Le Cargö

What Le Cargö does

Le Cargö is a Scène de Musiques Actuelles (SMAC), a French government-designated contemporary music venue located at 9 cours Caffarelli in Caen, Normandy. It is operated by Association Arts Attack!, a non-profit association under French law (loi 1901) founded in 1997 that also runs the annual NDK Festival. The venue hosts a year-round program of concerts, clubbing nights, festivals, and events targeted at general audiences, school groups, seniors, and other specific public segments, supported by public funding from the City of Caen, Calvados Department, Normandy Region, and the Ministry of Culture. In June 2026, Élise Jamet was appointed Director and Marie Clouet became President of the association, marking a generational leadership transition.

The venue operates an integrated model combining live event programming with a portfolio of artist accompaniment services. Performance offerings span concerts (national and international artists across pop, rock, electronic, hip-hop, reggae), club nights, and charitable festivals such as Toget'Her. Artist support infrastructure includes 24/7 accessible rehearsal and recording studios, professional and amateur residencies, off-site residencies in partnership with MJC du Chemin Vert, multitrack recording sessions (Les Brigades du Rec'), a formation week (Le Labö), and structured accompaniment programs including So·her (for women and trans/non-binary electronic artists), 2STEP (jointly with Big Band Café), and Le Sönar Pro.

Le Cargö generates revenue through ticket sales (priced €7–€35 across subscriber, reduced, advance, and full-price tiers), an annual €15 membership providing discounts and free concert access, on-site bar and catering, and public subsidies tied to its SMAC designation. Tickets are distributed through an owned online platform, a physical box office, the Pass Culture national scheme, and third-party platforms including Shotgun. Distribution is regional, focused on Normandy, with the physical venue serving as the single delivery point for all live events.

Name

Le Cargö

Legal name

Association Arts Attack!

Website

https://lecargo.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Le Cargö is a French government-designated contemporary music venue (SMAC) in Caen, Normandy, operated by the non-profit Association Arts Attack! since 1997. It programs concerts, clubbing nights, and festivals and runs rehearsal studios and artist accompaniment programs, funded by ticket sales, memberships, and public institutional partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Music Venue

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Live Music Booking (Bands, Soloists, DJs) (HSACAHAA), Touring & Production Services (Staging, Lighting, Sound, Video) (MPAIAFAF)

Keywords

• Live music venue
• Artist development programs
• Concert event programming
• Music festival organization
• Rehearsal studio services

Headquarters

HQ city

Caen

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ticket sales: Revenue generated from sale of tickets to concerts, clubbing events, festivals, and other programmed events. Pricing tiers include subscriber (abonné·e), reduced (réduit), committee (CE), advance (pré-vente), and full price (plein) rates.
2. Annual membership (Abonnement): Annual membership subscription priced at €15, offering reductions on all concerts and proposals for free concerts.
3. Bar and catering: On-site bar services at events generating additional revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Le Cargö is a Scène de Musiques Actuelles (SMAC) contemporary music venue in Caen, Normandy, operated by the non-profit Association Arts Attack!. It combines live music programming (concerts, clubbing events, and festivals such as NDK Festival and Toget'Her) with artist accompaniment services including rehearsal and recording studios, artist residencies, and structured development programs (So·her, 2STEP, Le Labö, Les Brigades du Rec').

Product overview

Le Cargö is a Scène de Musiques Actuelles (SMAC) – a contemporary music venue in Caen, Normandy – operated by Arts Attack! association. The venue operates as a unified platform combining live music programming (concerts, clubbing, festivals) with comprehensive artist support services. The core programming includes concert series, clubbing events, and festivals such as NDK Festival and Toget'Her. Artist support services are delivered through dedicated programs including Studios (rehearsal and recording facilities), Artist Residencies, So·her (women in electronic music), 2STEP (joint program with Big Band Café), Le Labö (formation week), Le Sönar Pro (intimate concert experiences), Les Brigades du Rec' (multitrack recording), and cultural action outreach programs. Additional services include annual subscriptions and online ticketing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NDK Festival: Annual music festival also operated by Association Arts Attack! at Le Cargö venue

Products and services

• Concert Programming Live concert programming featuring national and international artists across pop, rock, electronic, hip-hop, and reggae genres, with tickets sold through the venue's own platform and box office.
• Clubbing Events Electronic music nights and clubbing events featuring DJs and electronic music producers, often organized in partnership with external associations and collectives.
• NDK Festival Annual multi-day music festival organized by Association Arts Attack! at Le Cargö, featuring diverse contemporary music programming.
• Toget'Her Charitable Festival Charitable festival dedicated to women's health issues, co-founded with Eight Music and Get In Records, featuring roundtables, prevention stands, and concerts, with proceeds supporting CHU de Caen Normandie.
• Let's Gow Clubbing Event Clubbing event organized by the Gow With The Rythm association at Le Cargö, promoting women and trans/non-binary artists in electronic music in Normandy.
• Studios (Rehearsal and Recording) Rehearsal studios and recording facilities available to artists, including 24/7 accessible studios and equipment for multitrack recording sessions, bookable via the venue's website.
• Artist Residencies Residency programs including studio rehearsals, stage-condition residencies with professional technical equipment, and off-site (hors-les-murs) residencies in partnership with local venues.
• So·her Artist Accompaniment Program Artist accompaniment program dedicated to women and trans/non-binary artists in the Normandy electronic music scene, providing training, residencies, mentorship, and performance opportunities.
• 2STEP Artist Development Program Joint artist development program with the Big Band Café (BBC) offering personalized accompaniment for emerging artists, including training, advice sessions, pre-production, residencies, career support, and diffusion assistance.
• Le Labö Formation Program Week-long formation program for emerging artists covering theory (music industry history, professional meetings), practice (pre-production, residencies, vocal and instrumental lessons), administration (legal frameworks), and communication.
• Le Sönar Pro Concert Experience Quarterly intimate concert experience combining performances and exchanges with selected artists, organized for professionals and media to discover EP or album releases.
• Les Brigades du Rec' Recording Program Quarterly multitrack recording program installed during rehearsals, allowing bands to record in studio conditions with professional guidance on software and equipment.
• La Labö+ Extended Accompaniment Extended artist accompaniment track selected after Le Labö formation, providing rehearsal time, recording sessions, pre-production, stage residencies, and diffusion opportunities.
• Cultural Action (Action Culturelle) Cultural action programs targeting general public, youth, school groups, seniors, and specific audiences to promote access to contemporary music across the Normandy territory.
• Annual Membership (Abonnements) Annual subscription service priced at €15 per year, offering reduced prices on all concerts and access to free concert proposals.
• Ticketing Service (Billetterie) Online and physical ticketing service for concerts, clubbing events, festivals, and other programmed events, available 24/7 online via billetterie.lecargo.fr with a physical box office during the season.

Named customers14 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ministry of Culture (Ministère de la Culture)coreOthersThe French Ministry of Culture provides official agréement and support for Le Cargö as a SMAC (Scène de Musiques Actuelles). The ministry, represented by Minister Catherine Pégard, approved the nomination of Élise Jamet as director and provides ongoing institutional backing.
• City of Caen (Ville de Caen)coreOthersThe municipality of Caen, led by Mayor Aristide Olivier, is a key institutional partner providing support for Le Cargö as a cultural infrastructure in the city.
• Calvados Department (Département du Calvados)coreOthersThe Calvados Department, led by President Jean-Léonce Dupont, is an institutional partner supporting Le Cargö's operations and programming.
• Normandy Region (Région Normandie)coreOthersThe Normandy Region, led by President Hervé Morin, is an institutional partner supporting the venue and Arts Attack! association.
• Big Band Café (BBC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Big Band Café (another SMAC labeled venue in Hérouville Saint-Clair) and Le Cargö jointly operate the 2STEP artistic accompaniment program, providing a personalized development pathway for emerging musicians in the Calvados area. The cooperation includes mutualization of means and teams from both SMACs.
• Musique en PlainecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLe Cargö and MEP (Musique en Plaine, part of Caen la Mer urban community) have a cooperation protocol covering music education from amateur to professional levels. They also jointly support female creation and partner on the Move Ur Gambettes feminist project.
• MJC du Chemin VertminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLe Cargö partners with MJC du Chemin Vert for 'résidences hors-les-murs' (off-site artist residencies), enabling amateur practices to progress toward professional performance. The first residency took place at Le Sillon.
• Eight MusicminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEight Music agency co-founded the Toget'Her charitable festival with Get In Records. The festival is held at Le Cargö and focuses on women's health awareness.
• Get In RecordsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGet In Records label co-founded the Toget'Her charitable festival with Eight Music. The festival raises funds for CHU de Caen Normandie on women's health topics.
• Act RightminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAct Right partners with Le Cargö on the Move Ur Gambettes project, a feminist initiative addressing gender underrepresentation in electronic music, supporting women and non-binary people in discovering DJing and music production.
• Collectif RPM (Recherche et Pédagogie Musicale)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLe Cargö has joined the Collectif RPM, a national network supported by the DGCA (Direction Générale de la Création Artistique), to contribute to the evolution of pedagogy and accompaniment in contemporary music across the entire territory.
• NORMAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNORMA (Normandy music industry network) is working with Le Cargö on synergy efforts in the fields of rehearsal, transmission, and pedagogy — activities carried out at the Cargö studios.
• Deloo FormationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeloo Formation has joined the cooperation protocol with Le Cargö and Musique en Plaine, covering music education from amateur to professional levels.
• CHU de Caen NormandieminorOthersThe CHU de Caen Normandie is the beneficiary of the Toget'Her festival's charitable proceeds, supporting the hospital's actions on women's health topics (specifically violence and sexist/sexual harassment in the 2026 edition).

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Le Big Band Café: SMAC-labeled contemporary music venue in Hérouville Saint-Clair, Normandy, with a similar size and mission. Already an operational partner of Le Cargö via the joint 2STEP artist-accompaniment program, making it the closest functional peer in the regional network.
• Le Rocher de Palmer: SMAC venue near Bordeaux/Cenon with three performance halls running concerts, club events, and artist development at a comparable French regional scale. Closely matches Le Cargö's programming + accompaniment model.
• La Sirène: SMAC venue in La Rochelle delivering diversified contemporary-music programming and residencies under a comparable French institutional-funding model. Closely aligned with Le Cargö on mission and operational scope.
• Le Krakatoa: SMAC venue in Mérignac/Bordeaux running contemporary music concerts and an artist-accompaniment program under similar French public funding. Comparable in scale and structure to Le Cargö.
• Antipode: SMAC venue in Rennes combining live concerts, club events, and artist accompaniment. Operates under a similar French public-funding and SMAC-label framework as Le Cargö, making it a strong functional comparator.
• Le Transbordeur: Mid-sized SMAC venue in Lyon/Villeurbanne offering concerts, club nights, and artist development programming at a comparable scale. Shares Le Cargö's model of combining headline programming with year-round artist accompaniment activity.
• La Coopérative de Mai: SMAC venue in Clermont-Ferrand combining contemporary music concerts, club nights, and accompanying artist support. Direct functional peer at similar capacity and regional positioning to Le Cargö.
• La Carène: SMAC venue in Brest operating concerts, rehearsals, and artist residencies under similar institutional support structures. Comparable mission and per-region scale to Le Cargö.
• Le Bikini: SMAC venue in Ramonville/Toulouse with concerts, club nights, and artist accompaniment programming at a similar French regional scale to Le Cargö.

Broad incumbents

• La Maroquinerie: Established Parisian concert venue (SMAC) operating a broader touring-driven concert programming model than Le Cargö, useful as a national-tier benchmark for artist booking economics and pricing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCjjJMrKX0un3tfP6Yh7IbcA
• Facebookfacebook.com/LeCargo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/le-carg%C3%B6
• Instagraminstagram.com/cargocaen

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Le Cargö