theatrical works available for touring to other venues, including Discours à la nation, Laïka, Marche salope, and Tervuren.
• Factory Platform Platform dedicated to emerging creation in performing arts, offering paid residencies, administrative and financial production support, and the annual Factory Festival in September for showcasing works in development by emerging artists from Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles.
• Docu-Cabaret (Docu | Poésie Cabaret) Documentary screening series presented in a cabaret format in the Manège Fonck cafeteria, in collaboration with Wallonie Image Production and Les Grignoux, featuring Walloon and other filmmakers.
• Afters & Concerts Post-show concerts and evening events held on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays during the festival, featuring various musical artists and DJs, in partnership with Homerecords for the 2025 edition.
• Venue Rental at Manège Fonck Year-round rental of Manège Fonck spaces to external companies, festivals, and event producers. Includes performance spaces, the cafeteria, and additional converted spaces (Écuries).
• Expo - La Deuxième Scène Exhibition component of the festival featuring visual art installations addressing gender equality in performing arts, organized in collaboration with Écarlate la Cie and La chaufferie acte 1, accessible from 14 years old.

Quantifiable outcome

• 16 editions of the biennial festival have been produced since 2001, making it one of Wallonia's oldest and most established performing arts festivals
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Province de LiègecoreOthersProvince de Liège is a core institutional funding partner of Festival de Liège, providing financial support as acknowledged on the festival's website alongside the logos of other institutional partners.
• Ville de LiègecoreOthersVille de Liège (City of Liège) is a core institutional funding partner and the festival's host city. The festival is a key cultural event in the city of Liège, transforming the 'Cité ardente' into a cultural crossroads during the biennial edition.
• Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles (FWB)coreOthersFédération Wallonie-Bruxelles (FWB) is a core institutional funding partner, providing public funding to the festival. FWB is also referenced as a supporting body for numerous festival productions (co-productions, production support, touring support) and for the Factory platform.
• Région wallonne (Wallonia)coreOthersRégion wallonne is a core institutional funding partner of Festival de Liège, contributing to the public funding base alongside Province de Liège, Ville de Liège, and FWB.
• La chargerie acte 1coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLa chargerie acte 1 is a co-founder and historic partner of the Factory platform alongside Festival de Liège. The Factory platform is dedicated to emerging creation in performing arts, offering paid residencies, compagnonnage, and a festival. La chargerie acte 1 also co-produces festival productions and is involved in the 'Acte' research project on gender equality in performing arts.
• Le Théâtre/CCN de NamurmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLe Théâtre/CCN de Namur is a partner/residence venue of the Factory platform since 2024, offering workspace and support for emerging artists' residencies.
• Maison de la Culture de TournaimajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaison de la Culture de Tournai is a partner/residence venue of the Factory platform since 2024, providing workspace and support for emerging artists' residencies.
• Théâtre VariamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThéâtre Varia is a partner/residence venue of the Factory platform since 2024, providing workspace and support for emerging artists' residencies.
• Central/La LouvièremajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentral/La Louvière is a partner/residence venue of the Factory platform since 2024, providing workspace and support for emerging artists' residencies.
• Médiathèque Nouvelle (formerly PointCulture)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMédiathèque Nouvelle is a key cultural mediation partner of Festival de Liège, providing educational enrichment for festival programming through 'Intros aux spectacles' (introductions), 'Rencontres après-spectacles' (post-show discussions), 'Salon d'écoute' (listening salon), and themed playlists. In 2025, PointCulture became Médiathèque Nouvelle.
• Voix De FemmesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVoix De Femmes is an association dedicated to gender equality in performing arts, collaborating with Festival de Liège on inclusive programming. The 2025 edition included an LSFB (French Belgian Sign Language) bilingual performance of 'So?!What', and Voix De Femmes co-organized events including 'Toustes en scène' LGBTQIA+ celebration.
• Institut Polonais BruxellesminorOthersThe Polish Institute in Brussels supported the presentation of 'Every minute motherland' (Maciej Kuźmiński Company), a Polish-Ukrainian co-production about the effects of war trauma and exile, at the 2025 festival edition.
• Ambassade du Royaume des Pays-Bas en BelgiqueminorOthersThe Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Belgium supported the presentation of 'This is not a dance' by Nastaran Razawi Khorasani/Theater Rotterdam, addressing the prohibition of dance in Iran, at the 2025 festival edition.
• Université de Liège (ULiège)minorOthersULiège contributes to the festival through student translators (Master 2 interpretation students provide simultaneous translation for festival encounters) and research collaboration. The UCLouvain's 'Laboratoire d'Anthropologie Prospective (LAAP)' collaborated on the 'Acte' gender equality research project with the expo 'La Deuxième Scène'.
• UCLouvain (Laboratoire d'Anthropologie Prospective)minorOthersUCLouvain collaborated on the 'Acte' gender equality research project through its 'Laboratoire d'Anthropologie Prospective (LAAP)', producing quantitative and qualitative research (Acts 3 and 4) on gender and diversity in performing arts, presented at the festival's 'La Deuxième Scène' expo.
• NOWY TEATR (Warsaw)minorOthersNOWY TEATR in Warsaw is a partner in the production of '375 0908 2334 / The body you are calling...' by Sergey Shabohin and Igor Shugaleev, a Belarusian-Polish performance about the 2020 Belarusian protests and repression.
• Théâtre National Wallonie-BruxellesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThéâtre National Wallonie-Bruxelles (TNW) is a key co-producer of festival productions including 'Laïka' (Ascanio Celestini / David Murgia) and 'Discours à la Nation'. TNW is one of Belgium's most prestigious national theatres and a recurring co-production partner.
• Wallonie Image ProductionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWallonie Image Production collaborates with Manège Fonck on the 'Docu-Cabaret' project, which rediscovers and screens documentary films by Walloon filmmakers, co-presented in the café of Manège Fonck.
• Les GrignouxminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLes Grignoux (Walloon film distribution and exhibition organization) co-initiates the 'Docu-Cabaret' project with Manège Fonck and Wallonie Image Production, screening documentary films in the venue's café atmosphere.
• HomerecordsminorOthersHomerecords (Belgian music label) is the festival's music partner for the 2025 edition, providing concerts and after-show events. The label was created by G.W. Sok (founder of The Ex) and contributes to the festival's festive programming.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/festivaldeliege
• Facebookfacebook.com/festivaldeliege
• Instagraminstagram.com/festivaldeliege

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Festival De Liège