LE SIRQUE

What LE SIRQUE does

Le Sirque is a French non-profit association (loi 1901) headquartered in Nexon, Haute-Vienne, operating as one of thirteen Pôles Nationaux Cirque (National Circus Poles) state-recognized by the Ministry of Culture. The organization runs an annual Festival Multi-Pistes combining circus, music, and visual arts each August, alongside year-round production and co-production of circus works, artist residencies, and cultural-action programs (school workshops, elderly care partnerships) that serve local Nouvelle-Aquitaine communities. Its core technical asset is Le Vaisseau, a purpose-built multifunctional circus venue inaugurated in 2021, representing a ~€15.8M capital investment co-funded by the Ministry of Culture, Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Conseil Départemental, and Ville de Nexon.

The business model is a public-grant-anchored non-profit structure. Revenue is generated through four principal channels: (1) ticket sales priced at €8–€22 per seat and €160 for a full festival pass; (2) multi-tier public subsidies from national, regional, departmental, and municipal authorities; (3) private sponsorships including Crédit Agricole and SACD; and (4) individual donations and gift cards starting at €45. The organization actively co-produces with peer PNCs (Cirque Jules Verne, La Cascade, Le Palc) and hosts CNAC graduation shows, embedding it within the national circus training ecosystem. International touring of co-produced works to Belgium, Germany, and Italy extends its reach beyond the home region.

Operationally, Le Sirque runs on a lean team of approximately eight core staff under artistic director Martin Palisse, who also teaches at ENSA Limoges art school. The organization exhibits moderate growth posture, with active 2026 audition calls for a new production ("Tribalisme") and ongoing recruitment for circus instructor roles. Strategic positioning is defined primarily by its PNC designation and the multi-year public funding envelope that accompanies it, rather than by market-driven scaling.

Name

LE SIRQUE

Legal name

Le Sirque – Pôle National Cirque de Nexon en Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Website

https://lesirque.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Le Sirque is a French non-profit association and one of 13 state-designated Pôles Nationaux Cirque, based in Nexon, Nouvelle-Aquitaine. It produces an annual circus festival, co-produces and tours circus works, and runs artist residencies and community cultural programs from its 2021 venue Le Vaisseau.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Nexon

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 (Billetterie): Direct ticket sales for performances, festival passes, and workshops through online platform, on-site box office, and tourist office partnerships. Individual tickets range from 8€ to 22€, with various pass options.
2. Public Subsidies: Core funding from Ministry of Culture, Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Conseil départementale de la Haute-Vienne, and Ville de Nexon. Le Sirque holds 'Pôle National Cirque' designation providing access to national circus support programs.
3. Private Partnerships & Sponsorships: Support from private partners including Crédit Agricole, SACD, media partners (Radio France, Beaub FM, Le Populaire, Inrockuptibles). Mécénat (patronage) program for individual donors starting at 45€.
4. Gift Cards: Gift card sales for performances and specified amounts, supporting artists during difficult periods.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Le Sirque is a Pôle National Cirque operating as a nonprofit contemporary circus center in Nexon, France. It presents the annual Festival Multi-Pistes and runs Le Vaisseau, a permanent big-top venue used for performances and residencies. The organization produces and co-produces shows, hosts artist residencies, runs the Artistes Associés support program, and delivers public circus workshops and cultural-education initiatives in schools and social centers.

Product overview

Le Sirque – Pôle National Cirque de Nexon is a cultural organization (association) serving as a National Circus Pole, not a technology product company. Its offerings consist of live performing arts services centered around the annual Festival Multi-Pistes (circus, music, and visual arts festival in August), production and co-production of circus shows, artist residencies, and cultural/educational outreach programs including circus workshops for various age groups. The organization operates Le Vaisseau, its main chapiteau venue inaugurated in 2021, as the primary space for performances, rehearsals, and community engagement activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Festival Multi-Pistes

Quantifiable outcome

• Le Vaisseau inaugurated 2021, replacing 2001 chapiteau after 2 years of construction

Named customers4 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

Feature2 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ministère de la CulturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary public funder providing core operating support and capital investment for Le Vaisseau construction. DRAC Nouvelle-Aquitaine handles regional administration of national cultural funding.
• Région Nouvelle-AquitainecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor regional authority providing ongoing funding for operations and capital projects. Co-funder of Le Vaisseau construction.
• Conseil Départemental de la Haute-ViennecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDepartmental council providing structural funding and inscribed Le Vaisseau in rural contract as important territorial structuring element.
• Ville de NexoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost municipality providing land, facilities, and ongoing support. Master builder for Le Vaisseau project with construction overseen by Ville de Nexon.
• OARA (Office Artistique de la Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional arts office providing artistic development support, residency assistance, and co-production partnerships for circus works.
• SACD (Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSociety supporting performing arts authors through Processus Cirque device, providing grants for circus creation projects.
• Centre National des Arts du Cirque (CNAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational circus arts school whose annual graduation show is co-presented at Le Sirque, showcasing 36th and 38th promotions.
• Territoires de CirquecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational network of 57 circus structures including 13 PNCs, organizing La Nuit du Cirque international event in which Le Sirque participates.
• Cirque Jules Verne - PNC AmiensminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner for Martin Palisse's work, including ØBLÍK performances and future Tribalisme project.
• La Cascade - PNC Bourg-Saint-AndéolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner supporting various circus creations including ØBLÍK and Pling Klang.
• Le Palc - PNC Châlons-en-ChampagnecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey co-production partner for CNAC graduation shows and various circus creations.
• Crédit Agricole Centre OuestminorOthersRegional banking partner providing festival sponsorship support.
• École Nationale Supérieure d'Art de LimogesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership bringing circus programming to art school, including chapiteau installation 2020 and artist residencies for emerging artists.
• Université de LimogesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership including Master CCIC internships, Forum Stage & Emploi participation, and student engagement programs.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Compagnie 111 (Aurélien Bory): Major French contemporary circus company directed by Aurélien Bory, regularly co-produced and hosted by Pôles Nationaux Cirque. Comparable as a peer circus creator whose work circulates through the same PNC network Le Sirque belongs to.
• CIRCa: Pôle National Cirque in Auch, one of the 13 national circus poles in France. Closely comparable in designation, funding structure, and programming model to Le Sirque.
• Cirque Plume: Iconic French contemporary circus company whose work has toured internationally for decades. Comparable as a contemporary circus creator working in the same artistic ecosystem that Le Sirque serves as a production and diffusion platform.
• La Brèche: Pôle National Cirque in Cherbourg, another of the 13 national circus poles. Directly comparable as a sister PNC focused on creation, residency, and dissemination of contemporary circus.
• Le Palc: Pôle National Cirque in Châlons-en-Champagne, identified as a key co-production partner for CNAC graduation shows and various circus creations. Sister PNC with directly overlapping mission in artist development and touring.
• Cirque Jules Verne: Pôle National Cirque based in Amiens, one of the 13 national circus poles with the same designation and scale as Le Sirque. Directly comparable as a sister PNC with similar mission, funding model, and programming mandate.
• La Cascade: Pôle National Cirque in Bourg-Saint-Andéol, listed as an active co-production partner of Le Sirque for works including ØBLíK and Pling Klang. Operates the same PNC model with comparable scale and rural-periphery positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Festival d'Avignon: France's largest annual performing arts festival, held each July. Operates a broadly similar event-driven live-performance model at far greater scale and budget; relevant for programming and audience-development comparison.
• Théâtre National de Chaillot: Major Parisian national theater presenting contemporary dance, theater, and circus programming. Larger and more established than Le Sirque, with overlapping presenting role for circus works but a much broader artistic mandate.

Others

• Territoires de Cirque: National network of 57 French circus structures including the 13 PNCs, organizing collective events such as La Nuit du Cirque. Comparable as the umbrella ecosystem that Le Sirque operates within, rather than as a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCPDEAUn5-7xmIurjWYJajEQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/LeSirque
• Instagraminstagram.com/lesirque_nexon
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/le-sirque

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 SIRQUE