What Force Majeure does

Force Majeure is one of Australia's leading movement-based theatre companies, founded in 2002 by Kate Champion and headquartered in Sydney on Bidjigal and Kameygal Country. The company produces devised interdisciplinary performances that integrate movement, text and embodied storytelling, with a core methodology refined across three Artistic Director eras (Kate Champion 2002–2015, Danielle Micich 2015–2025, Nick Power from February 2026). Its repertoire spans over 20 major productions including The Age I'm In, Never Did Me Any Harm, You Animal You, Masters of Modern Sound, Gurr Era Op, Eugene, idk and the intergenerational Nini's Magical Memory Garden, with works commissioned and presented by Australia's premier venues and festivals (Carriageworks, Sydney Festival, Sydney Opera House, RISING, Brisbane Festival, Ten Days on the Island, NIDA) and toured internationally to Canada, the UK, Europe and Asia.

The company's products split into two streams: theatrical productions and the INCITE professional development suite. The INCITE program — described as the only program of its kind in Australia — comprises Intensive (two-week deep dive, AUD $800–$925 per participant), Masterclass, Youth (ages 14–18) and Revive editions, complemented by a paid Associate Artist Program. Proprietary methodologies include the 'Ready Body' concept for performer preparation and Consent & Boundaries workshops developed for the wider arts sector. The company also operates community-engaged work with First Nations artists, including the Triangular Rhythms hip-hop exchange spanning Vanuatu, New Caledonia and Australia.

Revenue is generated through five streams: multi-year government arts funding (Create NSW confirmed through 2028, Australia Council four-year funding, Creative Australia's Major Festivals Initiative), co-production revenue from festival partners, philanthropic donations via the GiveNow platform, INCITE workshop and training fees, and touring/presentation fees for available works. The organisation runs with a small core team of approximately 8 employees and a board chaired by Julieanne Campbell, with no parent company, external institutional investment or VC/PE ownership.

Name

Force Majeure

Legal name

Force Majeure

Website

https://forcemajeure.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Force Majeure is an Australian not-for-profit movement-based theatre company founded in 2002 that produces devised interdisciplinary performances and runs the INCITE professional development program for mid-career dance theatre artists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Production

NAICS

Dance Companies (711120), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

akta.pro primary industry

Dance Theatre (Narrative/Experimental) (MPAGADAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Contemporary & Modern Dance (MPAGADAB), Performing Arts (Acting, Improv, Theater) (EDAAAGAE)

Keywords

• Movement-based theatre
• Contemporary dance theatre
• Performing arts productions
• Professional artist development
• Theatrical training workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Arts Funding: Core operational funding from Create NSW (confirmed through 2028 at reduced level) and Australia Council for the Arts (four-year funding regained in 2020). Major Festivals Initiative funding from Creative Australia for specific productions.
2. Co-Production Revenue: Revenue from co-productions with major venues and festivals including Carriageworks, Sydney Festival, Sydney Opera House, RISING, Brisbane Festival, and Ten Days on the Island. Productions are commissioned and co-produced with partner organizations.
3. Philanthropy and Donations: Tax-deductible donations through GiveNow platform. Individual donor program including 'Inner Circle' founding supporters. The company conducts fundraising campaigns for productions and programs.
4. Workshop and Training Fees: INCITE Intensive program generates revenue through participant fees ($800-925). Masterclasses and youth workshops provide additional training income. Some workshops offered free with Creative Australia support.
5. Touring and Presentation Fees: Revenue from touring productions to venues domestically and internationally. Works like Eugene, Gurr Era Op, and Nini's Magical Memory Garden are available for tour.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Force Majeure is a movement-based theatre company that creates, produces, and tours original contemporary dance-theatre productions for Australian and international festivals and venues. Alongside its productions, it runs the INCITE suite of professional development programs — Intensives, Masterclasses, Youth, and Revive editions — together with the long-running Associate Artist Program, providing training, mentorship, and studio residencies to independent dance and theatre makers.

Product overview

Force Majeure is one of Australia's leading movement-based theatre companies, producing visceral interdisciplinary performances and nurturing artists through professional development programs. The company operates a dual offering structure: (1) theatrical productions including signature works like Gurr Era Op, Eugene, idk, and Nini's Magical Memory Garden, and (2) artist development programs including the INCITE suite (Intensive, Masterclass, Youth, Revive) and the Associate Artist Program. The company entered a new era in February 2026 under Artistic Director Nick Power, who brings hip-hop and street dance expertise to the company's contemporary performance practice.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• INCITE: Force Majeure's signature professional development program for artists with performance or dramaturgical creative practice, including INCITE Intensive, INCITE Masterclass, and INCITE Youth programs.
• Associate Artist Program

Products and services

• INCITE Intensive A multi-day professional development intensive for independent dance and theatre makers, delivering rigorous movement-based training, mentorship, and creative development cohorts under the INCITE banner.
• INCITE Masterclass A 1–2 day workshop offering for artists looking for shorter-format access to Force Majeure's movement-based training and devising methodology.
• INCITE Youth A youth-targeted INCITE program for participants aged 14–18, providing pre-professional movement training and creative development.
• INCITE Revive A specialised INCITE cohort edition structured as a return-to-practice intensive, supporting artists in re-engaging with rigorous training.
• Associate Artist Program A long-running, multi-year mentoring program offering selected independent artists studio time, dramaturgical support, and creative development pathways.
• Movement-based theatrical productions (production slate) An ongoing slate of original movement-based theatrical works co-created, produced and toured for festivals and venue programmers across Australia and internationally (including the work Force Majeure tours via partners such as Performing Lines).
• Consent & Boundaries Workshop A standalone workshop addressing consent, boundaries, and safe practice in movement-based creative environments, offered to artists and organisations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 620 artists developed through INCITE program, with 66%+ seeding new works
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ILBIJERRI Theatre CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 January 2024Co-producer of Gurr Era Op with Force Majeure. Long-standing relationship with Artistic Director Rachael Maza. ILBIJERRI is Australia's leading Indigenous theatre company.
• CarriageworkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerForce Majeure's home venue and ongoing co-production partner. INCITE program presented in partnership with Carriageworks. Company described as currently based at Carriageworks on Gadigal land.
• NIDAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer of Eugene (2022) at Space Theatre. NIDA graduating production students collaborated on the development and presentation.
• Sydney FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor festival commissioner and presenter. Commissioned Gurr Era Op (2024), You Animal You (2018), and other works. One of Force Majeure's key festival partners.
• RISING MelbournecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-commissioner and presenter of Gurr Era Op through Major Festivals Initiative (2024).
• Brisbane FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-commissioner and presenter of Gurr Era Op through Major Festivals Initiative (2024).
• Ten Days on the IslandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-commissioner and presenter of Gurr Era Op through Major Festivals Initiative (2025).
• Sydney Opera HousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioner and presenter of multiple works including Masters of Modern Sound (2019). Supported development of Gardener's Apprentice. Premiered Nick Power's Deejay x Dancer (2022).
• Performing LinescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProducer of Triangular Rhythms in association with Force Majeure. Previously produced Jump First, Ask Later (2019) and other touring works.
• Wan Smolbag TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGround partnership for Triangular Rhythms project. Port Vila-based theatre company that is the foundation partner for the Pacific intercultural hip hop exchange.
• National Arts Centre (Canada)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresented Mura Buai as part of Mòshkamo Festival in Ottawa (2019).
• Native Earth Performing Arts (Canada)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresented Mura Buai at Caminos 2019 festival in Toronto. Co-producing partner for intercultural First Nations work.
• Aanmitaagzi (Canada)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered for Big Medicine Studio residency in Turtle Island development of Mura Buai. Intercultural collaboration between Torres Strait and Anishinabbe kwe artists.
• Friday Creeations (Canada)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producing partner for Mura Buai international development. Anishinabbe kwe choreographer Christine Friday involved in cross-cultural collaboration.
• Veriu Green SquareminorOthersAccommodation partner for INCITE Intensive participants. Offers 15% discount with promo code INCITE. Hotel near Green Square Station, 30-minute walk to Carriageworks.
• Donaldson LawminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated to create Consent Kit for idk audiences, covering legal aspects of affirmative consent.
• Consent LabsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated to create Consent Kit for idk audiences, covering everyday and digital consent topics.
• Inner West CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned Power at Biennale of Sydney as part of EDGE Inner West festival.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Chunky Move: Melbourne-based contemporary dance and physical theatre company producing experimental movement-led works. Comparable as an Australian movement-based producing company with similar audience and presenter mix.
• ILBIJERRI Theatre Company: Australia's leading Indigenous theatre company and Force Majeure's co-production partner on Gurr Era Op. Comparable as a First Nations-focused performing arts producer with similar funding base and touring footprint.
• Lucy Guerin Inc: Melbourne-based independent contemporary dance company producing experimental choreography. Comparable as an Australian independent dance-theatre producer working with mid-career artists.
• Australian Dance Theatre: Adelaide-based contemporary dance company producing original physical theatre works and touring internationally. Comparable in scale, artistic ambition and reliance on Australian government arts funding.
• Bangarra Dance Theatre: Australia's premier Indigenous contemporary dance company. Comparable in producing First Nations movement-based theatre and touring nationally and internationally.
• Tracks Dance: Darwin-based dance company working with Indigenous and diverse communities. Comparable as a movement-based producing company; Nick Power previously worked there.
• Sydney Dance Company: Australia's flagship contemporary dance company, producing new movement-based works for national and international touring. Comparable as a producing dance company with similar funding profile and festival relationships.
• Stalker Theatre: Canberra-based physical theatre and dance company. Comparable as an Australian movement-led producing company; Nick Power previously worked there.
• Performing Lines: Australian producing company that produces and tours independent performing arts nationally and internationally. Comparable as Force Majeure's producing partner on Triangular Rhythms and Jump First, Ask Later.

Broad incumbents

• Belvoir St Theatre: Major Sydney theatre company producing contemporary Australian drama. Comparable as an established Sydney-based producing company with overlapping festival circuits, though Belvoir focuses on scripted theatre rather than movement-based devising.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/forcemajeure
• Facebookfacebook.com/ForceMajeure
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/forcemajeureaustralia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Force Majeure