Barracks Basel
Kaserne Basel is a non-profit performing arts venue in Basel, Switzerland, operating since 1980 from a former military barracks with multiple stages. It programs contemporary theater, dance, music, and circus for general audiences and independent artists, monetized via pay-what-you-can ticketing, bar services, and Swiss and European public/philanthropic grants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1980
- HeadquartersBasel, Switzerland
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Barracks Basel does
Kaserne Basel (legal entity: Verein Kulturwerkstatt Kaserne) is a non-profit performing arts venue and cultural association founded circa 1980 in Basel, Switzerland. It operates from a redeveloped former military barracks at Klybeckstrasse 1b, providing multiple performance spaces including the Reithalle (main hall), Rossstall, and occasional use of the Grossratssaal. The venue programs contemporary theater, dance, music, circus, and interdisciplinary performance for a general arts audience, independent artists, families, and socially engaged viewers, with thematic focus on feminism, queer identity, migration, and democratic discourse. Core products include the venue itself, ticketing services via the SeeTickets platform with a 'Pay what you can' tiered pricing model (Standard / Goldene Mitte / Kleiner Preis), the KaBar/ZischBar café-bar, Artists in Residence and LAB Artists residency programs, accessibility services, and technical/rehearsal-stage facilities.
Revenue is generated through a mix of ticket sales (single tickets ranging from free to approximately CHF 65), ancillary bar/café spend, residency and co-production fees, and significant public and philanthropic grant funding from Swiss and European bodies including Swisslos Fund Basel-Landschaft, the Christoph Merian Foundation, Ernst Göhner Foundation, Mobiliar Anniversary Foundation, BLKB Foundation, Hertner Foundation, the Flemish Government, Fondation BNP Paribas, Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels, Hauptstadtkulturfonds, and the Berlin Senate Department for Culture. Distribution occurs via SeeTickets online and on-site box office, partner-venue channels for co-productions, and the 'VoyageVoyage' cross-border bus-and-ticket travel packages to partner theaters in France. Underlying technology is built entirely on third-party SaaS infrastructure: SeeTickets for ticketing, MailerLite for newsletter automation, Infomaniak for hosting, Cloudflare Turnstile for form security, Vimeo/YouTube/Mux.com for video, and Google Analytics for reach measurement. There is no proprietary technology platform.
The go-to-market is hybrid event-driven and community-led: programming is curated around a continuous calendar of self-produced works, co-productions with European partner institutions (Chaillot – Théâtre national de la Danse, Wiener Festwochen, HAU Hebbel am Ufer Berlin, Arts Centre VIERNULVIER, Station Circus, Les Nuits de Fourvière, Théâtre du Jura), and festival collaborations (ZIRKA ZIRKUS). Customer acquisition relies on a multi-channel mix: a German/English website as primary information hub, active presence on Facebook, Instagram, Mastodon, and YouTube, email newsletter, partner cross-promotion, and earned media including New York Times-tier press coverage of selected productions.
Barracks Basel firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Barracks Basel
- Legal name
- Verein Kulturwerkstatt Kaserne
- Website
- https://kaserne-basel.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1980
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Kaserne Basel is a non-profit performing arts venue in Basel, Switzerland, operating since 1980 from a former military barracks with multiple stages. It programs contemporary theater, dance, music, and circus for general audiences and independent artists, monetized via pay-what-you-can ticketing, bar services, and Swiss and European public/philanthropic grants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Barracks Basel industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Performing Arts Venue
- NAICS
- Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Performing Arts Companies (7111)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM), Event Operations & Venue Services (Box Office, FOH/BOH, Concessions) (MPAIAFAL), Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG)
Keywords
Where Barracks Basel is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Basel
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Barracks Basel business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Primary revenue stream through event ticketing via SeeTickets platform. The venue offers 'Pay what you can' pricing with tiered options (Standard/Goldene Mitte/Kleiner Preis). Single ticket prices range from free events to approximately 65 CHF per ticket.
- Bar and Concessions: On-site bar services likely generate ancillary revenue from event attendees, though specific details are not disclosed.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Pay What You Can - Standard Price (STANDARDPREIS) |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Pay What You Can - Goldene Mitte (Medium Price) |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Pay What You Can - Kleiner Preis (Low Price) |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Hervé x MazelFreten - Théâtre du Jura trip |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Black Sea Dahu concert ticket |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Stress concert ticket |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Sophia Kennedy concert ticket |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Fuffifufzich concert ticket |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Various events - free admission |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Barracks Basel product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Operates a multi-stage performing arts venue in Basel presenting contemporary theater, dance, music, circus, and interdisciplinary performances through self-produced works and co-productions with European partners. Runs Artists in Residence and LAB Artists residency programs alongside an on-site bar/café and 'Pay what you can' ticketing.
Product overview
Kaserne Basel is a cultural venue and performing arts center in Basel, Switzerland, operated by the non-profit association Kulturwerkstatt Kaserne. The venue offers multiple performance spaces (Reithalle, Rossstall, Grossratssaal), event ticketing services through SeeTickets, and operates a bar/café program (KaBar/ZischBar). The venue also runs artist residency programs including Artists in Residence and LAB Artists, supporting emerging and established artists. The offering is structured as a multi-purpose cultural venue with ancillary services including accessibility accommodations, awareness programs, media downloads, and technical stage facilities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Kaserne Basel Venue (Live Performance Programming) Multi-stage cultural venue hosting contemporary theater, dance, music, circus, and interdisciplinary performances across the Reithalle (main hall), Rossstall, and Grossratssaal. Presents self-produced works and international co-productions for general arts audiences.
- Event Ticketing Services
- KaBar/ZischBar (Bar and Café) On-site bar and café operating within the venue, serving food and beverages to event attendees before and after performances.
- Artists in Residence Program Residency program supporting independent artists, choreographers, theater makers, and companies with workspace during creative development periods.
- LAB Artists Program Laboratory program providing structured creative development opportunities for emerging artists.
- Co-Productions with European Partner Institutions Co-produced performances developed jointly with European cultural institutions for presentation at Kaserne Basel and partner venues across Belgium, France, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Quantifiable outcome
- 45 years of continuous operation as a cultural venue in Basel
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Barracks Basel
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Barracks Basel technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration9 records
Barracks Basel partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
24 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Station CircuscoreStation Circus is a core co-production and collaboration partner for the ZIRKA ZIRKUS festival, presented by Kaserne Basel. The festival features contemporary circus and performance works, with exclusive Basel presentations before productions go on European tour. Examples include 'Nimble' by Alexander Vantournhout/Not Standing and 'dance me to the ball' by Jeanine Ebnöther Trott.
- Théâtre du JuracoreThéâtre du Jura in Delémont is a key partner theater, with Kaserne Basel presenting joint productions (e.g., Hervé x MazelFreten 'VoyageVoyage') and organizing bus trips combining theater tickets with round-trip transportation.
- Chaillot – Théâtre national de la Danse (Paris)coreChaillot – Théâtre national de la Danse is a co-production partner for performances presented at Kaserne Basel, including the Hervé x MazelFreten production. Chaillot also serves as the stage design provider for some productions.
- Wiener Festwochen (Vienna)coreWiener Festwoinen is a co-production partner for the 'Doppelganger/Doppelganger' production by Gob Squad, which premiered at Wiener Festwoien before being presented at Kaserne Basel.
- HAU Hebbel am Ufer BerlincoreHAU Hebbel am Ufer Berlin is a co-production partner for the Gob Squad 'Doppelganger/Doppelganger' production alongside Wiener Festwoien and Kaserne Basel.
- &Espoo Theatre (Finland)minor&Espoo Theatre is listed as a co-production partner for the Gob Squad 'Doppelganger/Doppelganger' production.
- Arts Centre VIERNULVIER (Ghent, Belgium)coreArts Centre VIERNULVIER in Ghent is a co-production partner and serves as artist-in-residence host for Not Standing/Alexander Vantournhout. VIERNULVIER is a key node in the European co-production network.
- Not Standing vzw (Belgium)coreNot Standing vzw, founded by choreographer Alexander Vantournhout, is the company behind productions like 'Nimble' presented at Kaserne Basel. Not Standing is artist-in-residence at Kunstencentrum VIERNULVIER and supported by the Flemish Government and Fondation BNP Paribas.
- Wolbrg Kulturraum WaldenburgminorWolbrg Kulturraum Waldenburg is a local partner for the 'Countryside 1 - Waldenburg' production by Maximilian Hanisch, serving as the local contact and cultural space for the parcours event.
- ALLES FUER DIE KUNST PRODUKTIONcoreALLES FUER DIE KUNST PRODUKTION is the production company behind the 'Countryside 1 - Waldenburg' project, collaborating with Kaserne Basel and Wolbrg Kulturraum Waldenburg.
- FHNW Academy of Art and Design BaselminorThe Master's Studio Scenography at FHNW Academy of Art and Design Basel collaborated on the development of the Waldenburg Parcours as part of the 'Countryside 1 - Waldenburg' production, with six students and lecturers participating.
- Restaurant Schlüssel WaldenburgminorRestaurant Schlüssel Waldenburg provides dinner service as part of the 'Countryside 1 - Waldenburg' event package, hosting attendees between the afternoon parcours and evening performance.
- Werkraum SchöpflinminorWerkraum Schöpflin collaborates on discussion and idea series programming (e.g., 'Im Kopf von Stefan Ruppaner' and the Saba Nur Cheema/Meron Mendel event), and co-presents events with BuchBasel.
- BuchBaselminorBuchBasel co-presents literary and discussion events with Werkraum Schöpflin and Kaserne Basel.
- junge theater baselminorjunge theater basel co-produces the 'Writers Room 2026' project together with Kaserne Basel and Schauspielhaus Zürich.
- Schauspielhaus ZürichminorSchauspielhaus Zürich co-produces the 'Writers Room 2026' project together with Kaserne Basel and junge theater basel.
- Merian Gärten BaselminorKaserne Basel presents a series of events in collaboration with Merian Gärten Basel, including artist talks, workshops, and performances held in the garden setting (e.g., Merian Gärten Söderberg, Merian Gärten-Probst, Nachtwanderung).
- SeeTicketscoreSeeTickets is the primary ticketing platform used by Kaserne Basel for online ticket sales. The platform handles ticket pricing, service fees, and payment processing for all events.
- MailerLitecoreMailerLite is the email marketing platform used by Kaserne Basel to manage newsletter subscriptions and send notifications and updates to subscribers.
- InfomaniakcoreInfomaniak provides web hosting and public cloud services for Kaserne Basel's digital infrastructure, including kaserne-basel.ch website.
- Tristesse (Design Agency)minorTristesse is the design agency responsible for Kaserne Basel's website and visual identity design.
- klammer]zu (formerly rgb.retikolo.xyz)minorklammer]zu (formerly rgb.retikolo.xyz) provides code development services for Kaserne Basel's website.
- Les Nuits de Fourvière (France)minorLes Nuits de Fourvière is listed as a co-producer of the Hervé x MazelFreten production presented at Kaserne Basel.
- Romance Musique (France)minorRomance Musique is listed as a co-producer of the Hervé x MazelFreten production presented at Kaserne Basel.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Barracks Basel competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Mousonturm: Independent performance venue in Frankfurt, Germany, programming theater, dance, performance, and music. Comparable to Kaserne Basel as a multi-disciplinary independent venue with international co-production activity.
- HAU Hebbel am Ufer: Berlin-based theater complex hosting contemporary theater, dance, and performance across multiple venues. Both a direct co-production partner and the closest functional peer to Kaserne Basel in terms of interdisciplinary programming and curatorial profile.
- Sophiensaele: Berlin independent venue for contemporary dance, theater, and performance art. Comparable independent curatorial model, residency programs, and focus on emerging artists, similar to Kaserne Basel.
- Théâtre de Vidy-Lausanne: Lausanne-based contemporary theater and dance venue led by director Nathalie Tanner. Closest French-language Swiss peer to Kaserne Basel, with similar multi-disciplinary international programming and co-production model.
- Kampnagel: Independent contemporary performing arts center in Hamburg, Germany, hosting multi-disciplinary programming in theater, dance, music, and performance. Comparable to Kaserne Basel as a non-collecting, programmatically-driven venue with similar residency and co-production practices.
- Lokremise St.Gallen: St.Gallen, Switzerland venue for contemporary theater, dance, and performance in a converted industrial building. Comparable to Kaserne Basel as a Swiss independent venue operating in a heritage-adapted space with multi-disciplinary programming.
- Tanzhaus Zürich: Zurich venue dedicated to contemporary dance and movement-based performance. Comparable to Kaserne Basel's dance programming focus and Swiss institutional positioning.
- Südpol Luzern: Lucerne, Switzerland independent venue for contemporary performing arts, music, and multimedia. Direct Swiss peer sharing multi-disciplinary programming and an independent cultural-association/operating structure.
- PACT Zollverein: Essen, Germany performing arts venue focused on contemporary dance, performance, and visual arts. Comparable in its residency-driven, co-production-heavy model with international reach.
- Gessnerallee: Zurich-based independent performing arts venue for contemporary dance, theater, and performance. Most direct Swiss peer to Kaserne Basel, sharing the independent multi-space model and contemporary-programming focus.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Barracks Basel social profiles
Digital presenceBarracks Basel financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Barracks Basel leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Barracks Basel funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Barracks Basel M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Barracks Basel
What does Barracks Basel do?
Operates a multi-stage performing arts venue in Basel presenting contemporary theater, dance, music, circus, and interdisciplinary performances through self-produced works and co-productions with European partners. Runs Artists in Residence and LAB Artists residency programs alongside an on-site bar/café and 'Pay what you can' ticketing.
Is Barracks Basel a public or private company?
Barracks Basel is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Barracks Basel founded?
Barracks Basel was founded in 1980. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Barracks Basel based?
Barracks Basel is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does Barracks Basel make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are bar and Concessions.
Who are Barracks Basel's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Mousonturm, HAU Hebbel am Ufer, Sophiensaele, Théâtre de Vidy-Lausanne, Kampnagel, Lokremise St.Gallen, Tanzhaus Zürich, Südpol Luzern, PACT Zollverein and Gessnerallee.
Does Barracks Basel have an API?
No public API is recorded for Barracks Basel.
What industry is Barracks Basel in?
Barracks Basel's product category is Performing Arts Venue. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGALAB, Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses), with a secondary code of MPAGABAM, Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking). Its NAICS code is 71131 and its SIC code is 7900.