Cirque-Théâtre d'Elbeuf, Pôle national cirque - Normandie

What Cirque-Théâtre d'Elbeuf, Pôle national cirque - Normandie does

The Cirque-Théâtre d'Elbeuf is a French public cultural establishment and designated Pôle National Cirque in Normandy. Its historic 1892 venue is one of eight remaining permanent circus buildings in France and uniquely combines a circular circus ring with an Italian-style theater stage. The institution presents seasonal contemporary circus performances, supports artistic creation and touring, and supplements its core programming with Festival SPRING participation, artist and co-production activity, guided heritage visits, free workshops, school services, accessibility support, outdoor summer performances, and hospitality services.

Ticket sales are the principal transaction-based revenue stream, with standard performance tickets priced from €5 to €19, youth and school tickets at €6, social and medical group access from €9, and a €30 Carte Relais card offering corporate-group tickets at €12. The organization also receives public institutional support and individual donations, while generating ancillary income through external company performances, venue rental, event hosting, and bar services. It reaches general audiences through online ticketing and box-office sales, while cultural mediation and group-sales staff serve schools, social and medical structures, companies, associations, local authorities, and performing-arts professionals.

Name

Cirque-Théâtre d'Elbeuf, Pôle national cirque - Normandie

Legal name

EPCC Cirque-Théâtre d'Elbeuf

Website

https://cirquetheatre-elbeuf.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1892

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cirque-Théâtre d’Elbeuf is a French public cultural venue and National Circus Hub presenting contemporary circus and cultural programs to general audiences, schools, social and medical organizations, companies, and performing-arts professionals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Venue / Contemporary Circus

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Other Performing Arts Companies (711190)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Circus & Physical Theatre (MPAGABAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG)

Keywords

• Contemporary circus venue
• Performing arts programming
• Cultural mediation services
• Circus heritage tours
• Public arts establishment

Headquarters

HQ city

Elbeuf, Normandie

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Primary revenue stream from the sale of tickets to performances and events at the Cirque-Théâtre. Ticket prices vary by show, ranging from €5 to €19 for standard performances and €6 for youth public performances.
2. Donations and Patronage (Mécénat): The organization accepts individual donations with a 66% tax deduction, enabling tax-efficient philanthropy from patrons and supporters.
3. Venue Rental and Related Services: The venue generates revenue through hosting external touring companies, hosting events, and providing its bar services to audiences during performances.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Cirque-Théâtre d'Elbeuf operates a historic 1892 circus-theater venue in Normandy as a public cultural establishment (EPCC) and designated Pôle National Cirque. It produces and presents seasonal contemporary circus performances by national and international companies, supports artist creation through residencies and co-productions, delivers cultural education programs for schools and social structures, and provides accessibility services for disabled audiences. The venue is unique in France for combining a circular circus ring with an Italian-style theater stage.

Product overview

Cirque-Théâtre d'Elbeuf is a performing arts venue dedicated to contemporary circus, operating as a single unified facility with multiple interconnected services. The core offering is seasonal programming of circus performances, supported by online ticketing, educational services (school performances, free circus workshops), cultural visits, accessibility provisions, and hospitality amenities (bar, private events). Major programs include the annual Festival SPRING (via the 2 Pôles Cirque en Normandie platform) and the outdoor summer program Cirque-Théâtre Quartier d'été.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Plateforme 2 Pôles Cirque en Normandie: A collaborative platform between La Brèche (Cherbourg) and Cirque-Théâtre d'Elbeuf supporting contemporary circus creation and dissemination in Normandie.

Products and services

• Programmation circassienne (Season) Seasonal programming of contemporary circus performances featuring national and international companies, including premieres, young audience shows, and festival presentations. Tickets priced €5 to €19 for standard performances.

Quantifiable outcome

• One of eight remaining 'cirques en dur' (permanent circus buildings) in France
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• La Brèche à Cherbourg (Pôle national cirque)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Since 2015, La Brèche à Cherbourg and the Cirque-Théâtre d'Elbeuf have developed extensive collaborations within the 'Plateforme 2 Pôles Cirque en Normandie.' While respecting their operational independence, the two Poles complement each other: La Brèche focuses on artist residencies while the Cirque-Théâtre concentrates on performance diffusion. Together they coordinate co-productions, artist support, and the Festival SPRING, positioning Normandy as a leading center for contemporary circus in Europe and internationally.
• Festival SPRINGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFestival SPRING is a major international circus festival co-organized by the Plateforme 2 Pôles Cirque en Normandie (Cirque-Théâtre d'Elbeuf and La Brèche Cherbourg). The festival is a key platform for contemporary circus creation, attracting companies and audiences from across France and internationally.
• Plateforme 2 Pôles Cirque en NormandiecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe platform coordinates circus creation, diffusion, and support across Normandy's two Poles Nationaux Cirque. It facilitates co-productions, artist residencies, and international partnerships, making the region a leading hub for contemporary circus.
• Plateforme 2 Pôles Cirque en Normandie / Festival SPRINGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organized by the two PNCs, the festival showcases contemporary circus from France and internationally, with multiple venues across Normandy participating.
• ARTCENAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerARTCENA is the French national center for circus arts, street theater, and theater. It partners with the Cirque-Théâtre on the 'Auteurs en Tandem' program, pairing theater and circus writers for joint creative residencies.
• Centre National des Arts du Cirque (CNAC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe CNAC, based in Châlons-en-Champagne, is France's premier circus arts school. The Cirque-Théâtre regularly hosts end-of-year student performances, including the 38th CNAC promotion show 'À VIF' programmed during Festival SPRING.
• Territoires de CirquesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTerritoires de Cirques is the national association of France's Pôles Nationaux Cirque. It organizes events including La Nuit du Cirque (International Circus Night), which the Cirque-Théâtre participates in with support from the Ministry of Culture.
• Métropole Rouen NormandiecoreOthersThe Métropole Rouen Normandie is the primary local government authority overseeing the Cirque-Théâtre as an EPCC. It provides institutional funding and governance support, with Nicolas Rouly serving as President of the EPCC and Vice-President of the Métropole in charge of culture.
• Ministry of Culture / DRAC NormandiecoreOthersThe French Ministry of Culture, through DRAC Normandie (Direction Régionale des Affaires Culturelles), provides ongoing financial support to the Cirque-Théâtre as part of its PNC designation.
• Région NormandiecoreOthersThe Normandy Region provides institutional funding to the Cirque-Théâtre as part of its cultural policy and support for the PNC network.
• Ville d'Elbeuf-sur-SeineminorOthersThe city of Elbeuf is represented on the EPCC board through elected officials and participates in the governance and local support of the venue.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Théâtre National de Chaillot: Major national theater in Paris with broader performing arts remit including dance and circus; comparable as a publicly funded national venue, though with significantly larger audience scale and broader programming scope.
• La Villette (Grande Halle & Parc): Major Parisian cultural complex presenting circus, music, and contemporary performance. Functions as a broad incumbent in the same national ecosystem, with overlapping programming categories and considerably larger audience scale.
• Théâtre National Populaire (TNP) — Villeurbanne: One of France's five national theaters, located in Villeurbanne/Lyon. Comparable as a publicly funded national cultural institution presenting live performing arts, though oriented toward theater and dance rather than circus.
• Centre National des Arts du Cirque (CNAC): France's premier national circus school in Châlons-en-Champagne. Anchors the national circus ecosystem; the Cirque-Théâtre hosts its end-of-year student productions, making CNAC a key upstream talent and programming partner.

Regional players

• Le Channel — Scène Nationale de Calais: A Scène Nationale in northern France with a multidisciplinary programming remit including circus and street arts; comparable as a publicly funded regional venue but with broader artistic scope than a dedicated PNC.

Others

• ARTCENA: French national resource center for circus, street arts, and theater; partners with Cirque-Théâtre on the 'Auteurs en Tandem' residency program — a sectoral enabler and ecosystem peer rather than direct competitor.

Direct peers

• Cirque Jules Verne — Pôle National Cirque et de la Marionnette (Amiens): Another historic circus theater in France holding PNC designation; directly comparable as a permanent circus venue presenting contemporary circus, with similar public institutional funding model.
• La Brèche à Cherbourg — Pôle National Cirque: The sister PNC in Normandy and direct operational partner within Plateforme 2 Pôles Cirque en Normandie; complementary focus on artist residencies vs. diffusion, co-organizing Festival SPRING.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCNmK02yF_UewOOLhIvFC1Hg
• Facebookfacebook.com/cirque.theatre.elbeuf
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cirque-th%C3%A9%C3%A2tre-d-elbeuf-p%C3%B4le-national-cirque-de-normandie
• Instagraminstagram.com/cirquetheatre_delbeuf

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Cirque-Théâtre d'Elbeuf, Pôle national cirque - Normandie