Cave Poésie René Gouzenne

What Cave Poésie René Gouzenne does

La Cave Poésie René-Gouzenne is a non-profit cultural association (loi 1901) founded in 1974 in Toulouse, France, named after its founder René Gouzenne, an actor and theatrical figure who shaped French regional theater for over fifty years. The association operates a small performing-arts venue at 71 Rue du Taur in central Toulouse, comprising two performance spaces — the Cave (basement, ~100 seats, stair access only) and the Foyer (ground floor, ~50 seats, accessible to people with reduced mobility). Programming spans live theater, music concerts, traditional dance (bal trad, bal forró, bal latino-américain), poetry readings, literary events, open-mic sessions (Les Nuits de la Pleine Lune), weekly Tuesday readings (Les Rugissantes), and an outdoor summer festival (Un été à la croisée des parcs). A 50-hour continuous reading of Les 1001 nuits marked the venue's 50th anniversary in 2024.

Revenue is generated through a mix of one-time ticket sales (€4–€22 per ticket depending on format, with reduced rates of €9 for under-26s, students, and job seekers), subscription bundles (Carnets Pleins Feux — €9 to €50 for 3 to 5 transferable tickets valid across 11 cultural venues in Toulouse Métropole), gift certificates, bar/catering during events, merchandise (book-objects, DVDs at €15), and cultural patronage (mécénat) with associated French tax benefits. Distribution runs through a physical box office, the Festik online ticketing platform, phone/email reservations, and the venue's own streaming radio (Radio Cave Po') archived on SoundCloud. Operations are substantially supported by public funding from Mairie de Toulouse, Toulouse Métropole, DRAC Occitanie, Conseil Départemental de Haute-Garonne, and Région Occitanie, supplemented by rights-society support (SACEM, SACD, CNV, Spedidam, ADAMI) and private foundations (Fondation Crédit Mutuel).

The association is staffed by a small core team supplemented by civic-service volunteers (3 per year on 8-month missions) and occasional interns, and serves a mixed audience of general theater-goers, university students (Université Toulouse Capitole and Jean-Jaurès partnerships), school groups (writing and philosophy workshops for children 7–10), and residents of underserved Toulouse neighborhoods (BAFAPATABOR outreach in Bagatelle, Faourette, Papus, Tabar, and Bordelongue). A long-running artist residency program — current 2025–2026 cohort: Clarice Boyriven, Cie La Portée, and Louis Ponsolle — anchors creation work, and the venue sits within an 11-venue Carnets Pleins Feux network that creates cross-promotion and cross-venue subscription revenue.

Name

Cave Poésie René Gouzenne

Legal name

La Cave Poésie René-Gouzenne

Website

https://cave-poesie.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

La Cave Poésie René-Gouzenne is a non-profit cultural association founded in 1974 in Toulouse, France, operating a ~150-seat theater venue that hosts live theater, music concerts, poetry readings, and traditional dance events, supported by public cultural funding and community programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Venue

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM), Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues) (MPAGALAC), Outdoor Amphitheater & Open-Air Venue Operations (MPAGALAG)

Keywords

• Performing arts venue
• Live theater performances
• Poetry readings
• Cultural programming
• Arts education workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

Toulouse

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Direct ticket sales for performances ranging from 4€ to 15€ per show. Tickets sold at box office, by phone, email, and online through Festik platform.
2. Carnets Pleins Feux: Subscription bundles of 3 or 5 non-nominative tickets valid across 11 cultural venues in Toulouse Métropole. Provides recurring revenue through advance ticket bundle sales.
3. Gift Certificates: Gift tickets sold at 15€ per place, or 22€ with food and beverage package. Valid for one year.
4. Bar and Catering: Bar opens 30 minutes before performances, closed during shows. Light refreshments available.
5. Cultural Patronage (Mécénat): Accepts cultural patronage/mécénat donations from individuals and organizations, with associated tax benefits under French law.
6. Merchandise: Sale of DVD documentaries (15€) about René Gouzenne and book-objects featuring illustrations and texts by various artists.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

La Cave Poésie René Gouzenne operates an intimate two-room performing arts venue (100-seat Cave and 50-seat Foyer) in central Toulouse, producing and hosting live theater, traditional and contemporary music, dance events (bal, bal forró, bal latino-américain), poetry and literary readings, and themed festivals. The association supplements ticketed performance programming with multi-year artist residencies, educational workshops (reading aloud, writing, philosophy for children, school programs), the Carnets Pleins Feux multi-venue subscription booklet, and a self-operated radio station (Radio Cave Po') that streams and archives recordings via SoundCloud.

Product overview

Cave Poésie René Gouzenne is a theater and cultural venue in Toulouse operating as an association dedicated to poetry, theater, music, and the performing arts. The venue functions as a unified cultural center offering live theater performances, traditional dance concerts (bal), poetry readings, artist residencies, educational workshops, and its own radio station (Radio Cave Po'). The main products include ticketed performances across multiple genres, the Carnets Pleins Feux multi-venue subscription system, and community programs like open mic nights and festivals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mairie de ToulousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary public funding partner and supporter of the venue's programming and operations.
• Toulouse MétropolecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMetropolitan government partner providing institutional support and funding.
• DRAC OccitaniecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional cultural affairs directorate providing state funding for artistic programming.
• Région OccitaniecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional council providing funding support for cultural activities.
• Université Toulouse CapitolecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner hosting artist residencies and intellectual events, with dedicated cultural space (Espace culturel Université Capitole). Coproduces performances including Gaspard Chauvelot's Tentative d'Épuisement.
• SACEMcoreOthersFrench music copyright society providing support for musical programming.
• SpedidamminorOthersFrench collective management society for performing artists, supporting performers' rights.
• ADAMIminorOthersSociety for artist and music producer rights management.
• Carnets Pleins Feux Network (11 venues)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConsortium of 11 cultural venues in Toulouse Métropole offering cross-venue ticket bundles. Includes Théâtre du Grand Rond, Théâtre Le Fil à Plomb, Théâtre du Pont Neuf, Théâtre de la Violette, Le Bijou, and others.
• Radio Partners (Combustible, L'Onde Miroir, Radio Campus, Canal Sud, Confluences)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerRadio station partners broadcasting Radio Cave Po' content and supporting venue communications.
• Occitanie Livre & LecturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional book and reading agency supporting literary programming and author residencies.
• Centre Occitan des Musiques et Danses Traditionnelles (COMDT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional center for traditional Occitan music and dance supporting traditional music programming.
• Partage 31coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization partner for BAFAPATABOR neighborhood outreach program in Bagatelle, Faourette, Papus, Tabar, and Bordelongue districts.
• Théâtre du CapitoleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor Toulouse theater offering complementary programming and potential co-productions.
• Théâtre SoranominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerToulouse theater partner in the local performing arts ecosystem.
• Théâtre Le Vent des signesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTheater partner specializing in sign language and accessible performances.
• Le BijouminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerToulouse cultural venue partner in the Pleins Feux network.
• La Cinémathèque de ToulouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFilm archive partner for cinema programming and joint cultural events.
• Librairie Terra NovaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndependent bookstore partner selling books and publications related to venue events.
• Librairie Ombres BlanchesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor independent bookstore and cultural space partner.
• Festival Détours de chantminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual music festival partner in the Occitanie region.
• Festival OccitaniaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional traditional music and culture festival partner.
• Collectif HortenseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtist collective providing ongoing support for Gaspard Chauvelot's programming.
• Université Toulouse Jean-Jaurès (UT2J)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor university partner for student programming, reduced ticket schemes, and academic collaborations including IFMI (Institut de Formation des Musicien·nes Intervenant·es) student residencies.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Théâtre du Pont Neuf: Toulouse independent theater in the Carnets Pleins Feux network, sharing subscription cross-promotion and serving a similar niche performing-arts audience.
• Théâtre du Grand Rond: Independent theater in Toulouse operating as an association with comparable intimate scale and contemporary programming. Direct partner in the Carnets Pleins Feux network with overlapping audience and similar non-profit funding model.
• Théâtre Sorano: Toulouse theater partner with longer-running institutional status, comparable contemporary programming and overlapping audience demographics.
• Théâtre de la Violette: Independent Toulouse theater within the Carnets Pleins Feux network; comparable small-venue contemporary programming and association-based operating model.
• Théâtre Le Vent des Signes: Toulouse theater partner specializing in sign language and accessible performances; shared network partner with similar community-focused association model.
• Le Bijou: Toulouse cultural venue and Carnets Pleins Feux network partner offering cross-disciplinary programming comparable in scale and community focus.
• Théâtre Le Fil à Plomb: Small Toulouse theater venue and Carnets Pleins Feux partner offering comparable intimate-scale contemporary programming for similar audiences.

Broad incumbents

• Théâtre du Capitole: Major Toulouse opera and ballet institution; significantly larger and more established, with broader programming portfolio and larger production budgets that compete for cultural audiences in the same metro area.
• Théâtre National de Toulouse: National theater (Centre Dramatique National) in Toulouse with substantially larger capacity, budgets, and institutional reach—competes for the same contemporary theater-going audience.

Regional players

• La Cinémathèque de Toulouse: Toulouse film archive and cultural venue that co-programs with Cave Poésie (e.g., Cinespaña festival). Comparable regional cultural-association scale with a different but adjacent programming focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cave-po%C3%A9sie-ren%C3%A9-gouzenne

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Cave Poésie René Gouzenne