IETM
IETM is a Brussels-based not-for-profit international network founded in 1981, serving 450+ performing arts organizations and individual professionals across 60+ countries. It operates annual events, training schools, EU policy advocacy, and a 15,000+ profile membership database, funded by tiered annual membership fees and an EU Creative Europe Network Grant.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1981
- HeadquartersBerchem, Belgium
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What IETM does
IETM (International Network for Contemporary Performing Arts) is a not-for-profit international association founded in 1981 and headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, operating under Belgian law since 1989. It functions as a membership-based cultural network representing over 450 member organizations and individual professionals across 60+ countries, with a Secretariat of approximately 6–8 staff. IETM offers an integrated portfolio of in-person events (Plenary Meetings with 300–600 attendees, Focus Meetings with ~200, Caravans with 30–100, and Single Day Events), recurring training programmes (IETM Green School, IETM Advocacy School launching 2026, IETM Fair Arts School launching 2026, IETM Community Building School launching 2027), and EU-level policy advocacy services. Its distribution surface spans the IETM website (500,000+ annual page views), a members database of 15,000+ active profiles, a newsletter base of 5,000+ subscribers, 40,000+ social media followers, the IETM Global Pod podcast (launched 2026), and a publications library.
IETM's technology stack centres on a member-facing digital platform supporting a searchable member database, online event registration, members-only forum discussions, and webinar/virtual event delivery, supported by a multilingual Secretariat team operating in over 9 languages. It participates as partner or lead in several EU-co-funded consortium projects, notably Perform Europe (lead partner, EU-funded cross-border touring initiative across 41 Creative Europe countries) and Europe Beyond Access (2024–2027, supporting artists with disabilities). IETM also co-founded external entities including the Roberto Cimetta Fund (1981, Mediterranean arts mobility), On The Move (2000, mobility information portal), Balkan Express (1990s, Central/Eastern European collaboration), ICARJ, and the European Alliance for Culture and the Arts.
The business model combines recurring annual membership fees tiered by organization turnover (six categories from €138 to €1,080, plus Associate Member tiers at €2,610 and €4,280 for Global Connect supporters), incremental event fees (€50 reduced rate for additional representatives), and an institutional EU Creative Europe Network Grant that co-funds operations. The customer base is diverse and granular: independent artists, festivals, theatres, production companies, residency spaces, and public-sector arts councils (e.g., Arts Council England, Arts Council Ireland, Creative Scotland, British Council, Fonds Podiumkunsten) all participate as members or Associate Members. Growth is driven primarily by community-led word-of-mouth, event-driven acquisition/retention, and the Global Connect programme which actively recruits from underrepresented regions across five continents.
IETM firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- IETM
- Legal name
- IETM
- Website
- https://ietm.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1981
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- IETM is a Brussels-based not-for-profit international network founded in 1981, serving 450+ performing arts organizations and individual professionals across 60+ countries. It operates annual events, training schools, EU policy advocacy, and a 15,000+ profile membership database, funded by tiered annual membership fees and an EU Creative Europe Network Grant.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where IETM is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berchem
- HQ country
- Belgium
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
IETM business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Fees: Annual membership fees based on organization turnover (Categories 1-6 ranging from €138 to €1,080), plus Associate Member fees (€2,610 standard, €4,280 for Global Connect supporters). Fees include €20 admin/bank charges. Adjusted to inflation every 5 years.
- European Union Network Grant: IETM receives funding through Creative Europe's Network Grant programme, supporting the network's operations and activities
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Category 1: Organizations under €50,000 turnover |
| Subscription | Annual | Category 2: Organizations €50,000 to €100,000 turnover |
| Subscription | Annual | Category 3: Organizations €100,000 to €230,000 turnover |
| Subscription | Annual | Category 4: Organizations €230,000 to €500,000 turnover |
| Subscription | Annual | Category 5: Organizations €500,000 to €750,000 turnover |
| Subscription | Annual | Category 6: Organizations over €750,000 turnover |
| Subscription | Annual | Associate Members: Official bodies, ministries, arts councils, public funding organizations, foundations |
| Subscription | Per event | Event Registration: Additional representatives |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
IETM product offering
Product offeringCore offering
IETM is an international membership-based network for contemporary performing arts professionals and organisations. It provides membership services, annual events (Plenary Meetings, Focus Meetings, Caravans, Single Day Events), training programs (Green School, Advocacy School, Fair Arts School, Community Building School), EU-funded projects (Perform Europe, Europe Beyond Access, Global Connect), policy advocacy, publications, and a searchable member database.
Product overview
IETM is a network organization offering a portfolio of programs, events, and member services for the international performing arts community. The core offering consists of annual events (Plenary Meetings with 300-600 attendees, Focus Meetings with ~200 attendees, Caravans, and Single Day Events), training programs (IETM Green School, IETM Advocacy School launching 2026, IETM Fair Arts School launching 2026, and IETM Community Building School launching 2027), advocacy initiatives (Performing Arts Coalition, policy papers, campaigns), projects (IETM Global Connect, Perform Europe, Europe Beyond Access), and member resources (publications, database, newsletters). IETM Global Pod is a podcast series featuring Global Connector dialogues. The organization operates primarily as a membership-based network with annual fees tiered by organizational turnover, providing networking, professional development, knowledge sharing, and policy advocacy services to performing arts professionals worldwide.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- IETM Advocacy School: Training programme launching in 2026 offering advocacy training on versatile topics including political arenas, funding structures, campaigns and artistic activism.
- IETM Fair Arts School
- IETM Community Building School
- IETM Green School
- IETM Plenary Meetings
- Perform Europe
- IETM Global Connect
Products and services
- IETM Plenary Meetings
- IETM Focus Meetings
- IETM Caravans
- IETM Green School
- IETM Advocacy School
- IETM Fair Arts School
- IETM Community Building School
- IETM Global Pod
- IETM Global Connect
- Perform Europe
- Europe Beyond Access
- Performing Arts Coalition (PAC)
- IETM Publications and Resources
- IETM Members Database
- IETM Membership Services
Quantifiable outcome
- 450+ member organizations and professionals from 60+ countries
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use IETM
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
IETM technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
IETM partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- Larnaka 2030 European Capital of CulturecoreIETM Larnaka Plenary Meeting 2027 is co-organised with Larnaka 2030 European Capital of Culture, marking IETM's first meeting in Cyprus.
- Performing Arts Coalition (PAC)flagshipPAC was founded in 2025 by ASSITEJ, Circostrada, EDN, EFA, and IETM. It is a platform for European and international performing arts networks to collaborate on advocacy, joint actions, research, and knowledge exchange. The joint membership spans 90+ countries with over 1,000 organisations.
- Europe Beyond AccessflagshipIETM participates in Europe Beyond Access (2024-2027), a project supporting underrepresented performing artists across Europe, focusing on artists with disabilities.
- SHIFT (Shared Initiatives for Training)flagshipIETM participates in SHIFT eco-certification pilot with 15 other international cultural networks. The initiative, facilitated by Creative Carbon Scotland and Green Leisure Group, develops bespoke eco-certification for cultural networks.
- Perform Europe ConsortiumflagshipPerform Europe is co-funded by the European Union and implemented by a Consortium of six organisations including IETM, European Festivals Association (EFA), Circostrada, EDN, IDEA Consult, and others. IETM serves as lead partner.
- Bitef FestivalcoreIETM Belgrade 2022 Plenary Meeting was organised in collaboration with the 56th Belgrade International Theatre Festival (Bitef), held in Belgrade, Serbia.
- IETM Global Connect Programme PartnersflagshipThe Global Connect programme is created with and supported by IETM Associate Members. It aims to make the network more diverse, inclusive, and accessible by inviting important voices from underrepresented regions.
- ICARJ (International Coalition for Arts, Human Rights and Social Justice)coreIETM co-founded ICARJ to advocate for arts, human rights, and social justice, integrating these concerns into the network's advocacy work.
- European Alliance for Culture and the ArtscoreIETM co-founded the European Alliance for Culture and the Arts to strengthen advocacy efforts for culture at the European policy level.
- On The MovecoreIETM co-founded On The Move, a web portal dedicated to mobility information for cultural professionals, supporting cross-border artistic exchange.
- Balkan ExpresscoreIETM co-founded Balkan Express as a platform for collaboration in and with the Balkans, expanding the network's reach into Central and Eastern Europe.
- Roberto Cimetta FundflagshipIETM co-founded Roberto Cimetta Fund, which focuses on arts mobility in the Mediterranean region. This partnership reflects IETM's commitment to supporting artist mobility and international collaboration.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
IETM competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- European Dancehouse Network (EDN): Network of European dance houses and presenting organisations. Co-founding member of the Performing Arts Coalition with IETM; directly comparable membership-based performing arts network focused on a sub-discipline (dance) with similar advocacy, project, and event programmes.
- Performing Arts Europe (PAE): European advocacy platform for the contemporary performing arts sector, headquartered in Brussels. Directly comparable as a Brussels-based performing arts advocacy entity targeting EU policymakers, intersecting with IETM's advocacy work and EU project portfolio.
- Circostrada: European network for circus, street, and outdoor performing arts based in France. Co-founding member of the Performing Arts Coalition and a closely analogous small European membership association serving a performing arts sub-discipline with advocacy, events, and project work.
- European Festivals Association (EFA): Europe-wide network of festivals and associated organizations for contemporary performing arts; founding member of the Performing Arts Coalition alongside IETM. Directly comparable membership-based association serving overlapping performing arts organizations across Europe.
- ELIA – European League of Institutes of the Arts: Europe-wide network of higher arts education and training institutions. Closely comparable membership association serving a related performing arts-adjacent constituency with conferences, advocacy, and project programmes structurally similar to IETM's model.
- Pearle* – Live Performance Europe: European employer association representing the interests of performing arts employers and venues (theatre, opera, dance, concert, orchestra) at EU level. Brussels-based peer with overlapping performing arts member base and EU policy advocacy focus analogous to IETM.
- Culture Action Europe: Brussels-based cultural advocacy coalition representing a broad cross-sector cultural membership across Europe. Comparable to IETM as a Brussels-rooted membership-driven cultural advocacy network with EU policy influence, though broader than performing arts specifically.
- International Theatre Institute (ITI): UNESCO-affiliated global network of theatre professionals and organisations, operating across theatre, dance, and other performing arts. Direct peer as one of the longest-standing international performing arts membership networks globally, with overlapping advocacy and congress-style events.
- On The Move: Brussels-based cultural mobility information network co-founded by IETM in 2000. Directly comparable as a small European membership/community platform serving performing arts and cultural professionals with information, training, and resources.
- ASSITEJ International: Worldwide network for theatre and performing arts for children and young audiences. Founding member of the Performing Arts Coalition with IETM; structurally identical niche membership association serving performing arts professionals globally.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
IETM social profiles
Digital presenceIETM financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
IETM leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
IETM funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
IETM 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 IETM
What does IETM do?
IETM is an international membership-based network for contemporary performing arts professionals and organisations. It provides membership services, annual events (Plenary Meetings, Focus Meetings, Caravans, Single Day Events), training programs (Green School, Advocacy School, Fair Arts School, Community Building School), EU-funded projects (Perform Europe, Europe Beyond Access, Global Connect), policy advocacy, publications, and a searchable member database.
Is IETM a public or private company?
IETM is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was IETM founded?
IETM was founded in 1981. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is IETM based?
IETM is headquartered in Berchem, Belgium, in the Europe region.
How does IETM make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are european Union Network Grant.
Who are IETM's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are European Dancehouse Network (EDN), Performing Arts Europe (PAE), Circostrada, European Festivals Association (EFA), ELIA – European League of Institutes of the Arts, Pearle* – Live Performance Europe, Culture Action Europe, International Theatre Institute (ITI), On The Move and ASSITEJ International.
Does IETM have an API?
No public API is recorded for IETM.