Centre International des Arts en Mouvement (CIAM)

What Centre International des Arts en Mouvement (CIAM) does

CIAM (Centre International des Arts en Mouvement) is a French association loi 1901 non-profit founded in 2013 and headquartered on a five-hectare pine-grove site at 4181 route de Galice, Aix-en-Provence. It operates as a multi-format contemporary circus arts center integrating four operational axes: circus arts teaching (amateur practice school with 350 weekly students, children's and adult workshops, parent-child ateliers, and professional training), innovation-research (the France 2030-funded 'Vers un Éphémère Durable' project with Capgemini Engineering developing sustainable heating solutions for temporary structures), artist accompaniment (residencies and the Collectif Grand Volant), and performance diffusion through the annual Festival Jours [et nuits] de cirque(s), heritage site programming (Patrimoine [en mouvement]), and weekly summer evening events.

The organization is the sole holder in France of the professional certification 'Techniques et interprétation des arts du Grand Volant' (RS7577) for grand flying trapeze, delivered by coach Jan Van Zyl (40+ years experience, rare triple voltigeur) and program lead Karen Richard (17 years). It holds Qualiopi certification (Bureau Veritas certificate CW202224-5985) for all training actions. CIAM serves 45,000+ beneficiaries annually across schools (1,290 children/teens), social institutions (#Cirque pour tous reaching prisons, hospitals, retirement homes, palliative care, and disability centers), corporate clients (Magic Mirrors venue up to 500 persons, team-building for 5–100+ persons), professional circus trainees, and general public audiences (10,000 festival spectators).

Its business model combines five revenue streams: training and education program fees (recurring), event ticket sales (one-time, via Secutix), corporate venue rental and team-building (professional services), corporate sponsorship and individual patronage via a Cercle des Mécènes of 40+ companies (RTE, Crédit Agricole Alpes Provence Foundation, Hargassner France Alpes, GL Events), and apprenticeship tax contributions through the SOLTÉa platform under category 07C. Pricing for professional instructor training modules ranges from €250 (Module 1, 10 hours) to €500 (Module 3, 20 hours), with the full 42-hour parcours at €1,050, fundable via OPCO (AFDAS) or FAF. CIAM employs 24 staff and operates event venues including a 700 m² Grand Chapiteau (400–500 seats), 700 m² Magic Mirrors, a 250-seat forest amphitheatre, and a 1,000 m² pine grove.

Name

Centre International des Arts en Mouvement (CIAM)

Legal name

Centre International des Arts en Mouvement

Website

https://artsenmouvement.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CIAM is a French non-profit contemporary circus arts center in Aix-en-Provence offering the sole French Grand Flying Trapeze professional certification (RS7577), an amateur school, social outreach to 45,000+ beneficiaries annually, corporate venue rental, and the annual Festival Jours [et nuits] de cirque(s).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Aix-en-Provence

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Training and Education Programs: Revenue from circus arts training including amateur school programs, children's and adult workshops, professional training certifications, and instructor courses. The professional certification 'Techniques et interprétation des arts du Grand Volant' (RS7577) is unique in France.
2. Event Tickets and Performances: Ticket sales for public performances, festival events, and circus shows. Sales managed through Secutix ticketing platform. Includes performances at Grand Chapiteau, Magic Mirrors, and outdoor heritage sites.
3. Corporate Events and Team-Building: Enterprise services including venue rental for events (up to 500 people), corporate team-building activities, and the Magic Mirrors event space. All corporate event revenues support CIAM's association funds (Loi 1901). Contact: Laure Frisch, cheffe de projet événementiel.
4. Sponsorships and Patrons: Corporate sponsorship (mécénat) with 40+ local and national companies, individual patron programs with tax benefits (66% individual / 60% corporate deduction), and circle of patrons (Porteurs, Voltigeurs, Longeurs levels). SIRET: 78863547200020.
5. Apprenticeship Tax Contributions: Companies can allocate their apprenticeship tax balance to CIAM via SOLTéa platform under category 07C, supporting the Grand Volant professional certification training.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CIAM is a contemporary circus arts center operating a 5-hectare multi-venue campus in Aix-en-Provence that delivers three integrated offerings: (1) circus arts education — amateur practice school, holiday workshops, parent-child ateliers, and the only professional Grand Flying Trapeze certification (RS7577) in France together with an instructor pathway; (2) performance and event venues — headlined by the annual Festival Jours [et nuits] de cirque(s) plus Magic Mirrors, Grand Chapiteau, Chapiteau Réception/Création, Petit Théâtre dans la Forêt, and the Pinède (capacity 250–500); and (3) social/outreach programming (Cirque pour tous) bringing circus to schools, disability and social institutions, plus corporate team-building via the CIAM [at work] arm.

Product overview

CIAM is a contemporary circus arts center in Aix-en-Provence operating as a multi-format cultural institution rather than a software platform. Its portfolio spans three integrated pillars: (1) circus arts education — including an amateur practice school (weekly classes for all ages), holiday circus workshops, a parent-child atelier, and the only professional Grand Flying Trapeze training in France (RS7577 certification plus an instructor pathway); (2) artistic programming and performance venues — hosting the annual Festival Jours [et nuits] de cirque(s), artist residencies, heritage-site performances (Patrimoine [en mouvement]), weekly outdoor events (Les Vendredis du CIAM), and a dedicated corporate events arm (Magic Mirrors marquee, Grand Chapiteau, reception marquees, forest amphitheatre, and pine grove); and (3) social outreach (Cirque pour tous) bringing circus to schools, disability and social institutions, and off-site locations. A fourth pillar, the R&D project « Vers un éphémère durable », addresses sustainable heating for temporary structures in partnership with Capgemini Engineering. All education offerings carry the Qualiopi certification, and the Grand Volant Pole also fields a performing collective (Collectif Grand Volant) selected for international competition.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Formation professionnelle « Techniques et interprétation des arts du Grand Volant » (RS7577) The sole certifying professional training program for Grand Flying Trapeze in France (RS7577), offering artistic and technical education for aspiring circus artists. Admissions by application and audition.
• Parcours Initiateur de Grand Trapèze Volant Three-module progressive pathway (42 hours total) for teaching Grand Flying Trapeze to beginners — from assistant to platform instructor — with certification of completion. Module 1 €250/10h, Module 2 €300/12h, Module 3 €500/20h; total parcours €1,050.
• École de Trapèze Volant (adulte) Year-round adult flying trapeze classes at the CIAM site, covering regular practice for intermediate and advanced levels.
• École de pratique amateur des arts du cirque Weekly circus arts instruction for amateur practitioners across multiple disciplines, with end-of-year performances. 350 weekly students.
• Stages de cirque (enfants, adolescents, adultes) Intensive circus workshops offered during school holidays and summer for children, teenagers, and adults across all levels.
• Atelier cirque parent-enfant Shared circus arts discovery sessions for parents and young children, fostering early engagement with circus practice.
• Cirque pour tous — Dispositif de médiation Outreach programs bringing circus arts to schools, specialized institutions (disability and social sectors), and off-site locations to democratize access to circus arts.
• Festival Jours [et nuits] de cirque(s) CIAM's flagship annual contemporary circus festival held each September, featuring around 40 international artists and attracting 10,000+ spectators over 5 days.
• Résidences artistiques Artist residency programs hosting contemporary circus companies for creation and development, with public showcase outputs.
• Patrimoine [en mouvement] A pre-festival program placing circus performances within historic heritage sites across the metropolitan territory (Silvacane Abbey, Vitrolles Stadium, Venelles, Jouques), aligned with European Heritage Days.
• Les Vendredis du CIAM Summer outdoor evening events under the pine grove with open bar, food trucks, and jazz concerts or circus open-stage performances.
• Magic Mirrors — Chapiteau événementiel A 700 m² Flemish-inspired marquee event space accommodating up to 500 people, available for corporate events, galas, conferences, and performances, fully modular for customized setups.
• CIAM [at work] — Team-building et séminaires Corporate team-building experiences and seminars held at CIAM's green site, featuring circus-based activities, workshops, and venue rental options for groups of 5 to 100+ persons.
• Grand Chapiteau A 700 m² circular marquee with 400–500 tiered seats, used for circus practice October–May and available for corporate events June–September.
• Chapiteau Réception et Chapiteau Création Supporting event marquees: a 140 m² modular reception marquee with a 90 m² terrace, and a 120 m² creation marquee with 90-tiered seating for workshops and conferences.
• Le Petit Théâtre dans la Forêt et La Pinède Outdoor event spaces: a 250-seat forest amphitheatre and a 1,000 m² shaded pine grove with a bar, for open-air performances and team-building activities.
• « Vers un Éphémère Durable » — R&D Heating Decarbonation An R&D project developing sustainable heating solutions for temporary structures (circus tents), including energy simulation tools and a best-practice guide, in partnership with Capgemini Engineering and co-funded by France 2030.
• Collectif Grand Volant A collective of approximately ten flying trapeze artists formed at CIAM, coached by Jan Van Zyl, selected for the 45th Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain in Paris.

Quantifiable outcome

• 45,000+ beneficiaries served annually across all programs
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.

• Capgemini EngineeringcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Innovation partnership and skills sponsorship for the 'Vers un Éphémère Durable' project (Decarbonation of temporary structure heating). Capgemini engineers collaborate with CIAM to model, prototype, and industrialize sustainable heating solutions. Project is laureates of France 2030 'Supporting Green Alternatives in Cultural and Creative Industries' call for projects.
• GL Events Audiovisual & PowersupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMécène (sponsor) providing equipment for the ephemeral laboratory testing sustainable heating solutions. Contributes equipment for real-world testing of innovative heating technologies.
• Hargassner France AlpessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEquipment sponsor providing biomass and pellet heating solutions for testing in CIAM's ephemeral laboratory. Pioneering mobile wood/pellet heating system for temporary structures in France.
• Ville de VitrollessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partnership providing Stadium de Vitrolles as artistic residence space for the Grand Volant Collective. Supports professional circus artist development through infrastructure access.
• Covoiturage-simpleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRidesharing partnership offering carpooling coordination for CIAM event attendees. Helps reduce environmental impact and provides convenient transportation options for spectators.
• Festival d'Aix-en-ProvencesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtistic collaboration bringing Orchestre des Jeunes de la Méditerranée to CIAM. Symphony orchestra and circus performance integration under the Grand Chapiteau during summer 2026.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• École Supérieure des Arts du Cirque (ESAC): Brussels-based higher education institution offering professional circus training degrees in Belgium. Comparable to CIAM as a European peer providing accredited professional circus certification with similar multi-disciplinary curriculum and instructor training pathways, though operating in a different national market.
• Codarts Rotterdam Circus Arts: Rotterdam-based performing arts university offering bachelor programs in circus arts, including aerial, acrobatics, and physical theater disciplines. Comparable to CIAM as a European higher-education peer in circus arts training with similar pedagogical structure from fundamentals to professional certification.

Direct peers

• La Grainerie: Toulouse-based national circus creation center supporting circus company residencies, artist development, and creative programming. Comparable to CIAM as a fellow Pôle National Cirque member sharing mission of artist accompaniment and creation, though focused more on creation than professional certification.
• National Centre for Circus Arts: London-based professional circus training school delivering degree programs in circus arts. Comparable to CIAM as an English-speaking equivalent delivering accredited professional circus education with similar pathways from amateur practice to professional development.
• Centre National des Arts du Cirque (CNAC): France's national circus school in Châlons-en-Champagne, offering the most prestigious professional circus training pathway in the country. Directly comparable to CIAM as both deliver professional circus arts certification in France, though CNAC covers broader disciplines while CIAM specializes in Grand Volant.
• École Nationale de Cirque (ENC): Montreal-based national circus training institution and one of the world's leading professional circus schools. Comparable to CIAM as a North American equivalent providing professional circus certification, athlete training, and continuing education pathways.
• Le Plus Petit Cirque du Monde: Bagneux-based social circus organization combining amateur practice, professional training, and social outreach in marginalized communities. Comparable to CIAM given shared emphasis on social circus (#Cirque pour tous equivalent), amateur school operations, and circus arts as vectors for social inclusion.
• Atelier 231 - Pôle National Cirque: Sotteville-lès-Rouen-based Pôle National Cirque focused on street arts and circus creation, hosting residencies and public performances. Comparable to CIAM as fellow national circus creation center with shared mission of supporting emerging companies and public-facing artistic programming.
• ARCHAOS - Pôle National Cirque Marseille: Marseille-based Pôle National Cirque hosting circus company residencies, creation support, and artist training programs in the same Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Closest geographic peer to CIAM within the French national circus ecosystem, with overlapping creation, residency, and outreach missions.

Broad incumbents

• Cirque du Soleil: Montreal-headquartered global entertainment giant and the dominant commercial circus brand worldwide. Comparable as a broader incumbent in the circus arts industry with overlapping artistic creation and talent development interests, though vastly larger and commercially focused versus CIAM's non-profit educational mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CIAM.Aix
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/centre-international-des-arts-en-mouvement
• Instagraminstagram.com/ciam_aix

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Centre International des Arts en Mouvement (CIAM)