Culture Market
Kulturmarkt Zürich is a Swiss non-profit association operating a heritage-listed cultural venue, restaurant, and SECO-mandated national qualification program that places 45 unemployed job seekers per cohort into cultural-sector work experience and training in Zürich Kreis 3.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersZürich, Switzerland
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Culture Market does
Kulturmarkt Zürich is a non-profit cultural association (Verein Kulturmarkt) established in 1997 and based at Aemtlerstrasse 23 in Zürich's Kreis 3 (Wiedikon) district. It operates out of the heritage-listed Zwinglihaus building (opened 1925) owned by the Reformed Church of Zürich, functioning simultaneously as a cultural event venue, a neighborhood restaurant, and a federally mandated workforce-qualification program. The organization is the only provider of Switzerland's national qualification program (PvB) for unemployed cultural workers, with execution mandated by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).
Its core product surface spans five business lines: (1) the National Qualification Program — 45 placement positions across nine specialist areas (cultural workers, marketing & communication, visual design, event technology, event management, secretariat, ICT support, facility management, gastronomy) for job seekers referred by RAV, IV, EG AVIG Kanton Zürich, and Social Services; (2) a restaurant and bar operating weekday lunch and pre-event service; (3) a cultural event and rental venue (Saal 100–160 persons, Foyer 40–72 persons, Kalkbreitesaal, Kursräume, PC-Schulungsraum); (4) a professional course catalog in partnership with artFAQ, FocusMedia, and others; and (5) an annual membership program (CHF 80 individual / CHF 200 legal entity). Revenue is generated through ticket sales (CHF 15–60, with solidarity tiers), space rental (CHF 25/hour to CHF 450/day), course fees, membership fees, restaurant operations, and — most importantly — government grants and SECO program funding. The organization holds In-Qualis certification for work-integration quality.
The technology stack is standard SaaS and ticketing infrastructure: Ticketpark for online ticket sales, Mailchimp for newsletters, and remarketing tags on Facebook/Instagram/YouTube/Spotify. There is no proprietary software, app, or AI capability. The organization is governed as an independent Verein with an 18+ person permanent staff; leadership transition is in progress with Giuliano Scherrer assuming the director role on February 1, 2026.
Culture Market firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Culture Market
- Legal name
- Verein Kulturmarkt
- Website
- https://kulturmarkt.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Kulturmarkt Zürich is a Swiss non-profit association operating a heritage-listed cultural venue, restaurant, and SECO-mandated national qualification program that places 45 unemployed job seekers per cohort into cultural-sector work experience and training in Zürich Kreis 3.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Culture Market industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cultural venue and work integration services
- NAICS
- Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars (722515), Caterers (72232), Caterers (722320)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Retail-Eating Places (5812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Multipurpose Event Center Operations (Civic Centers, Community Event Complexes) (MPAGALAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Specialty & Historic Venues (Landmarks, Estates) (THAHAAAK), Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG), Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues) (MPAGALAC), Live Music Bars & Venues (CRANACAH), Venue & Facility Reservations (Private Rooms, Event Spaces) (HSACALAJ)
Keywords
Where Culture Market is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Zürich
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Culture Market business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Restaurant & Bar Services: Daily lunch menus (Mon-Fri 12:00-14:00) and bar/food service before evening events. Fresh, seasonal, sustainable ingredients with vegetarian options. Run as qualification program for job seekers in gastronomy.
- Space Rental: Rental of various spaces: Saal (152m², 100-160 persons), Foyer (126m², 40-72 persons), Kalkbreitesaal, Kursräume, and PC-Schulungsraum. Catering services available for events.
- Courses & Workshops: Professional development courses for job seekers covering: self-marketing, cultural labor market, casting, cultural projects, application planning, personality development, event technology. Collaborations with artFAQ, FocusMedia for specialized offerings.
- Event Tickets: Ticket sales for concerts, theater, karaoke events, podium discussions. Ticket prices vary: standard CHF 30-45, reduced rates for students/seniors/Cultural Pass holders. Some events free entry.
- Membership Fees: Annual membership fees: Individual members CHF 80, Legal entities CHF 200. Benefits include invitations to AGM, monthly program information, annual reports.
- Government Funding (SECO): National qualification program funded by State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) as temporary employment (PvB) program. Additional funding from Canton Zürich EG AVIG and municipalities.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Kalkbreitesaal seminar room rental |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Kursraum Aemtler small meeting room |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Kursraum Nussbaum seminar room |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Catering for events |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | AI in Application Process course |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Smartphone Film Making course |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Lighting Technology Basic course |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Concert ticket prices |
| Subscription | Annual | Annual membership fees |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels9 records
Culture Market product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kulturmarkt Zürich operates a cultural venue in the heritage-listed Zwinglihaus in Zürich Kreis 3 that combines a daily weekday restaurant and bar with a year-round program of concerts, theater, karaoke, and discussions. The same venue runs seven rentable rooms (Saal, Foyer, Probebühne, Kalkbreitesaal, two Kursräume, PC-Schulungsraum) used both for internal cultural programming and external seminars, workshops, and private celebrations. Under a SECO Leistungsauftrag it delivers a nationally unique qualification program providing 45 temporary-placement positions across nine specialist areas for job seekers referred by RAV, IV, EG AVIG, and Social Services, paired with job coaching and a portfolio of professional development courses delivered with partners such as artFAQ and FocusMedia.
Product overview
Kulturmarkt Zürich operates as a unique cultural venue combining a restaurant, event space, and national qualification program. The venue offers multiple rental spaces (Saal, Foyer, Kalkbreitesaal, Kursräume, PC-Schulungsraum) for concerts, theater, seminars, and private events. It runs a restaurant and bar service open weekdays for lunch and evening events. The organization also provides a qualification program with 45 placement positions across 9 specialist areas for job seekers, alongside a professional course program covering self-marketing, event technology, and cultural labor market skills.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Event Spaces (Veranstaltungsräume) Rental of seven distinct heritage-listed venues inside the Zwinglihaus: Saal (152m², 100-160 persons), Foyer (126m², 40-72 persons), Probebühne (rehearsal stage), Kalkbreitesaal (seminar/course space for up to 50 persons), Kursraum Nussbaum (43m² for up to 30 persons), Kursraum Aemtler (22m² for up to 10 persons, 3rd floor, no elevator), and PC-Schulungsraum (computer training room with docking stations and monitors for 10 persons). For corporate events, seminars, workshops, and private celebrations.
- Restaurant & Bar Quartier restaurant operating Monday-Friday 12:00-14:00 with two daily-changing menus (one vegetarian) plus a weekend hit and salad buffet; bar and food service opens from 17:00 on event evenings. Operated as a qualification placement for job seekers in gastronomy. For neighborhood diners and event attendees.
- National Qualification Program (Nationales Qualifizierungsprogramm)
Quantifiable outcome
- 45 job seekers placed in qualification program positions annually
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Culture Market
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Culture Market technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Culture Market partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Reformierte Kirche ZürichcoreBuilding owner and landlord of Zwinglihaus. Provides long-term tenancy for cultural operations. Church uses space on Sundays for Italian Waldensian congregation services.
- About Us! Zürich interkulturellminorCooperation partner for biennial intercultural weeks. Located in shared office space.
- FocusMediaminorCooperation partner providing professional courses for program participants in media and communications.
- n'importe quoi produktionminorLong-term cooperation partner for annual two-day Schau!Werk exhibition.
- Wasser für Wasser (WfW)minorSustainable water organization. Kulturmarkt is a WfW business, with water fees supporting WfW projects in Mozambique, Zambia, and Switzerland.
- SBKV (Schweizerischer Bühnenkünstlerverband)minorSwiss stage artists association - largest professional organization for freelance and employed artists in theater, film, and TV.
- TanzLOBBY IG Tanz ZürichminorAdvocacy organization for dance professionals in Zürich, promoting dance sector needs.
- t. (Theater association)minorProfessional association for all actors in professional free theater. Nationally active, internationally networked, locally anchored in eight regional groups.
- artFAQminorCollaboration partner for professional development courses for cultural workers including networking, project management, and cultural sector skills training.
- Moods JazzclubminorCollaboration with Moods jazzclub for the LEVITATION album release concert by Stefan Rusconi and Tobias Preisig.
- In-QualiscoreQuality certification body for work integration programs. Kulturmarkt is In-Qualis certified, validating quality standards for the qualification program.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Culture Market competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Volkshaus Zürich: Historic Zürich multipurpose venue with restaurant, event spaces, and cultural programming. Comparable in heritage character, restaurant + event venue model, and central Zürich location, but operates at larger commercial scale.
- HEKS (Hilfswerk der Evangelisch-reformierten Kirchen Schweiz): Large Swiss social-services organization with work-integration programs and funding capabilities. Comparable in social-mission focus and qualification-program operations, but operates at national scale across multiple service areas.
- Schiffbau Zürich (Schauspielhaus Zürich): Large established Zürich theater/event venue as part of Schauspielhaus Zürich. Comparable in event venue operations and ticketing, but at significantly larger scale and as part of a broader institutional portfolio.
Regional players
- Kaserne Basel: Basel cultural center combining event venue, restaurant, and cultural programming with a focus on independent culture. Directly comparable in mission and venue model, but serving a different Swiss region (German-speaking, northwestern).
- Theater Neumarkt: Zürich independent theater venue producing and hosting theater, dance, and performance events. Comparable in cultural programming and event-ticketing model, but focused exclusively on performing arts rather than the multi-functional venue model.
Emerging players
- AOZ (Asyl-Organisation Zürich): Zürich-based social-services organization providing work integration and qualification programs for refugees and asylum seekers. Comparable in operating model combining social work with qualification programs, with potential overlap in candidate pools.
Direct peers
- Theaterhaus Gessnerallee: Zürich performing arts venue hosting theater, dance, and performance events with rental spaces. Comparable in cultural-event programming, ticket sales, and venue-rental operations, with similar scale and Zürich location.
- Rote Fabrik: Zürich cultural center combining event venue, restaurant, and cultural programming with a strong community/mission focus. Operates a similar multi-functional model (gastronomy + event spaces + cultural programming) in Zürich, making it a direct venue peer.
- SAH Zürich (Schweizerisches Arbeiterhilfswerk): Major Zürich work-integration organization running qualification programs and job coaching — including the prior qualification program led by incoming director Giuliano Scherrer. Direct competitor for federal qualification mandates and for job-seeker referral contracts.
- Moods Jazzclub: Zürich-based jazz and live music club that is both a collaboration partner and a comparable venue — same city, same cultural-event programming genre, ticket-based event model, and live performance focus. Directly comparable in event-programming and ticketing mechanics.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Culture Market social profiles
Digital presenceCulture Market compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Culture Market financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Culture Market leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles19 records
Culture Market funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Culture Market 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 Culture Market
What does Culture Market do?
Kulturmarkt Zürich operates a cultural venue in the heritage-listed Zwinglihaus in Zürich Kreis 3 that combines a daily weekday restaurant and bar with a year-round program of concerts, theater, karaoke, and discussions. The same venue runs seven rentable rooms (Saal, Foyer, Probebühne, Kalkbreitesaal, two Kursräume, PC-Schulungsraum) used both for internal cultural programming and external seminars, workshops, and private celebrations. Under a SECO Leistungsauftrag it delivers a nationally unique qualification program providing 45 temporary-placement positions across nine specialist areas for job seekers referred by RAV, IV, EG AVIG, and Social Services, paired with job coaching and a portfolio of professional development courses delivered with partners such as artFAQ and FocusMedia.
Is Culture Market a public or private company?
Culture Market is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Culture Market founded?
Culture Market was founded in 1997. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Culture Market based?
Culture Market is headquartered in Zürich, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does Culture Market make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Restaurant & Bar Services are the primary driver. The others are space Rental, courses & Workshops, event Tickets, membership Fees and government Funding (SECO).
Who are Culture Market's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Volkshaus Zürich, HEKS (Hilfswerk der Evangelisch-reformierten Kirchen Schweiz) and Schiffbau Zürich (Schauspielhaus Zürich). Regional players are Kaserne Basel and Theater Neumarkt. AOZ (Asyl-Organisation Zürich) is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Theaterhaus Gessnerallee, Rote Fabrik, SAH Zürich (Schweizerisches Arbeiterhilfswerk) and Moods Jazzclub.
Does Culture Market have an API?
No public API is recorded for Culture Market.
What industry is Culture Market in?
Culture Market's product category is Cultural venue and work integration services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGALAE, Multipurpose Event Center Operations (Civic Centers, Community Event Complexes), with a secondary code of THAHAAAK, Specialty & Historic Venues (Landmarks, Estates). Its NAICS code is 722515 and its SIC code is 5810.