La Cité de la Voix

What La Cité de la Voix does

La Cité de la Voix is a French public cultural establishment (établissement public) headquartered in Vézelay, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, operating as a Centre national d'art vocal under the authority of the Région Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. Founded in its current form in 2015 through the merger of Arsys Bourgogne, the Rencontres musicales de Vézelay, and earlier Cité de la Voix activities, it now operates from three sites (Vézelay, Dijon, Besançon) with 16 staff. Its mission centers on vocal arts: hosting artist residencies (300+ artists annually), organizing festivals (Rencontres musicales de Vézelay, Chants Libres, Les Quotidiennes, Elles chantent, Gainsbourg et cætera), delivering professional and amateur training (136 trainees in 2024/2025, 99% satisfaction), and supporting artistic education in schools and healthcare settings.

The organization's core assets include the CDAC (Centre de Documentation pour l'Art Choral), a 60,000+ document research library on choral music, and the La Marelle digital platform for children's choir facilitation. It also operates Le Studio #CDLV, a multimedia content hub. Its revenue model is hybrid: public subsidies from the Region, Ministry of Culture (DRAC), and departmental councils form the institutional backbone, supplemented by ticket sales, professional training fees (€180–€800), private donations (starting at €50/year with tax benefits), and sponsorship (Caisse des Dépôts, Fondation Bettencourt Schueller). The organization serves professional singers, amateur choirs (500+ catalogued), music educators, schools, healthcare facilities, and general cultural audiences (10,000+ festival attendees annually), anchored by its association with the professional ensemble Les Métaboles and the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Vézelay basilica.

Name

La Cité de la Voix

Legal name

Cité de la Voix Vézelay / Bourgogne-Franche-Comté

Website

https://lacitedelavoix.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

La Cité de la Voix is a French public establishment serving as a national center for vocal art in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, hosting artist residencies, festivals, professional training, and artistic education programs for singers, choral groups, educators, schools, and general audiences from three regional sites.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Arts and Vocal Music Services

NAICS

Musical Groups and Artists (711130), Other Performing Arts Companies (711190)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music) (BPAGAHAB), Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir) (EDAMANAC), Session Musicians & Vocalists (MPAIAHAC)

Keywords

• Vocal arts center
• Choral music festivals
• Artistic residency programs
• Music professional training
• Cultural education services

Headquarters

HQ city

Vézelay

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Subsidies and Institutional Funding: La Cité de la Voix is a public establishment (établissement public) funded by regional authorities including the Région Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, the Ministry of Culture (DRAC), and departmental councils (Yonne, Doubs). This constitutes the primary funding source.
2. Ticket Sales and Concert Revenue: Revenue from the public season, festivals (Rencontres musicales de Vézelay, Chants Libres, Quotidiennes, Elles chantent), and other public performances through ticket sales across multiple venues.
3. Donations and Patronage: Donor programs offering tax reduction benefits (66% of donation amount, up to 20% of taxable income). Donors receive advantages such as early access to festival tickets and discounts on full-price concerts.
4. Training Fees: Professional training courses and workshops generate revenue, with fees ranging from free (for public sector employees) to €800 for professional tracks. Financed through OPCO/AFDAS for employees and intermittents.
5. Space Rental: Rental of facilities including the auditorium (92 seats), rehearsal rooms, and six studios with six bedrooms for events, colloquia, and performances at the Vézelay site.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

La Cité de la Voix is a public national vocal arts center (Centre national d'art vocal) headquartered in Vézelay, France, that delivers a season of public concerts and festivals (Rencontres musicales de Vézelay, Chants Libres, Elles chantent, Les Quotidiennes), hosts artistic residencies for professional vocal ensembles, runs professional training for singers and choral directors, supports amateur choir practice across the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region, and operates the CDAC documentation center housing over 60,000 choral music resources. It also deploys artistic education programs in schools, healthcare settings, and vocational lycées through dedicated partnerships.

Product overview

La Cité de la Voix operates as a public national vocal arts center (Centre national d'art vocal) with a multi-product portfolio organized around five core pillars: (1) the CDAC documentation center offering over 60,000 choral music resources, (2) artistic creation and diffusion through public seasons and festivals including Rencontres musicales de Vézelay, Chants Libres, and Les Quotidiennes, (3) professional and amateur training programs, (4) educational initiatives including 100% Chorale school programs and CLEA local contracts, and (5) La Marelle digital platform for children's choir facilitation. The organization also provides artistic residencies hosting over 300 artists annually, and operates Le Studio multimedia hub for content distribution. The ensemble Les Métaboles has been associated with the establishment since January 2023.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CDAC - Centre de Documentation pour l'Art Choral: Documentation center integrated into La Cité de la Voix in 2020, housing over 60,000 documents dedicated to choral music across centuries.
• Les Quotidiennes
• Rencontres musicales de Vézelay
• Elles chantent, composent, dirigent
• Chants Libres
• La Marelle

Products and services

• Saison Publique (Public Concert Season) Year-round public programming featuring concerts, festival events, artist residency encounters, and seasonal highlights for individual concert-goers, music lovers, and cultural tourists.
• Résidences Artistiques (Artistic Residencies) Residency program hosting over 300 artists annually, providing rehearsal rooms, an auditorium, six studio accommodations with bedrooms, technical staff, and equipment for professional and amateur vocal ensembles.
• Formation Professionnelle (Professional Training) Continuing education programs for singers, choral conductors, and music educators covering choral conducting, vocal coaching, repertoire, digital tools for choir direction, and inclusion training.
• Stages et Ateliers Amateurs (Amateur Workshops) Vocal practice workshops for amateur singers including Arabo-Andalusian chant stages, vocal technique workshops, and chorale stages linked to seasonal programming.
• Centre de Documentation pour l'Art Choral (CDAC) Specialized choral music documentation center with over 60,000 documents (52,000 scores, 1,500 books, 2,500 periodical issues, 3,300 recordings) offering computerized online catalog access and personalized repertoire research support to researchers, performers, and choral directors.
• Festival Chants Libres Biannual choral festival featuring 80+ concerts across 6 French regions, showcasing amateur and professional choirs, co-organized with the Fondation Bettencourt Schueller.
• Les Quotidiennes Summer festival featuring four young musical ensembles performing daily free-admission concerts in the basilica and garden of Vézelay, supported by the Caisse des Dépôts as principal patron.
• Rencontres musicales de Vézelay Four-day August music festival with 20+ concerts in the UNESCO World Heritage basilica of Vézelay and surrounding village churches, attracting nearly 10,000 attendees annually and featuring Europe's vocal ensembles.
• Elles Chantent

Quantifiable outcome

• 300+ artists hosted annually in residences, with over 10,000 festival attendees per year
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Fondation Bettencourt SchuellerflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Fondation Bettencourt Schueller co-organizes the annual Chants Libres choral festival with La Cité de la Voix. The 6th edition in June 2026 featured over 80 concerts across 6 regions of France, with the foundation providing long-term support for choral singing and artistic programming.
• Les MétabolescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ensemble Les Métaboles, directed by Léo Warynski and created in 2010, has been officially associated with the establishment since January 2023. The ensemble participates in creation, diffusion, training, professional insertion, and cultural education activities.
• Fondation Artistes à l'HôpitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to implement the 'Notes de Choeur' program in EHPAD facilities in the Yonne department (L'Isle-sur-Serein, Noyers-sur-Serein, Thizy, Saint-Julien-du-Sault). Artists conduct music workshops for isolated or hospitalized individuals.
• Orchestre de la Garde RépublicaineminorStrategic or Co-development Partner120-musician orchestra under Lt-Colonel Bastien Stil, invited to perform at the Chants Libres 2026 festival. The orchestra has performed at prestigious venues including Théâtre des Champs-Élysées.
• Ensemble ObsidienneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVocal and instrumental ensemble directed by Emmanuel Bonnardot, specializing in Medieval and Renaissance repertoire with historically informed performances, performing at Chants Libres 2026.
• Singall (Dijon)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the largest choirs in Bourgogne with nearly 150 chorists, celebrating 30 years of Afro-American music (traditional gospel to soul). Performs at the Chants Libres festival with live musicians.
• À Cœur JoiecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational association defending and promoting amateur and professional choral singing. À Cœur Joie represents 300 choirs (children, youth, adult) representing more than 10,000 choristers. Co-organizes training courses and publishes choral repertoire.
• IFAC – Institut Français d'Art ChoralcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit association creating a space for exchange to valorize choral diversity. Partners with La Cité de la Voix on choral conducting training programs (e.g., the Besançon formation track).
• AFC-Europa CantatminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean choral federation founded by César Geoffray and Gottfried Wolters (1960-1963), organizing triennial international choral encounters. La Cité de la Voix participates in this European choral network.
• CMF – Confédération Musicale de FranceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOnly federation in France uniting music education and amateur practice, representing 112 departmental/regional delegations, over 1,000 music schools, and 4,000 ensembles with 300,000 members.
• JMF – Jeunesses Musicales de FranceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOver 70 years of action for music access for all children and youth, prioritizing underserved territories. Network of professional musical outreach.
• MESH – Musique et situations de handicapminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational resource center for Music & Disability working toward inclusion of people with disabilities in music education and practice. Co-organizes webinars on inclusion in amateur ensembles.
• INECC Mission Voix LorraineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResource center for choral and vocal practices in Lorraine. Co-developer of the certification 'Encadrer un groupe de pratiques vocales en musiques actuelles' and partner in the Le Tour de la Question webinar series.
• FCFC – Fédération des Chorales de Franche-ComtéminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederation aiming to unite all amateur choirs of Franche-Comté for visibility in the regional cultural landscape.
• Réseau CanopéminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational network contributing to the La Marelle project development as a funding and co-production partner, supporting digital resources for children's choir education.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Opéra National de Lyon: Major French opera house with a national remit for production, residencies, and education. Comparable as a French public cultural institution with a season, educational initiatives, and a documentation/library function, but with a much larger scale and a focus on opera rather than choral music.
• Philharmonie de Paris — Cité de la Musique: France's flagship music institution combining concert venues, a museum, educational programs, and an extensive documentation center. Comparable to La Cité de la Voix in offering concerts, training, education, and documentation, but on a much larger scale and with broader music-genre coverage rather than specialization in vocal arts.

Direct peers

• Fondation Royaumont (Abbaye de Royaumont): Renowned cultural center housed in a historic abbey offering artist residencies, training programs, festivals, and a music research center. Operates as a comparable performing arts center with residencies, training, and festival programming, targeting similar professional and amateur vocal/music communities.
• Ensemble Aedes: Leading French vocal ensemble that partners with La Cité de la Voix on the 100% Chorale school program. Directly comparable as a professional vocal ensemble combining concert activity, education, and outreach, often working with the same audiences and territories.
• Les Arts Florissants: Internationally renowned French vocal and instrumental ensemble founded by William Christie, with a parallel academy for training young singers and conductors. Operates a comparable ensemble-driven model combining performance, training, and educational outreach in the vocal arts field.
• Centre de musique baroque de Versailles: National center dedicated to researching, performing, and disseminating French Baroque music, with a documentation center, training programs, and concert production. Operates a similar hub-and-spoke model combining documentation, training, and performance that is closely comparable to La Cité de la Voix's CDAC-plus-festival structure.
• Centre national d'art vocal d'Aix-en-Provence: Sister Centre national d'art vocal within the same Ministry of Culture network initiated in 2020. Operates with the same national designation, similar choral residency and training mission, and competes for the same pool of national vocal arts funding and artists.

Emerging players

• Festival d'Aix-en-Provence: Major international opera and music festival held annually in Provence, with an academy for young artists and significant educational programming. Comparable as a French festival ecosystem with strong residencies, training, and a multi-site regional footprint, but with a broader opera focus rather than choral specialization.

Others

• Pôle Supérieur d'Enseignement Artistique Paris Boulogne-Billancourt (PSPBB): Higher education institution for music and dance offering professional training and certification. Directly comparable to La Cité de la Voix's training arm (choral conducting, vocal coaching) but in a degree-granting academic setting rather than a continuing-education residency model.
• Fondation de France — Culture & Music Programs: Major French philanthropic foundation that funds cultural and music projects nationwide, including partnership programs with vocal arts institutions. Is a peer not as a competitor but as a comparable ecosystem actor: a major funding intermediary for choral and music initiatives in France.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/lacitedelavoix
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCZ4v3-6V5WVZ2GlJrC5wXDQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/lacitedelavoix
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/la-cit%C3%A9-de-la-voix
• Instagraminstagram.com/lacitedelavoix

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 La Cité de la Voix