Ecole de Cirque de Lyon

What Ecole de Cirque de Lyon does

École de Cirque de Lyon is a private non-profit circus arts school founded in 1999 and operated as a project of MJC Ménival, a community youth and cultural center rooted in popular education values, based in the 5th arrondissement of Lyon (29 Avenue de Ménival, 69005). It delivers instruction across 10+ circus disciplines — acrobatics, aerial arts, equilibristics, juggling, Chinese pole, contortion, dance, and clown — through weekly courses, vacation stages, thematic workshops, school-based EAC (arts and cultural education) projects, early-childhood ateliers, and free training access for professional artists. Programming is anchored by the flagship two-year Formation Préparatoire (2,660 hours of instruction) supported by DRAC Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, which prepares aspirants for national and international circus school auditions (next round: 2028).

The school operates specialized physical facilities including a hexagonal training hall (Salle de l'Hexagone) with 6.5m central height and multiple aerial anchor points, plus a dedicated performance space (Scène Découvertes). Service delivery is hybrid: direct on-site enrollment at MJC Ménival (in-person, by email, or via HelloAsso), supplemented by off-site "hors les murs" workshops deployed to schools, community centers, and partner venues such as Les Subsistances and the Ateliers Croix-Roussiens des Arts du Cirque (ACRAC) across the Lyon metropolitan area. The school is accredited by the Fédération Française des Écoles de Cirque (FFEC) and the Fédération Européenne des Écoles de Cirque (FEDEC).

Revenue mechanics blend annual course subscriptions (e.g., adult courses €308-€393 + FFEC license and MJC membership), per-week vacation stage fees (€114-€249), thematic cycle fees, performance/ticket revenue, and public grants from Ville de Lyon, DRAC Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, and Métropole de Lyon. The school serves more than 400 weekly-course students annually across children (ages 3-18), adults (amateur and professional), early-childhood cohorts, educational institutions, and pre-professional aspirants. On October 17, 2025, École de Cirque de Lyon was designated the 15th Pôle National du Cirque by the French Ministry of Culture, in partnership with UTOPISTES – Cité internationale des arts du cirque, with a dedicated facility planned for Vénissieux by 2029.

Name

Ecole de Cirque de Lyon

Legal name

École de Cirque de Lyon

Website

https://ecoledecirquedelyon.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

École de Cirque de Lyon is a non-profit circus arts school within MJC Ménival offering weekly courses, vacation stages, and a two-year pre-professional training program across 10+ disciplines, serving 400+ students annually in the Lyon metropolitan area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Circus Arts Education

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Theatre Education, Training & Conservatories (MPAGABAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts (Acting, Improv, Theater) (EDAAAGAE), Play-Based SEL & Executive Function Skill-Building Programs (EDACAOAB), Domain-Specific Curriculum (Literacy, Numeracy, Science, SEL, Motor, Arts) (EDACAJAB)

Keywords

• Circus arts education
• Circus school training
• Acrobatics and aerial arts
• Preparatory circus training
• Youth arts programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Lyon

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Weekly and annual course fees: Fees for regular weekly circus arts courses charged on an annual basis, with different price points for Lyon residents and external participants, plus FFEC license and MJC membership fees.
2. Vacation stage (camp) fees: Fees for holiday circus camps for children and teens (ages 4-18), charged per session week, with differentiated pricing for different age groups.
3. Thematic workshop fees: Fees for specialized thematic courses such as aerial arts cycles (5 sessions), charged per cycle with options for Lyon vs. external participants.
4. Free training access fees: Annual access fees for free training (entrainements libres) for professional circus artists, including a flat annual fee plus MJC membership and FFEC license.
5. Preparatory training program fees: Fees for the two-year preparatory training program preparing students for national and international circus school competitions, supported by DRAC Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.
6. Performance and show revenue: Revenue from the Scène Découvertes program of professional circus performances and the annual Éclats de Cirque festival, which showcases young artists and professional circus companies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

École de Cirque de Lyon is a non-profit circus arts school operating within MJC Ménival in Lyon, France. It delivers year-round circus arts education to 400+ students across age groups (early childhood through adults), spanning weekly courses, school-holiday stages, themed workshops, and a two-year pre-professional preparatory program. The school also runs arts and cultural education (EAC) projects for schools and underserved neighborhoods, hosts the Scène Découvertes performance series and the annual Éclats de Cirque festival, and provides free training access for professional circus artists.

Product overview

Ecole de Cirque de Lyon is a leisure and vocational circus arts school operating within MJC Ménival, offering a comprehensive portfolio of circus arts education and performance programs. The core offering consists of weekly courses (Cours hebdomadaires) for children and adults across three proficiency levels, supplemented by school holiday workshops (Stages) for children, teenagers, and adults. The flagship Formation Préparatoire is a two-year preparatory program for students aspiring to enter national and international circus arts schools. Specialized offerings include Cours thématiques (thematic specialty courses such as aerial work), school-based workshops (Ateliers en milieu scolaire), early childhood programs (Ateliers petite enfance), and Arts and Cultural Education projects (Projets EAC) that combine practice with live performance exposure. The school operates Scène Découvertes as its performance venue and programming arm, showcasing young artists through the Éclats de Cirque festival and regular shows. Additional programs include free training access for professional artists (Entrainements libres) and community mediation initiatives (Médiation). The school holds approvals from both the French and European Circus Schools Federations (FFEC/FEDEC) and serves more than 400 amateur students annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Formation Préparatoire: A two-year preparatory training program for higher circus arts schools, supported by DRAC Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.
• La Scène Découvertes
• Éclats de Cirque

Products and services

• Cours hebdomadaires (Weekly courses) Year-round weekly circus arts courses for children and adults across three skill levels (Découverte, Initiation, Approfondissement), covering disciplines including acrobatics, object manipulation, aerial work, and juggling.
• Stages enfants & ados (Children & teen holiday stages) School holiday circus workshops for children and teenagers aged 4-18, with age-appropriate programs across various circus disciplines.
• Stages adultes (Adult holiday stages) Adult circus workshops offered throughout the year covering disciplines such as balance, Chinese pole, aerial work, tightrope, clowning, and acrobatic carries.
• Formation Préparatoire (Preparatory training program) Two-year preparatory training program preparing students for national and international circus arts school entrance examinations, supported by DRAC Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and totaling 2,660 hours of instruction.
• Cours thématiques (Themed specialty courses) Specialized themed courses focusing on specific circus disciplines, such as intermediate-level aerial work (tissu, cerceau, trapèze, corde lisse), taught by specialist instructors in multi-session cycles.
• Ateliers en milieu scolaire (School-based workshops) School-based circus arts initiation workshops conducted within educational institutions (collèges and lycées), aligned with EPS and arts curriculum, with instructors deploying on-site to partner schools.
• Ateliers petite enfance (Early childhood workshops) Early childhood circus arts workshops for young children (typically ages 0-5), using games of motor skills, balance, and object manipulation in a gentle, developmentally appropriate approach.
• Projets EAC (Arts and Cultural Education projects) Arts and cultural education projects including Labo Cirque des Collégiens, Collège Les Batti\u00e8res multi-year programs, and Parcours Cirque du 5\u00e8me, combining circus practice with live performance exposure.
• Scène Découvertes (Performance venue and programming) Performance venue and programming showcasing young circus arts artists and new artistic proposals through the Scène Découvertes series and the annual Éclats de Cirque festival.
• Entrainements libres (Free training access for professionals) Annual access program providing professional circus artists with free training access to the Hexagone hall (6.5m height, multiple aerial anchor points) from September to June.
• Médiation (Community mediation programs) Mediation programs bringing circus arts to diverse populations, including outreach initiatives, community projects, and projects adapted for specific audiences across the Lyon metropolitan area.

Quantifiable outcome

• 400+ students enrolled in weekly workshops across all age groups and disciplines
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• UTOPISTES – Cité internationale des arts du cirquecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe school was designated the 15th Pôle National du Cirque in partnership with UTOPISTES – Cité internationale des arts du cirque. The partnership involves integrating into a dedicated circus arts complex to be built in Vénissieux at the Grand Parilly site, expected by 2029. This partnership is central to the school's strategic development as a national reference institution.
• APCIAC (Association de Préfiguration de la Cité Internationale des Arts du Cirque)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe APCIAC, co-developed by Cie MPTA and École de Cirque de Lyon, is building a virtuous ecosystem for circus arts in the Lyon metropolitan area. It supports the emergence of young artists through co-productions with Éclats de Cirque and Scène Découvertes. It is driving the creation of a Cité internationale des arts du cirque expected at Grand Parilly, Vénissieux by 2027.
• Cie MPTAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe MPTA company and École de Cirque de Lyon have worked together for nearly 10 years to build a virtuous ecosystem for circus arts on the metropolitan territory. They co-develop the APCIAC project and collaborate on artist residencies, performances, and programming.
• DRAC Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (Direction Régionale des Affaires Culturelles)coreOthersRegional cultural authority providing institutional funding and support. The DRAC Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes supports the school's preparatory training program and is referenced as a partner on the Éclats de Cirque festival.
• Métropole de LyonmajorOthersMetropolitan government of Lyon providing institutional funding and support for arts education projects. Mentioned as a supporter of the Labo Cirque des Collégiens EAC project.
• Ville de Lyon (City of Lyon)majorOthersThe City of Lyon provides institutional funding and support, and partners on the Parcours Cirque du 5ème cultural outreach program. Also referenced in the Éclats de Cirque festival sponsors.
• Région Auvergne-Rhône-AlpesmajorOthersRegional government providing institutional funding. Referenced as a festival partner and supporter of arts and cultural activities.
• MJC MénivalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe school is a project of MJC Ménival, a community youth and cultural center (Maison des Jeunes et de la Culture) rooted in popular education values. MJC Ménival hosts the school and provides its facilities, administrative infrastructure, and community network.
• L'Imprévisible Fabrique (Café Janin)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner venue for the Parcours Cirque du 5ème community program, hosting circus workshops and performances in the 5th arrondissement.
• Centre Social de ChampvertminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity center serving as a relay and venue for the Parcours Cirque du 5ème community program in the Champvert neighborhood of the 5th arrondissement.
• Centre Social de Point du JourminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity center serving as a relay and venue for the Parcours Cirque du 5ème community program in the Point du Jour neighborhood of the 5th arrondissement.
• Les Subsistances (Lyon)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor cultural venue in Lyon hosting off-site weekly circus activities for the school and serving as a space for professional artist residencies.
• La Cascade (Pôle Nacional de la Danse)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner dance and circus arts venue providing space and programming collaboration for the school and APCIAC network.
• La Maison de la Danse (Lyon)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrestigious dance and performing arts venue in Lyon that has hosted collaborative events between the school and professional circus companies.
• Conservatoire de LyonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusic conservatory with which the school collaborated on the 'Corps à Cordes' creation project, bringing together circus students and conservatory musicians for a joint performance.
• Les Utopistes / Festival Les UtopistesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual circus festival that provides programming and performance opportunities. Students from the Labo Cirque des Collégiens EAC project visit the festival, and the APCIAC co-produces performances on the festival's program.
• Fédération Française des Écoles de Cirque (FFEC)coreOthersNational federation of circus schools providing institutional accreditation, network membership, and a licensing framework (licence FFEC) for circus practitioners. The school is agréée by the FFEC.
• Fédération Européenne des Écoles de Cirque (FEDEC)minorOthersEuropean federation of circus schools providing international network membership, best practice sharing, and institutional recognition across Europe.
• Festival Éclats de CirquemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual circus festival organized by the school showcasing young artists and professional circus companies. The festival features performances, initiation workshops, family activities, and food/beverage offerings, serving as a major community engagement event. 2024 edition sponsored by Ville de Lyon, DRAC ARA, Région ARA, and Grand Lyon.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Centre National des Arts du Cirque (CNAC): France's flagship national higher-education institution for circus arts in Châlons-en-Champagne. Directly comparable as a French circus school offering pre-professional and professional training, and is one of the destinations for École de Cirque de Lyon's preparatory-program graduates.
• Le Lido – Centre des Arts du Cirque de Toulouse: Toulouse-based national circus school and Pôle National du Cirque offering amateur and pre-professional training. Direct peer in the French Pôle network and comparable in scope (circus instruction, performances, community programs).
• Académie Fratellini: A major Parisian performing-arts school with a dedicated circus track rooted in popular-education values. Comparable to École de Cirque de Lyon's blend of amateur access, professional pathways, and community-focused mission.
• École Nationale de Cirque de Châtellerault: A national-level French circus school delivering professional-track training. Highly comparable to École de Cirque de Lyon given the shared focus on pre-professional pipeline preparation and a similar FFEC-aligned pedagogy.

Others

• MJC Ménival: The parent Maison des Jeunes et de la Culture hosting École de Cirque de Lyon. Closely adjacent rather than competing — provides the facility, administrative infrastructure, and community network that the school operates within.

Regional players

• École Supérieure des Arts du Cirque (ESAC): Belgium's higher-education circus school in Brussels, operating within the European FEDEC network. Comparable to École de Cirque de Lyon's professional-track curriculum and accreditation framework, while serving a different geography.
• National Centre for Circus Arts (NCCA): UK's only provider of degree-level circus training in London. Comparable as a European FEDEC-network peer delivering pre-professional and professional circus instruction.
• Codarts Circus Arts (Rotterdam): Dutch circus-arts program within Codarts University of the Arts. A FEDEC-aligned peer delivering structured circus education in continental Europe, comparable to the pedagogical framework École de Cirque de Lyon uses for its preparatory program.

Broad incumbents

• La Cascade – Pôle National de la Danse et des Arts du Cirque: Bourdeaux-based national pole for dance and circus with artist residencies and programming. Direct peer in the French Pôle network and an active partner of École de Cirque de Lyon for artist residencies and programming collaboration.
• ARTCENA – Centre national des arts du cirque, de la rue et du théâtre: French national resource center for circus, street, and theater arts. Comparable as the broader institutional ecosystem (funding, documentation, advocacy) within which École de Cirque de Lyon operates and is recognized via the Pôle National label.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/EcoledeCirquedeLyon
• Instagraminstagram.com/ecoledecirquedelyon
• TikToktiktok.com/@ecoledecirquedelyon
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ecole-de-cirque-de-lyon

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Ecole de Cirque de Lyon