ESPACES PLURIELS

What ESPACES PLURIELS does

Espaces Pluriels is a non-profit performing arts association (association Loi 1901, SIRET 782 358 014 00010) based in Pau, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France. Founded in 1985 as a transformation of the Centre Rencontre et Recherche conference hall into Théâtre Saragosse, the association was formally registered in 2003 and entered the Ministry of Culture's Scène conventionnée program that same year, achieving "Scène conventionnée d'intérêt national Art et création - Danse" designation. It operates two complementary venues: the intimate 220-seat Théâtre Saragosse at 17 avenue de Saragosse (administrative seat and primary residency space) and the 580-seat Le Foirail at Place du Foirail (main venue for larger-format productions), plus outdoor spaces such as Place Récaborde. Annual programming spans contemporary dance, theater, and circus, supported by the La Fabrique residency program delivering 50+ creation days per season and 8 annual artistic coproductions.

The venue generates revenue through a layered public subsidy base — combining grants from the French Ministry of Culture/DRAC Nouvelle-Aquitaine, the City of Pau (which owns the Théâtre Saragosse building since 2008), the Department of Pyrénées-Atlantiques, and the Region Nouvelle-Aquitaine, plus additional support from ONDA and OARA for touring and accessibility — complemented by ticket sales (€5–€40 per seat across tiered tariffs A, B, C, and Exceptional), subscriptions (minimum 4 shows), and membership dues (€15 individual, €100 collective). Distribution runs through on-site box offices, an online ticketing platform (notre-billetterie.fr), and direct walk-up sales. The organization serves four primary customer segments: the general public of Pau and the Béarn region (season ticket holders and walk-up attendees), educational institutions (25+ schools plus a conservatory and university partnership), social and healthcare partners (community centers, hospitals, care homes), and professional artists/companies in creation phases. A 6-person permanent team under director Christophe Chanut (since January 2023, succeeding Carole Rambaud) executes programming, cultural mediation, and technical operations, with cultural action and communications led by Anne Woelfel.

Name

ESPACES PLURIELS

Legal name

Espaces Pluriels

Website

https://espacespluriels.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Espaces Pluriels is a non-profit French performing arts association in Pau operating two venues (220-seat Théâtre Saragosse and 580-seat Le Foirail) under a national Ministry of Culture dance label, delivering contemporary dance, theater, and circus programming with artist residencies, ticketed performances, and cultural outreach to schools and social partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Venue Services

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (711310), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAGALAB

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

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

SECONDARYMPAIAFAL

Event Operations & Venue Services (Box Office, FOH/BOH, Concessions)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Music & Audio (Recording, Publishing, Streaming)/Live Music & Touring (Promoters, Venues, Ticketing)

SECONDARYTHAHAAAG

Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums)

Travel & Hospitality/MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions)/Conference & Convention Venues (Convention Centers, Civic Centers)

SECONDARYMPAGALAK

Venue Guest Services & Front-of-House Operations (Ushers, Box Office, Accessibility)

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

Keywords

• Performing arts venue
• Contemporary dance programming
• Artist residency programs
• Cultural action outreach
• Live performance subscription

Headquarters

HQ city

Pau

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Subsidies: Core funding from Ministry of Culture, Regional Cultural Affairs (DRAC Nouvelle-Aquitaine), City of Pau, Department of Pyrénées-Atlantiques, and Region Nouvelle-Aquitaine. ONDA and OARA provide additional support.
2. Ticket Sales: Individual tickets at various tariff levels (A, B, C, Exceptional), subscriptions with minimum 4 shows, gift vouchers, and group memberships (collective adhesion at 100€).
3. Membership Dues: Individual membership at 15€ annually, collective membership at 100€ for organizations and works councils.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Espaces Pluriels operates a nationally labeled performing arts venue (Scène conventionnée d'intérêt national Art et création – Danse) in Pau, France, delivering year-round contemporary dance, theater, and circus performances across two venues (Théâtre Saragosse, 220 seats; Le Foirail, 580 seats). It also provides artist residency support (La Fabrique, 50+ days per season), cultural action and mediation programs in schools and social settings, online and on-site ticketing, and season subscription services.

Product overview

Espaces Pluriels is a 'Scène conventionnée d'intérêt national Art et création - Danse' (nationally designated dance scene) located in Pau, France. The venue operates two performance spaces: Théâtre Saragosse (220 seats, intimate venue for proximity encounters) and Le Foirail (580 seats, for larger formats and collaborations). The annual season programming spans contemporary dance, theater, and circus disciplines. Supporting infrastructure includes artist residencies (La Fabrique) with over 50 days of annual creation residencies, cultural action programs reaching schools and social institutions, online ticketing, and subscription services. The venue functions as a creative hub connecting artists with the local population through programming, residencies, and community engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Théâtre Saragosse: The 220-seat venue (lieu de l'intime) at 17 avenue de Saragosse, Pau, serving as the primary home and administrative seat of Espaces Pluriels.
• Le Foirail
• Festival Plurielles

Products and services

• Théâtre Saragosse (220-seat venue) Intimate 220-seat venue at 17 avenue de Saragosse, Pau, serving as the primary home of Espaces Pluriels and the main location for small-scale performances, artist residencies, and close encounters between artists and audiences.
• Le Foirail (580-seat venue) 580-seat venue at Place du Foirail, Pau, hosting larger-format performances and collaborations with other cultural actors. Equipped with wheelchair access and hearing assistance devices.
• Season Programming (Dance, Theater, Circus) Annual season programming featuring contemporary dance, theater, and circus performances. The 2026-2027 season includes productions such as Prométhée (Ballet de l'Opéra Grand Avignon), Ad Libitum/From the Ground, Ultrasensibles, Le Pas du Monde (Collectif XY), En même temps, Lullaby Shot (Leïla Ka), Nos corps désirants, and others.
• Artist Residencies (La Fabrique) Residency program for dance and theater companies providing workspace, technical infrastructure, accommodations, and financial support. Espaces Pluriels conducts over 50 days of creation residencies per season at Théâtre Saragosse plus partnerships with Agora de Billère.
• Cultural Action and Mediation Educational and cultural outreach programs including partnerships with schools, social institutions, hospitals, and community centers. Includes the 'Parcours de sensibilisation danse' teacher training and 'Danse & Chorégraphe' workshops for artists, mediators, and educators.
• Online Ticketing (Notre-Billetterie) Online ticket sales platform available 24/7 through the website. Ticket categories include full price, reduced (performing arts professionals, job seekers), youth (-18 years, Student Card, -26 years), and family packages.
• Season Subscription (Abonnement) Subscription program requiring a minimum of 4 shows with benefits including discounted rates, priority booking, and partner pricing for Le Temps d'Aimer la dance festival.

Named customers3 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

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ministry of Culture / DRAC Nouvelle-AquitainecoreOthersPrimary public funder providing national recognition and labeling as Scène conventionnée d'intérêt national Art et création - Danse. Supports artistic creation and cultural action programs.
• City of PaucoreOthersMunicipal authority and building owner (since 2008) supporting venue operations and cultural programming. Key partner for local cultural policy implementation.
• Region Nouvelle-AquitainecoreOthersRegional council providing operational and project funding for cultural infrastructure and artistic creation.
• Department of Pyrénées-AtlantiquescoreOthersDepartmental council supporting cultural action and territorial development through the pays, particularly for dance sector.
• ONDAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOffice National de Diffusion Artistique provides promotional and touring support for French performing arts internationally.
• OARAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOffice Artistique de la Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine supports regional touring, international development, and audiodescription production for accessibility.
• Sillage/s NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of scène conventionnées supporting contemporary dance. Collective resource sharing for artist accompaniment and choreography development across member venues.
• SyndeacminorOthersNational union of performing arts employers. Espaces Pluriels is a member for professional advocacy and sector representation.
• Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional Pau Béarn PyrénéesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional conservatory partnership for student exposure to professional dance and theater programming.
• Université de Pau Pays de l'AdourminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership for Cinéma-Théâtre-Danse pathway in Letters department, providing higher education students access to performing arts.
• L'Agora (Billère)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCultural association for childhood and youth in neighboring Billère. Partnership for artist residencies and cross-territory cultural programming.
• School Network (25+ establishments)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with primary schools, colleges, and lycées across Pau agglomeration and Pyrénées-Atlantiques department for EAC (Éducation Artistique et Culturelle) programming.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Théâtre de la Ville (Paris): Major Parisian venue with a long-standing contemporary dance and theater programming tradition. Comparable in dance-forward artistic identity, but operates at a substantially larger scale, with international co-productions and higher ticket revenue capacity.
• Chaillot — Théâtre National de la Danse: National theater dedicated to dance in Paris, with much larger capacity, national visibility, and institutional reach. Comparable in core focus on contemporary dance programming, but operates as a national flagship rather than a regionally-rooted scene.

Direct peers

• Le Channel — Scène nationale de Calais: Scène nationale in Calais presenting theater, dance, and circus with strong audience-development mandate. Comparable in institutional labeling, programming breadth, and dependency on multi-level public subsidies.
• La Ferme du Buisson (Scène nationale): Scène nationale in Noisiel with multi-disciplinary programming across performing arts. Comparable as a labeled national scene with comparable scale, public funding model, and cultural action/outreach scope.
• Maison de la Danse (Lyon): Dedicated dance venue in Lyon focused exclusively on contemporary dance presentation and creation. Directly comparable as a French dance-specialist programming institution with public subsidy funding and educational outreach.
• La Place de la Danse (CDCN Toulouse): Centre de Développement Chorégraphique National in Toulouse, dedicated to contemporary dance creation and dissemination. Directly comparable as a regional dance development center with residency and production missions, similar institutional DNA to Espaces Pluriels' La Fabrique program.
• Pavillon Noir / Ballet Preljocaj: Dance-focused venue and company in Aix-en-Provence dedicated to contemporary choreography. Comparable in mission and regional French dance ecosystem positioning, with a similar mix of creation support, residency, and performance programming.
• Le Manège de Reims (Scène nationale): Scène nationale in Reims presenting theater, dance, and circus across multiple venues. Comparable as a multi-venue labeled scene with similar public funding architecture and audience development missions through cultural action.
• L'Atelier de Paris / CDCN: Centre de Développement Chorégraphique National in Paris supporting dance creation and artists. Comparable as a labeled dance development center with residency, production, and performance programming for contemporary choreographers.
• Théâtre Garonne: Performing arts venue in Toulouse with a contemporary dance focus and similar mid-sized capacity. Comparable as another southwestern French scene presenting contemporary dance, theater, and circus with public subsidy funding and label-based recognition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xfacebook.com/espacesplurielspau
• Facebookfacebook.com/espacesplurielspau
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/espacespluriels-scene-conventionnee
• Instagraminstagram.com/espacespluriels/?hl=fr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 ESPACES PLURIELS