Réseau Chainon

What Réseau Chainon does

Réseau Chainon is a French non-profit cultural association (association loi 1901) founded in the mid-1980s and headquartered in Laval, Mayenne. It operates as the first collaborative diffusion network in French performing arts, connecting artists and production companies with cultural programmers and venues across France through three interconnected mechanisms: regional artistic scouting events (Région(s) en Scène(s)) held from January to March each year, the annual multidisciplinary Festival Le Chainon Manquant held over six days in September in Laval Agglomération, and a national touring circuit (Tournée du Chainon) that books festival-selected performances into member venues. The organization serves a two-sided professional market, with 360+ member structures organized through 11 regional federations acting as programmers and bookers, and performing arts companies gaining access to pre-screened audiences.

The annual festival presents 65+ spectacles across approximately 15-20 partner venues in Laval Agglomération, attracting 350+ professional programmers and feeding a touring circuit that generates 1,200+ annual representations across France. Revenue derives from membership fees (€400/year per structure), professional accreditations (€45-€130), public ticketing (€7-€18), and—dominantly—public funding from the French Ministry of Culture (4-year perpetuated commitment), Ville de Laval, Laval Agglomération, Département de la Mayenne, Centre National de la Musique (CNM), and SACEM. International funding partnerships extend to Canada (MusicAction, SODEC) and Belgium (Wallonie Bruxelles International).

Operations are delivered by a small core team of 9 employees supported by 250+ annual festival volunteers. The technology stack is non-proprietary: a content website, iOS and Android mobile applications, an online ticketing platform (billetterie.lechainon.fr), and Google Analytics for site measurement. Distribution operates through online and physical box offices, network-mediated venue bookings across 360+ member structures, the French Pass Culture app for youth audiences, and partner venues including 6PAR4 and Théâtre de Laval. The 2026 edition marks a governance transition with a new mixed co-presidency and a co-director artistic recruited from within the network.

Name

Réseau Chainon

Legal name

Réseau Chainon

Website

https://lechainon.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Réseau Chainon is a French non-profit performing arts diffusion network connecting 360+ cultural venues and artists across France through regional scouting, an annual multidisciplinary festival, and a national touring circuit.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Festival Network

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)

akta.pro primary industry

Professional & Association Conferences (MPAGAGAB)

Keywords

• Performing arts network
• Arts festival organization
• Cultural diffusion services
• Live performance programming
• Artist touring circuit

Headquarters

HQ city

Laval

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Structures pay annual membership to join the network (400€ TTC as of January 2026). Membership provides access to festival accreditation discounts, priority booking, and participation in network programming decisions.
2. Professional Accreditations: Professional accreditation fees: 65€ (6 days) or 45€ (2 days) for member structures; 130€ (6 days) or 65€ (2 days) for non-members. Includes preferential 6€ per representation rate.
3. Public Ticketing: Public ticket sales for festival performances ranging from 7€ to 18€. Reduced rates for students, job seekers, RSA beneficiaries, and under-18s.
4. Public Funding & Subsidies: Major funding from Ministry of Culture (4-year commitment), Ville de Laval, Laval Agglomération, Département de la Mayenne, CNM, and international partners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Réseau Chainon is a non-profit cultural diffusion network that organizes the annual Festival Le Chainon Manquant in Laval (a 6-day multidisciplinary performing arts festival featuring 65+ spectacles), regional scouting events called Région(s) en Scène(s), and a national touring program (Tournée du Chainon) that circulates selected artists across 360+ member cultural venues throughout France, accompanied by a professional accreditation system reserved for cultural programmers.

Product overview

Réseau Chainon operates as a collaborative performing arts diffusion network organized around three interconnected offerings: the annual Festival Le Chainon Manquant (6-day multidisciplinary festival in Laval), the Région(s) en Scène(s) regional discovery program (pre-festival artistic scouting), and the Tournée du Chainon national touring circuit. The network is accessible through a membership program and offers professional accreditation and public ticketing platforms. Supporting these core activities is a mobile application for attendees. The organization coordinates 11 regional federations across France, reaching 350,000+ spectators annually through 1,200+ programmed performances.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Festival Le Chainon Manquant Annual 6-day multidisciplinary performing arts festival held in Laval, France, hosting 65+ spectacles to public spectators and accredited cultural programmers. Founded in 1991.
• Région(s) en Scène(s) Regional artistic discovery events organized across the 11 regional federations, designed to surface new talents and present them to the network's programmers.
• Tournée du Chainon National touring circuit distributing selected artists from the festival to 360+ member venues across France, generating 1,200+ annual representations with negotiated rates for members.
• Membership Program for Cultural Structures Annual subscription program for 360+ cultural structures and programmers, providing free professional accreditation, priority booking access, and exclusive touring rates (10–40% discounts).
• Professional Accreditation System Professional accreditation system reserved for cultural programmers, providing supervised access to festival showcases, priority booking windows, and touring opportunities.
• Public Ticketing Platform Online ticketing platform (billetterie.lechainon.fr) for festival performances, with reduced rates for students, job seekers, and Pass Culture users (under-26, Pôle Emploi recipients).
• Festival Mobile Application Mobile application available on iOS and Android supporting the festival, providing schedule, venue, and ticketing information to spectators.

Quantifiable outcome

• 350,000+ spectators reached annually through network touring
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Integration1 record

Partnerships

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

• Théâtre des Béliers AvignonmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner20-year presence at Avignon Off. Partnership to showcase Chainon artists during the Avignon Festival, including programming of 'Mon père avait 3 vaches' and hosting member events.
• Théâtre de LavalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMain venue hosting festival headquarters, ticketing, professional welcome area, and major performances. Core operational partner for festival logistics.
• 6PAR4majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLive music venue hosting festival evening concerts and the Chainon Comedy Club. Partnership with volunteer-run bar operation.
• 11 Regional Federations & CoordinationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of regional bodies organizing artistic scouting events (Région(s) en Scène(s)) across France including Nouvelle-Aquitaine/Réseau 535, Occitanie/Pyramid, Pays de la Loire, Hauts-de-France, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes/Le Maillon, Grand-Est, Bretagne, Sud, Normandie, and Ile-de-France coordination.
• Laval TourismemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal tourism office partnering on the Prologue event including Pass Prologue package (4 spectacles, museum visit, meals, transport for 60€).
• TUL (Transports Urbains Lavallois)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal public transport network providing free transit on weekends and shuttle services to festival venues.
• Bird (Electric Scooters)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerElectric scooter sharing service as official partner for sustainable transport between festival venues.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Festival d'Avignon: France's most prestigious live performing arts festival, held annually in Avignon. Comparable as the top-tier French festival showcasing multidisciplinary performing arts (dance, theater, music) to professional programmers and the public. Chainon explicitly positions itself as the only other French festival presenting 7 disciplines together alongside Avignon.
• Festival d'Automne à Paris: Major Parisian multidisciplinary performing arts festival featuring dance, theater, music, and visual arts. Comparable for its multi-disciplinary programming, professional networking function, and role in launching artists' touring careers nationally.
• Festival Off d'Avignon: The independent fringe performing arts festival running parallel to Festival d'Avignon. Directly comparable multi-disciplinary programming model, professional accreditation system, and core reliance on programmers/venues booking shows after festival showcase. Chainon has a 20-year partnership with Théâtre des Bêliers at the Off.
• Théâtre National Populaire (TNP): Major French national theater producing and touring performing arts shows. Comparable as a venue/programmer that books touring shows and serves as a hub for professional programming decisions, similar to Chainon's member structures.
• Montpellier Danse: Major French dance festival featuring international programming and acting as a diffusion hub for contemporary dance. Comparable as a multi-disciplinary or dance-focused festival that supports touring circuits for emerging artists across France.
• La Mousson d'été: Annual French performing arts festival focused on text and contemporary creation. Comparable as a smaller French festival showcasing emerging artists to professional programmers, with a similar artist-discovery and touring-catalyst function.
• Office National de Diffusion Artistique (ONDA): French national organization supporting performing arts diffusion and touring. Direct peer in mission and function: facilitating artist touring, supporting programmer decisions, and coordinating nationwide touring circuits for performing arts companies.

Emerging players

• Scènes nationales: Network of national performing arts venues across France (label of the French Ministry of Culture). Comparable as a structured network of venues/programmers that book touring shows and coordinate artistic programming across regions, similar to Chainon's federation structure.

Others

• ARTCENA: French national center for circus, street arts, and theater. Comparable as a national resource and network organization supporting professional performing arts diffusion, with similar institutional funding model and coordination role across French territories.
• Centre National de la Danse (CND): French national dance center supporting dance creation, production, and distribution. Comparable as an institutional entity that curates dance programming, supports artist visibility, and serves as a national resource for professional dance touring.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/reseau-chainon

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 Réseau Chainon