Scène nationale Carré-Colonnes

What Scène nationale Carré-Colonnes does

Scène nationale Carré-Colonnes is a publicly funded French performing arts institution (scène nationale) operating two venues — Le Carré in Saint-Médard-en-Jalles and Les Colonnes in Blanquefort — within the Bordeaux Métropole area of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Founded in 2010 through the mutualization of the two pre-existing municipal venues, the institution is part of the national réseau of 78 scènes nationales certified by the French Ministry of Culture and delivers a program spanning theater, dance, music, and circus, anchored by two major festivals: Échappée Belle (entering its 35th edition) and FAB — Festival International des Arts de Bordeaux Métropole (11th edition, EFFE-labelled since 2016). It supports more than 20 resident companies annually and produces nearly 300 performances per season.

The institution is distinguished by Le Jardin Secret, an artistic vegetable garden created in 2021 in partnership with Opéra Pagaï, described as the first such project among France's scènes nationales, and staffed by a full-time market gardener-mediator. A complementary indoor installation, Le Jardin d'Hiver, was added in 2022, and the 2024 Ville-Forêt project extends the arts-and-nature thematic into broader territorial and citizenship programming. Educational reach is a core part of the mission, with over 3,000 children from maternelle and primaire schools attending dedicated youth days each year and a 2025 high-school discovery programme (FABuleux高中生) engaging 148 students.

The business model blends multi-tier public subsidies (DRAC Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Département de la Gironde, Bordeaux Métropole, and the two host municipalities) with self-generated revenue from a tiered ticketing system (€15–€33 individual, carnet discounts, youth/senior/reduced tariffs), corporate and committee group bookings, bar and hospitality services, and gift vouchers. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through two physical box offices, a 24/7 online ticketing platform, phone reservations, and institutional channels for school and corporate groups. Technology is non-proprietary and limited to standard ticketing, website, newsletter, and social media infrastructure; no AI/ML capability is in evidence.

Name

Scène nationale Carré-Colonnes

Legal name

Scène nationale Carré-Colonnes

Website

https://carrecolonnes.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Scène nationale Carré-Colonnes is a publicly funded French performing arts institution operating two venues (Le Carré and Les Colonnes) in the Bordeaux Métropole area, delivering nearly 300 annual performances, two festivals, and innovative arts-and-nature programming (Le Jardin Secret) to local communities, schools, and partner companies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Venue

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (711310)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAGABAM

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Theater, Broadway & Performing Arts

SECONDARYMPAGALAB

Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Event Venues & Venue Operations (Arenas, Theaters, Halls)

SECONDARYTHAJAFAB

Theater, Musicals & Performing Arts

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Live Entertainment & Ticketed Events (Shows, Concerts, Sports Experiences)

Keywords

• Live performing arts
• Theater and dance
• Performing arts festivals
• Cultural venue management
• Arts education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint-Médard-en-Jalles

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ticket sales: Ticket sales from performances and events across both venues (Le Carré and Les Colonnes) and during festivals (Échappée Belle and FAB). Revenue from individual tickets, carnets (10-ticket booklets), and group bookings.
2. Public subsidies and grants: Public funding from DRAC Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Département de la Gironde, Bordeaux Métropole, and municipalities of Saint-Médard-en-Jalles and Blanquefort for operational support and artistic programming.
3. Bar and hospitality services: Bar and catering services at venues, gift vouchers (bons cadeaux) in denominations of 10€, 15€, 20€, and 30€.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Scène nationale Carré-Colonnes operates two performing arts venues (Le Carré in Saint-Médard-en-Jalles and Les Colonnes in Blanquefort) producing and hosting live theater, dance, music, and circus performances, complemented by the Le Jardin Secret artistic garden, the annual Échappée Belle festival, the co-organized FAB international arts festival, educational outreach for schools, and corporate venue rental services. Revenue is generated primarily through ticket sales, carnets of 10 tickets, group bookings, on-site bar/catering, and multi-tier public subsidies.

Product overview

Scène nationale Carré-Colonnes is a French public cultural institution operating two venues (Le Carré in Saint-Médard-en-Jalles and Les Colonnes in Blanquefort) near Bordeaux. The organization offers a unified portfolio centered on live performing arts (theater, dance, music, circus), with approximately 300 annual representations supporting over 20 companies per year. Key offerings include: Le Carré and Les Colonnes as primary venue spaces; Le Jardin Secret as an innovative participatory garden project combining art and agriculture; two major festivals (Échappée Belle and FAB); an online ticketing platform; comprehensive educational and mediation programs; press services; and venue rental services for corporate events. The 25 permanent staff and numerous intermittents operate these integrated services, with a strong focus on arts-education and community engagement through projects like 'Paysages en partage' and the annual Festival des Semis.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Le Jardin Secret: An artistic vegetable garden project created in 2021 in collaboration with Opéra Pagaï. Located near Le Carré in Saint-Médard, it is the first garden of a scène nationale in France. The garden hosts community planting activities, educational visits, and cultural events. Approximately 1,000 'semeurs/semeuses' (seeders) participate in the project, and the space includes a green library and children's book selection.
• Le Jardin d'Hiver
• Échappée Belle
• FAB (Festival International des Arts de Bordeaux Métropole)

Products and services

• Le Carré (Main Venue) Main performance venue of the Scène nationale located at Place de la République in Saint-Médard-en-Jalles, hosting theater, dance, music, and circus performances as part of nearly 300 annual representations. Open to the general public and groups, with on-site box office (Tuesday-Friday 14h-18h and 45 minutes before performances).
• Les Colonnes (Secondary Venue) Secondary performance venue of the Scène nationale located at 4 rue du Docteur Castéra in Blanquefort, extending the institution's cultural reach to the western part of the Bordeaux metropolitan area. Offers the same box office hours as Le Carré and hosts its own programming.
• Festival Échappée Belle Annual outdoor performing arts festival held at Parc de Fongravey in Blanquefort, featuring nature-themed programming and dedicated school days (Journées Jeune Public) that welcome more than 3,000 children from maternelle and primaire schools each year.
• FAB - Festival International des Arts de Bordeaux Métropole International arts festival co-organized with other Bordeaux Métropole cultural venues, featuring contemporary performing arts (theater, dance, music, circus) across multiple locations in the metropolitan area. The 11th edition runs September 26 to October 10, 2026.
• Le Jardin Secret (Artistic Vegetable Garden) Participatory artistic and vegetable garden project located near Le Carré, with a full-time market gardener-mediator (Barbara). The first such project at any of France's 78 scènes nationales, engaging approximately 1,000 community "semeurs/semeuses" in planting activities, school visits, and a winter indoor counterpart (Le Jardin d'Hiver).
• Educational & Cultural Mediation Programs (Médiation) Cultural education services including school performances, pedagogical toolkits (mallette pédagogique), backstage visits, the 'Paysages en partage' artistic education project (in partnership with DRAC Nouvelle-Aquitaine), and the FABuleux高中生 programme for high-school students. Tailored cultural pathways for maternelle, primaire, collège, lycée, and higher-education establishments.
• Venue Rental (Espaces) Rental of the Le Carré and Les Colonnes venues for corporate events, works-council Christmas shows (arbres de Noël), and company private performances, with preferential group rates. Targeted at companies, works councils, and event organizers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 300 annual performances and as many production and sensitization activities
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DRAC Nouvelle-AquitainecoreOthersDirection Régionale des Affaires Culturales - Government cultural authority providing operational funding, artistic creation support, and regulatory oversight for the national stage.
• Région Nouvelle-AquitainecoreOthersRegional council providing major funding for cultural activities and artistic programming across the Nouvelle-Aquitaine territory.
• Département de la GirondecoreOthersDepartmental council supporting cultural development and territorial equity in Gironde through funding and partnership agreements.
• Bordeaux MétropolecoreOthersMetropolitan government providing infrastructure support and cultural development funding for the Bordeaux metropolitan area.
• Ville de Saint-Médard-en-JallescoreOthersMunicipality hosting Le Carré venue and Le Jardin Secret, providing local funding, partnership agreements, and territorial integration.
• Ville de BlanquefortcoreOthersMunicipality hosting Les Colonnes venue, co-organizing Échappée Belle festival, and providing local support through partnership convention.
• iddac (Institut Départemental du Développement Artistique et Culturel)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDepartmental cultural development agency providing artistic programming support, educational initiatives, and network mediation activities.
• Opéra PagaïcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociated company specializing in public space creation, creator of Le Jardin Secret project. Partnership for artistic innovation and community engagement through nature-arts connection.
• Volubilis (Compagnie Agnès Pelletier)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociated dance company exploring territories through public space performances. Partnership for artistic programming and innovative choreographic projects.
• Collectif Scènes EnsemblecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnion of 6 Bordeaux Métropole cultural institutions (La Manufacture CDCN, Théâtre des Quatre Saisons, Glob Théâtre, Opéra National de Bordeaux, TnBA) for shared experiences, means, and collective advocacy for live performance.
• Communauté de communes Médoc EstuaireminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInter-municipal community participating in 'Paysages en partage' territorial cultural education project.
• Communauté de communes MédullienneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInter-municipal community involved in 'Paysages en partage' cultural education initiatives in the Médoc territory.
• Parc naturel régional MédocminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional nature park partner for environmental and landscape-themed artistic projects in the Médoc territory.
• Académie de BordeauxminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational authority supporting school programming and pedagogical resources for cultural education initiatives.
• Université Bordeaux MontaigneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership for cultural pathways, student engagement, and academic-cultural collaboration.
• Réseau Médiation iddacminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural mediation network bringing together 35 cultural scenes, municipalities, and associations for audience development and cultural access initiatives.
• Caisse des dépôts et consignationsminorOthersPublic financial institution supporting 'Paysages en partage' project through cultural development funding.
• The Green ShackminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRestaurant-bar near Le Jardin Secret offering 10% discount on food menu for ticket holders attending performances at Le Carré.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Théâtre National de La Colline: National theater in Paris focused on contemporary creation, comparable in core operating model (publicly funded, presenter-and-producer national stage) to Carré-Colonnes though at a far larger urban scale.
• Théâtre National de Strasbourg: Centre Dramatique National in Strasbourg, comparable to Carré-Colonnes as a multi-venue French national-stage institution combining creation, production, and touring — comparable operations and funding sources, different region.
• Glob Théâtre: Bordeaux-based theater company and venue that is a direct member of Collectif Scènes Ensemble with Carré-Colonnes. Comparable as a publicly-funded performing arts presenter serving the same geographic audience with related programming.
• Théâtre des Quatre Saisons (Gradignan): Bordeaux Métropole scène nationale and Collectif Scènes Ensemble member. Operates as a comparable suburban national-stage venue with similar public funding structure and programming mandate.
• La Manufacture CDCN: Centre de Développement Chorégraphique National based in Bordeaux, part of the same Collectif Scènes Ensemble as Carré-Colonnes. Directly comparable performing-arts presenter with a contemporary-dance specialization operating in the same metropolitan territory.
• Malraux - Scène nationale Chambéry Savoie: Scène nationale operating a comparable suburban-fringe public-arts model with similar programming breadth and public funding structure — directly comparable as a same-tier French national stage.
• TnBA - Théâtre National de Bordeaux en Aquitaine: Another national-stage-level performing arts venue operating in the Bordeaux metropolitan area, member of the same Collectif Scènes Ensemble as Carré-Colonnes. Programming and venue operations are directly comparable, though TnBA's status as a 'national' (CDN) institution places it one rung above a scène nationale.
• Le Théâtre - Scène nationale de Saint-Nazaire: Another scène nationale operating outside a major urban center, comparable to Carré-Colonnes in mission (territorial cultural equity in suburban/secondary-city France), funding model, and venue operations.

Broad incumbents

• Opéra National de Bordeaux: Larger and more established performing-arts institution in Bordeaux, also a Scènes Ensemble member. Comparable in mission and audience but operates at significantly greater scale with broader programming (opera, ballet, recitals) rather than the contemporary performing-arts niche Carré-Colonnes occupies.
• Sadler's Wells (London): Internationally recognized dance and performing-arts presenter with comparable programming-and-venue model, but operating at much larger scale and brand recognition; useful international benchmark rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/carre-colonnes

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Scène nationale Carré-Colonnes