Municipal School of Arts of Bischwiller

What Municipal School of Arts of Bischwiller does

The Ecole Municipale des Arts de Bischwiller (EMA) is a municipal public arts school in Bischwiller, Alsace, France, operating under the governance and financial backing of the Ville de Bischwiller. Founded in its current unified form in 2018 through the merger of the 1991 Ecole Municipale de Musique and the 1985 Association Danse, EMA traces its institutional lineage to the 1858 Orchestre d'Harmonie de Bischwiller. The school delivers a comprehensive arts curriculum spanning orchestral music (14 instruments from flute to saz), classical/contemporary/modern-jazz dance, theatre, drawing and manga, cinema (stop-motion animation), choral singing in 20+ languages, percussion, and science mediation. It serves approximately 1,000 students annually, including 700 children who receive free music initiation through school-based programs delivered in 8 educational establishments, with dedicated accommodation for children with disabilities in ULIS and Arc-en-ciel classes.

Revenue is generated through a mixed public-subsidy and fee-based model. Tuition is structured by trimester (€60–€270/year for children, €110–€330/year for adults depending on discipline), with multi-course family discounts and a free first trial for dance. The majority of operating funding comes from the Ville de Bischwiller, DRAC, and CAH co-financing of the free-access social music programs (Sistema Alsace, Orchestre à l'école, Musique pour la Paix). Supplementary revenue includes €60/year EMA association and €30/year Sistema association memberships, ticketed performances at MAC and the annual Festival Vibrations (1,500+ spectators), and international exchange programs through Sistema Europe. The 2024 award of the rare 100% EAC label by the French Ministries of Culture and National Education formally recognized Bischwiller as providing artistic and cultural education to 100% of its youth — making EMA the only French municipality combining Sistema and Orchestre à l'école at scale.

Name

Municipal School of Arts of Bischwiller

Legal name

Ecole Municipale des Arts de Bischwiller

Website

https://ema-bischwiller.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1858

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

EMA is a municipal public arts school in Bischwiller, France, offering music, dance, theatre, visual arts, cinema, choral, and science programs to roughly 1,000 students, including 700 children receiving free school-based music initiation through municipal and public-subsidy funding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Arts Education Services

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAAAGAE

Performing Arts (Acting, Improv, Theater)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Personal Enrichment & Hobby Learning (Arts, Crafts, Music, Cooking)

SECONDARYEDAMAAAG

Theater & Drama Education (Acting, Improvisation, Musical Theater)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Arts & Creative Enrichment (Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Dance)

SECONDARYEDAJAFAK

Arts Education Instruction (Visual/Performing)

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/K–12 Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment (School-Delivered)

Keywords

• Arts education
• Music school
• Dance school
• Community orchestra
• Performing arts

Headquarters

HQ city

Bischwiller

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition fees: The school charges tuition fees for various programs including instrument lessons (150€ per trimester for children, 250€ for adults), dance classes (90€ per trimester for children, 110€ for adults), drawing/manga/cinema workshops (60€ per trimester). Many programs are free for enrolled EMA and Sistema students.
2. Municipal funding: The Ville de Bischwiller (city government) provides significant financial support, co-financing programs like Musique pour la Paix interventions in schools along with DRAC and CAH.
3. Association membership fees: Annual membership fees of 60€ for EMA association and 30€ for Sistema association, required for participation in certain free programs.
4. Performance and event revenue: Ticket sales for dance and music performances managed by MAC, with pricing of 10€ adults, 6€ for ages 12-18, free for children 4-12. Goodies and merchandise also sold.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Municipal School of Arts of Bischwiller (EMA) is a municipal arts school offering comprehensive performing and visual arts education across music, dance, theater, drawing, manga, cinema, choral singing, and science mediation. The school delivers individual instrument lessons, collective orchestral practice, dance classes, and free school-based programs through Sistema Alsace and Musique pour la Paix, serving approximately 1,000 students annually with a strong community-driven, collective pedagogy model.

Product overview

The Ecole Municipale des Arts de Bischwiller (EMA) is a comprehensive municipal arts school offering a unified portfolio of programs centered around collective music education as the core pillar. The school is structured around four main programs: the Orchestre (Music School) providing instrumental lessons and orchestral practice, the Ecole de Danse (Dance School) offering classical, contemporary, and jazz dance instruction, Atelier Scénique (Theater Workshop) for stage performance and set design, and supplementary programs including drawing/manga, cinema/film, choir, percussion, and science workshops. The school integrates social programs (Sistema Alsace, Orchestre à l'École, Musique pour la Paix) that provide free collective music education to children from local schools, all unified under the Orchestre d'Harmonie's patronage since 1858. The annual Festival Vibrations and science program extend the educational mission beyond traditional arts instruction.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• École d'Orchestre (Music School) Comprehensive music education program including musical awakening classes for ages 5-6, individual instrument lessons, and mandatory collective orchestral practice. Instruments taught include flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, horn, tuba, euphonium, trombone, violin, viola, cello, piano, guitar, saz, and percussion.
• Sistema Alsace Orchestra Program El Sistema-inspired social music program providing free collective music education for children from the Foch-Menuisiers school group. Features string instruments and orchestral practice with 4 hours of collective courses weekly.
• Orchestre à l'École (Orchestra at School) School-based orchestral program for children at Erlenberg school, featuring wind instruments with 2 hours of instruction during school time, provided free of charge.
• École de Danse (Dance School) Dance education program offering classical, contemporary, and modern jazz styles for children, teenagers, and adults. Includes awakening (ages 4-5), initiation, choreography creation, barre work, and muscle strengthening classes. 18 classes across three major disciplines.
• Atelier Scénique (Theater Workshop) Theater and stage arts workshop for ages 11-15 covering dramatic text, acting, stage direction, set design, and accessories creation. Culminates in an annual spring production.
• Atelier Dessin et Manga (Drawing and Manga Workshop) Drawing and manga illustration workshop for youth ages 10-17 teaching character design, body dynamics, coloring techniques with shadows and highlights, and comic/manga page creation.
• Atelier Cinéma (Film Workshop) Film and animation workshop for youth ages 11-17 focusing on stop motion animation technique. Students create their own short films including script writing, character articulation, set creation, and film editing.
• Chorale pour la Paix (Peace Choir) Multilingual choir program for children and youth ages 8-16, performing songs in over 20 languages representing cultures from Europe, Middle East, Caucasus, and Asia. Includes classical repertoire and participatory productions.
• Drumstork's Percussion Group Percussion ensemble for children ages 8 and up, providing rhythmic training complementing musical education. Free for EMA and Sistema students.
• Musique pour la Paix (Music for Peace) Social music initiative providing free music education for 500 children across 21 classes in 7 schools. Features sound landscapes, vocal exploration, and multicultural repertoire. Also offers world music instrument courses including saz and bağlama.
• Science and Music Mediation Program Science outreach program in partnership with University of Strasbourg, covering topics from mathematics to neuroscience and astronomy. Includes conferences, screenings, workshops, and the annual 'Sciences et Musique' festival.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,000 students served, growing from under 100 in 2015
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Festival International de Musique VibrationscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022EMA is the founding pedagogical partner of this annual October festival, which has become an essential classical music event in Alsace, attracting 1,500+ spectators. Features renowned artists including Renaud Capuçon, the Trio Wanderer, and Sergeï Nakariakov.
• Université de Syracuse (New York)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019During the 2019 New York trip, EMA students had masterclasses and concerts with Université de Syracuse, complementing visits to Juilliard School and New York Philharmonic.
• Musique pour la PaixcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Association founded by Barış Ayhan in 2017, conducting music initiation for 500 children in 21 classes across 7 schools in Bischwiller (co-financed by Ville de Bischwiller, DRAC, and CAH). Also presents the Karmanota group with multilingual repertoire and world music courses. François Dardant is Vice-president.
• Sistema FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Sistema France operates Sistema Alsace programs at Bischwiller, providing free collective music education to children. François Dardant is both EMA Director and President of Sistema France. The school is the only one in France combining Sistema and Orchestre à l'école.
• Orchestre d'Harmonie de Bischwiller (OHB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1858The Orchestre d'Harmonie de Bischwiller, founded in 1858, is the historical foundation of EMA. It provides institutional patronage and transmits musical vitality, under whose benevolent patronage EMA operates. The OHB represents the pinnacle of the school's orchestral pathway for the most advanced musicians.
• MAC - Relais Culturel de BischwillercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe MAC is the primary venue partner, offering privileged ticket pricing for EMA families on music and dance productions. EMA families receive discounted access to the MAC's seasonal artistic programming. Joint events and performances are regularly organized.
• Médiathèque de BischwillerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocated at ground floor of Centre Culturel Claude Vigée (EMA headquarters), the médiathèque hosts 'Pauses Musicales' where EMA students perform. Open Tuesday-Saturday with special hours for families.
• Sistema EuropeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSistema France-Alsace is part of the Sistema Europe network. EMA students participate in European tutti symphonique and summer camps (SEYO), representing France in the grand European orchestra. Past camps held in Spain (2022, Madrid's National Auditorium) and Italy (2024, Urbino and Pesaro).
• Université de Strasbourg (Jardin des Sciences)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEMA is now an antenna of the Jardin des Sciences (University of Strasbourg's science outreach center) and is referenced by the Association Française d'Astronomie. Collaborates on science mediation programs including the annual 'Sciences et Musique' festival with 11 events and 1,300 spectators.
• CASF (Club d'Astronomie de Bischwiller-Furdenheim)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with CASF on science mediation programs including conferences on topics like artificial intelligence, climate change, nuclear energy, and water challenges. Joint co-organization of science events since 2020.
• Théât'Reis (Compagnie de théâtre)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTheatrical company partnering with EMA's Atelier Scénique program. Offers theatre courses for children and adults on Mondays and Fridays at Espace Harmonie, under direction of Catherine Bodinier.
• Conservatoire de Strasbourg (Projet Démos)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSome Musique pour la Paix interventions in Strasbourg are conducted within the framework of the Démos project, piloted by the Conservatoire de Strasbourg.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• El Sistema (Fundación Musical Simón Bolívar): The original Venezuelan social-music education program that founded the global Sistema movement. EMA is a direct franchisee/copycat of this model; comparable in targeting underserved youth through collective orchestral music.
• Cité de la Musique - Philharmonie de Paris: Major French national music institution with extensive education and outreach programs including workshops, concerts, and school interventions. Comparable on the educational mission and large-scale event programming, but operates at a much larger national scale.

Direct peers

• Conservatoire de Strasbourg: Public conservatory in Strasbourg serving as the regional music/dance school for the Bas-Rhin area. Directly comparable as a French municipal/regional institution providing music and arts education, with overlapping student segments and government funding.
• Conservatoire à Rayonnement Communal de Villeurbanne: French municipal conservatory offering music, dance and theatre education subsidized by the local commune. Closely parallels EMA's municipal ownership model, multi-disciplinary arts curriculum, and community-oriented enrollment approach.
• Sistema France: French network of El Sistema-inspired programs that EMA's director also leads. Directly comparable social-music initiative serving underserved children through collective orchestral practice, with shared mission and overlapping program design.
• Orchestre à l'École (National Network): National French network of school-based orchestras that EMA partners with and operates through at Erlenberg school. Comparable as both peer and partner: a French music education outreach initiative delivering free instrumental learning to schoolchildren.

Others

• Berklee College of Music: Major private music education institution. While not a direct competitor (different segment, for-credit degrees), comparable as a benchmark for music education pedagogy and branding, and is a relevant aspiration/peer for music-education branding and curricula.

Regional players

• Music for Youth (UK): UK-wide charity promoting music-making for young people through festivals, events, and educational programs. Comparable in mission and youth focus, but operates nationally and in a different country/regulatory context.

Emerging players

• Harmony Program (New York): NYC-based El Sistema-inspired program providing free instrument lessons to children from underserved communities. Comparable in mission (free music education for underserved youth) and pedagogy (collective ensemble-based learning), though operating in a very different urban context.
• Community Music Center of San Francisco: US community music school offering sliding-scale music education for all ages. Comparable in affordable, community-driven music education and multi-generational student base, though operates in a different funding/regulatory environment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ema.bischwiller

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries4 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 Municipal School of Arts of Bischwiller