Festival des Arts de Saint-Sauveur

What Festival des Arts de Saint-Sauveur does

Festival des Arts de Saint-Sauveur (FASS) is a Canadian not-for-profit performing arts organization founded in 1992 in Saint-Sauveur, Quebec, and re-established under its current name in 1997. It operates an annual summer festival running late July to early August, anchored by a 700-seat proprietary venue called the Grand Chapiteau (Big Top), and is recognized as the largest regional dance presenter in Canada. The festival engages approximately 215 artists per edition and serves a broad audience of dance enthusiasts, families, and regional visitors across the Laurentians. FASS recorded a record 15,000 spectators in 2025, with 14 of 36 events sold out.

The organization's product portfolio spans paid ticketed Big Top Shows, free outdoor Dance Trails programming across multiple municipalities, Youth Matinees, the FASS Dance Battle, FASS Forward (an international short dance film festival), the Mouvement de passage FASS cultural mediation project for seniors, Virtual FASS digital programming, and an Online Silent Auction. The year-round programming initiative Les 5 saisons de la danse extends the festival's operating model beyond the summer window through partnerships with regional presenters. Core technology consists of venue infrastructure, video/digital streaming for Virtual FASS, and standard non-profit ticketing and donor-management systems rather than proprietary software platforms.

The business model is a non-profit earned-and-contributed revenue mix. Earned revenue comes from ticket sales (paid Big Top shows, 14 of 36 sold out in 2025) and ancillary fees; contributed revenue comes from individual donations, corporate sponsorships tiered into named recognition levels including Piliers ($20,000–$49,999) and Bâtisseur de l'avenir ($50,000+), and government grants from federal, provincial (Quebec), and municipal sources. Operations are supported by 10 permanent staff, 120 volunteers, and 14 volunteer team leaders. Financial results are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Festival des Arts de Saint-Sauveur

Legal name

Festival des Arts de Saint-Sauveur

Website

https://festivaldesarts.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Festival des Arts de Saint-Sauveur is a Canadian not-for-profit performing arts organization founded in 1992 in Saint-Sauveur, Quebec, presenting an annual summer dance festival under a 700-seat Grand Chapiteau and year-round programming for audiences across the Laurentians region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Festival

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 primary industry

Dance Festivals & Dance Series (MPAGADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cultural Festivals & Events Organizations (BPAGAHAG), Food, Drink & Culinary Community Festivals (Community-Led) (MPAGAEAF), Virtual Community Festivals & Cultural Events (Online Celebrations) (MPAGAOAK)

Keywords

• Performing arts festival
• Dance presentation
• Live music events
• Cultural mediation
• Dance film festival

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint-Sauveur

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from ticket sales for Big Top performances and select paid events. Tickets sold through festival's tuxedobillet.com platform and at the door.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Donations from individuals and organizations supporting the festival's mission. Silent auctions raising funds (e.g., $25,000 raised in 2025 from silent auction).
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Support from corporate partners including Power Corporation of Canada, TD, National Bank, Canderel, RBC, Desjardins, Hydro-Québec.
4. Government Grants: Public funding from federal (Canada Arts Council), provincial (Québec), and municipal (Saint-Sauveur, MRCs) government sources.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Festival des Arts de Saint-Sauveur is a not-for-profit performing arts festival that produces an annual summer edition of ticketed dance and music performances under the Grand Chapiteau (Big Top) in Saint-Sauveur, Quebec, complemented by free outdoor Dance Trails, an international short dance film festival, youth matinees, dance battles, and year-round cultural mediation and touring programming. It sells tickets to individual audience members and relies on donations, sponsorships, and public grants to fund operations.

Product overview

Festival des Arts de Saint-Sauveur (FASS) is a not-for-profit arts festival that operates as a single, unified annual event augmented by year-round programming. The core offering is the annual summer festival (July 22 – August 2, 2026, marking the 35th anniversary) featuring ticketed performances under the Grand Chapiteau alongside free outdoor activities. Key products include Big Top Shows (international dance and music), Dance Trails (free outdoor trail performances), FASS Forward (international short dance film festival), FASS Dance Battle (urban dance competition), and Youth Matinees. Year-round extensions include Mouvement de passage FASS (cultural mediation in seniors' residences), Virtual FASS (digital content), and Les 5 saisons de la danse (partner-driven regional dance touring). The festival also runs an annual Online Silent Auction for fundraising.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Big Top Shows (Spectacles chapiteau) Ticketed indoor performances held under the Grand Chapiteau (a large circus tent), featuring internationally renowned dance and music artists for general audiences.
• Dance Trails (Sentiers de la danse) Free outdoor dance performances along marked forest trails in various Laurentian municipalities, featuring site-specific choreography for general audiences and families.
• FASS Forward - International Short Dance Film Festival Annual competitive festival showcasing international short dance films, with screenings at Théâtre du Marais in Val-Morin for film and dance audiences.
• Youth Matinees (Matinées jeunesse) Family-friendly dance performances designed for young audiences, presented during the festival for children and families.
• FASS Dance Battle Competitive dance tournament featuring urban and street dance styles, open to participants and audiences.
• Mouvement de passage FASS Year-round cultural mediation project bringing professional dance performances to long-term care homes and seniors' residences in the Laurentians for seniors audiences.
• Virtual FASS (FASS virtuel) Digital programming including online film screenings, virtual performances, and digital content extending the festival's reach beyond the summer season.
• Les 5 saisons de la danse Year-round dance programming partnership with regional theatres (Odyscène, Le Patriote, Théâtre Gilles-Vigneault, Espace Théâtre) to circulate dance works across the Laurentians.
• Online Silent Auction (Encan Silencieux en ligne) Annual virtual auction raising funds for festival activities, featuring donated items and artworks.

Quantifiable outcome

• 15,000 spectators in 2025 (record-breaking attendance)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

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

• Government of CanadacoreOthersFederal government partner providing public funding through Canada Arts Council and direct government support
• Conseil des arts du CanadacoreOthersCanada Arts Council providing federal arts funding support
• Government of QuebeccoreOthersProvincial government partner providing public funding through Quebec's tourism and leisure programs
• Ville de Saint-SauveurcoreOthersHost municipality providing support and hosting festival venues
• MRC des Pays-d'en-HautcoreOthersRegional county municipality partner supporting festival operations
• MRC d'ArgenteuilminorOthersRegional county municipality partner
• Morin-HeightsminorOthersMunicipality partner for Dance Trails programming
• Saint-HippolyteminorOthersMunicipality partner for Dance Trails programming
• Val-MorinminorOthersMunicipality partner for Dance Trails and FASS Forward film festival venue (Théâtre du Marais)
• Télé-QuébecmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner - Quebec public broadcaster providing media coverage and promotion
• La PresseminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor Quebec newspaper media partner
• Cime FMminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional radio media partner for Laurentians coverage
• ShawbridgeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerService partner providing support services
• Les SommetsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional media/partner sponsor
• Danse sur les routescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerService partner - touring dance organization supporting dance accessibility in Quebec
• Danse DanseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural partner organization dedicated to dance presentation
• École supérieure de ballet du QuébecminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural partner - Quebec ballet training institution
• Regroupement des diffuser de danse (RDQ)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural partner representing Quebec dance presenters
• Théâtre du MaraiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner in Val-Morin hosting FASS Forward dance film festival and extending festival reach
• Théâtre Gilles-VigneaultcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of Les 5 saisons de la danse - year-round programming partner presenting dance in Saint-Jérôme
• Le Patriote (Sainte-Agathe)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of Les 5 saisons de la danse - year-round programming partner
• Odyscène (Sainte-Thérèse)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of Les 5 saisons de la danse - year-round programming partner presenting dance performances
• Espace Théâtre (Mont-Laurier)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of Les 5 saisons de la danse - extending programming to Antoine-Labelle MRC
• Quartiers dansesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural partner - Montreal dance festival organization
• Furies FestivalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural partner - Quebec dance festival
• Festival de MontréalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural partner - Montreal international dance festival

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Festival International de Jazz de Montréal: Large-scale Montreal summer festival comparable in scope of international artist programming and ticketed/free event mix. While music-focused rather than dance, it represents a broader incumbent in the Quebec festival ecosystem with overlapping audience and sponsor pools.
• Festival d'Avignon: World-leading annual performing arts festival in a regional French setting with similar tent/venue-based programming and international artist curation. Establishes a global aspirational benchmark for a regional-anchor performing arts festival model.
• Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity: Major Canadian regional arts organization presenting multidisciplinary programming including dance. Comparable in operating a regional arts-presenting hub with corporate, foundation, and government funding mix, though at materially larger scale than FASS.
• Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival: Iconic U.S. summer dance festival in a regional setting (Massachusetts Berkshires), with a comparable model of presenting world-class dance in a non-major-urban location. Sets the global benchmark for the regional-anchor dance festival model that FASS operates.

Direct peers

• Festival TransAmériques (FTA): Montreal international festival presenting contemporary dance and theatre with comparable curatorial ambition. Similar model of mixing international headliners with emerging artists and ticketed indoor performances, positioned in the same Quebec dance ecosystem as FASS.
• Holland Dance Festival: Major European dance festival presenting international companies in a non-capital city, with a comparable model of curating global headliners for regional audiences. Provides a relevant international benchmark for FASS's regional-dance-presenter positioning.
• Festival Furies: Quebec contemporary dance festival and FASS partner organization. Shares audience, partner ecosystem, and dance-presenting mission, making it a comparable Quebec-based dance festival peer.
• Quartiers Danses: Montreal dance festival with overlap in curatorial philosophy and a stated partnership with FASS. Presents urban, contemporary, and emerging dance talent, making it a close peer in the Quebec regional dance presenting space.
• Danse Danse: Montreal-based dance presenter and major Quebec counterpart to FASS. Both curate international-caliber dance programming and partner with regional venues to expand reach across Quebec, making them the closest direct peer in the Canadian dance-presenting ecosystem.

Emerging players

• Danse sur les routes du Québec: Quebec dance touring network and FASS strategic partner supporting artist circulation across the province. While not a presenting festival, it is a comparable dance-infrastructure organization in the same regional ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCJpqlLLFeX8Ktmi3Kz6U-zA
• Facebookfacebook.com/FestivalDesArtsDeStSauveur
• Instagraminstagram.com/saint_sauveur_festival
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/festival-des-arts-de-saint-sauveur

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles23 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 Festival des Arts de Saint-Sauveur