Les Rencontres à l'échelle - B/P

What Les Rencontres à l'échelle - B/P does

Les Rencontres à l'échelle - B/P is a Marseille-based non-profit cultural organization (association loi 1901) operating under the legal name "Les Bancs Publics." Founded in 2008 and headquartered at the Friche la Belle de Mai (41 rue Jobin, 13003 Marseille), the organization produces an annual multidisciplinary performing arts festival — currently in its 21st edition, scheduled for June 2–13, 2026 — dedicated to contemporary creation from the Mediterranean rim, Africa, the SWANA region, and diasporic communities. Programming spans theatre, dance, performance, and visual arts, with a stated mission of providing a discovery platform for artists and authors frequently underrepresented in European cultural circuits.

Beyond the annual festival, the organization operates three additional program verticals: (1) international artist residencies hosted at the Friche la Belle de Mai campus, (2) a production and accompaniment pole that co-produces and tours works, and (3) professional immersion labs (Les Premières X 2B Continued) targeting emerging artists, with the 2026 cycle focused on 15 young creators from Cairo in cooperation with D-CAF. The 2026 edition is co-curated with Dream City / L'Art Rue (Tunis) under the Saison Méditerranée 2026 framework led by the Institut Français, and features cross-residencies between Tunis and Marseille. Distribution is anchored in five Marseille venues — Friche la Belle de Mai, LaMAM, Théâtre Joliette, Théâtre des Bernardines, and Musée d'Histoire — while co-produced productions tour internationally to Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Turkey.

The revenue model is overwhelmingly dependent on public institutional subsidies — DRAC PACA, Région Sud, Ville de Marseille, Département des Bouches-du-Rhône, Métropole d'Aix-Marseille-Provence, ONDA, Institut Français, AFD, and Europe Creative. Direct commercial revenue is structurally minor: general festival admission is free, with only marginal income from select workshops (e.g., Dabke sessions at €15–€20) and a few ticketed performances. The organization runs with a small core team of approximately 6–7 salaried staff (direction, administration, communication, technical direction, festival coordination, production) augmented by regular collaborators and volunteers during the festival period. There is no proprietary technology platform; the offering is fundamentally experiential and human-curated.

Name

Les Rencontres à l'échelle - B/P

Legal name

Les Bancs Publics

Website

https://lesrencontresalechelle.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Marseille-based non-profit cultural organization operating an annual international performing arts festival focused on contemporary creation from Mediterranean, African, and SWANA-region artists, combined with year-round artist residencies, production support, and professional labs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Festival

NAICS

Performing Arts Companies (7111), Other Performing Arts Companies (711190), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music) (BPAGAHAB), Fringe & Experimental Performing Arts (MPAGABAI)

Keywords

• Performing arts festival
• Artist residencies
• Cultural production
• International cooperation
• Contemporary theatre

Headquarters

HQ city

Marseille

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Institutional Funding: The primary revenue stream comes from public institutional support, including grants and subsidies from regional, departmental, and city governments (DRAC PACA, Région Sud, Ville de Marseille, Département Bouches-du-Rhône, Métropole d'Aix-Marseille-Provence), national cultural agencies (Institut Français, ONDA), and international programs (PAUSE, Saison Méditerranée 2026, Europe Creative). These are non-repayable subsidies supporting the festival, residencies, and cooperation projects.
2. Ticket Sales & Venue Admissions: Revenue generated from admissions to festival performances, events, concerts, and DJ sets at the various Marseille venues hosting the festival program. Some events are free with optional donations or free admission (e.g., Syrian Cassette Archives DJ set).
3. Workshop Fees: Fees charged for participatory workshops open to the public, such as the Dabke dance workshop (€20/session) and theatre research workshops (free with registration). Some workshops organized as support to artists, with proceeds going directly to the artist.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Les Rencontres à l'échelle - B/P operates a multidisciplinary performing arts festival and artist support organization in Marseille. It presents an annual program of contemporary performances (theater, dance, performance, music, installations) by artists from the Mediterranean, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America, while providing international artist residencies in partnership with LaMAM and a professional creation lab (Les Premières X 2B Continued) for emerging Southern artists. The organization also offers participatory Dabke and Arabic-language theater workshops for the local public.

Product overview

Les Rencontres à l'échelle - B/P is a nonprofit arts organization based in Marseille that operates as a platform for international contemporary creation. Its core offerings include an annual multidisciplinary festival dedicated to performing arts from the Mediterranean and African regions, international artist residencies at La Friche la Belle de Mai, and a production support pole for artists. The organization focuses on theatre, dance, and performance works that offer narratives of existing contexts and build collective art practices. Key productions include Ravage tout court (documentary theatre on Palestine), Dignity (performance on colonial history and human rights), Language: no broblem (multilingual performance), Je suis l'acteur de la poésie de ma mère (solo on Congolese heritage), Rupak Tal (choreographic work), and Prova (reconstruction of Syrian prison theatre). The organization also coordinates cooperation projects with European and international partners under frameworks like Europe Creative.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Les Rencontres à l'échelle - Festival Annual multidisciplinary performing arts festival featuring contemporary theater, dance, performance, music, and installations programmed around Mediterranean and Southern artistic perspectives. The festival is presented across multiple venues in Marseille including Friche la Belle de Mai, LaMAM, Théâtre Joliette, Théâtre des Bernardines, Musée d'Histoire de Marseille, La Criée, and La Minoterie, with free audience access and a curated participatory program.
• International Artist Residencies (in partnership with LaMAM) International artist residency program operated in partnership with LaMAM (Laboratoire Artistique de la Manufacture des Arts), offering research and creation support to artists from the Mediterranean, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America developing new performing arts works. Residencies are part of the organization's multi-year pathway for Southern artists and feed into festival programming and touring.
• Les Premières X 2B Continued Professional creation lab program that supports artists in the final development stage of new works, typically following earlier residency phases. It functions as a production support and finishing step within the organization's multi-year pathway for emerging Southern performing artists, helping productions reach premiere-ready status.
• Participatory Dabke and Arabic-Language Theater Workshops Participatory workshops offered as part of the festival program, including Dabke dance workshops and Arabic-language theater workshops (e.g., "ON AIR - Je danse donc je suis") aimed at engaging local audiences in cultural practices from the Mediterranean and Arab world. Workshops have unit pricing with limited participant numbers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 21st edition running from June 2–13, 2026 across 5 Marseille venues
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• Friche la Belle de MaicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Friche la Belle de Mai is the host venue and primary partner of Les Rencontres à l'échelle. The festival is a resident structure of the Friche, operating alongside other cultural tenants including Les Grandes Tables, La Criée, ZEF, and others on the former tobacco factory campus at 41 rue Jobin, Marseille.
• Direction régionale des affaires culturelles Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur (DRAC PACA)coreOthersDRAC PACA is the primary state cultural authority providing institutional funding and regulatory oversight for the festival, including support through dispositifs like Aide à la création.
• Région Sud Provence Alpes Côte d'AzurcoreOthersThe regional council provides significant institutional funding to the festival and its artistic programs.
• Ville de MarseillecoreOthersThe City of Marseille is an institutional partner providing funding and municipal support to the festival.
• Département Bouches du RhônecoreOthersThe departmental council is an institutional funding partner for the festival.
• Métropole d'Aix-Marseille-ProvencecoreOthersThe metropolitan authority provides institutional funding and support to cultural programming in the Marseille area.
• Institut Français (Paris)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Institut Français is the lead operator of Saison Méditerranée 2026, within which the 21st edition of Les Rencontres à l'échelle is labeled and co-programmed. The Institut Français also provides international cooperation support through AFD co-financing.
• Dream City / L'Art Rue (Tunis)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerDream City, a platform for contextual artistic creations based in Tunis, was invited by Les Rencontres à l'échelle to co-shape a significant portion of the 21st edition's programming, including cross-residencies between Tunis and Marseille. Selma & Sofiane Ouissi and Jan Goossens serve as artistic directors of Dream City.
• D-CAF (Downtown Contemporary Arts Festival, Cairo)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation link with D-CAF at the Cairo festival, hosting the Les Premières X 2B Continued professional immersion lab during the 21st edition. Organised by Orient Productions and Studio Emad Eddin with the French Embassy in Cairo.
• ONDA - Office National de Diffusion ArtistiqueminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorONDA supports the diffusion and distribution of the festival's artistic productions to venues and networks across France.
• La Criée - Théâtre National de MarseilleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Marseille theatre partner providing co-programming and venue support for the festival's activities.
• Le ZEF, Scène Nationale de MarseilleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Marseille scene nationale partner in the cultural ecosystem of the Friche campus and broader Marseille programming network.
• Théâtre Joliette (Marseille)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Théâtre Joliette is a co-presenting partner for the 21st edition, hosting C!S-TEM ERROR and the body symphonic. It is listed as a supporting partner of the festival.
• LaMAM - Maison des Arts MarseillecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaMAM is a co-presenting partner for the 21st edition, hosting the opening evening and Ravage tout court, in co-realization with Les Rencontres à l'échelle.
• Programme PAUSE (Collège de France)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPAUSE supports artists in exile. Abdul Haq Haqjoo benefited from the PAUSE program (2023–2025) and was hosted as a resident artist. The program is a listed institutional partner.
• Institut Français de JérusalemminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as an institutional partner; provides support for international artistic cooperation and artist mobility related to the Mediterranean programming.
• MC93 - Maison de la Culture de Seine Saint-Denis (Bobigny)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoproduction and residency partner for Prova (Waël Ali / Simon Dubois), hosting a residency October 7–11, 2026.
• Les Subsistances (Lyon)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoproduction and residency partner for Prova, hosting a residency April 27 – May 7, 2026.
• AMI - Aides aux Musiques InnovatricesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for the ON AIR concert event (Les Rencontres à l'échelle x AMI x Agence Karkadé), providing musical programming support and cross-promotion.
• Radio GrenouilleminorOthersMedia partner providing radio coverage and broadcast support for the festival.
• KVS (Brussels)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKVS is the producer of Je suis l'acteur de la poésie de ma mère by Michael Disanka, which premiered at Kunstenfestivaldesarts Brussels before appearing at the festival.
• Perpodium (Belgium)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoproducer of Dignity (Chokri Ben Chikha / Action Zoo Humain), providing co-production and international touring support.
• Theater Rotterdam (Netherlands)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoproducer of Dignity, supporting the international touring and co-production of the work.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Festival d'Avignon: France's largest performing arts festival, held annually in Avignon with contemporary theatre, dance, and performance programming — directly comparable in category and ambition, though significantly larger in scale.
• Festival de Marseille: Marseille-based performing arts festival focused on international contemporary dance, theatre, and performance — direct geographic and thematic peer, sharing audiences and venues in the same city.
• Dream City / L'Art Rue: Tunis-based platform for contextual artistic creations and the invited co-programmer of Les Rencontres à l'échelle's 21st edition — direct peer in Mediterranean contemporary art curation with shared artistic directors (Selma & Sofiane Ouissi, Jan Goossens).
• Festival d'Automne à Paris: Major Paris-based multidisciplinary performing arts festival presenting theatre, dance, music, and visual arts from international artists — directly comparable as a presenter of contemporary international creation in France.
• D-CAF (Downtown Contemporary Arts Festival): Cairo-based contemporary arts festival — direct peer and cooperation partner hosting the Les Premières X 2B Continued professional immersion lab.
• Mousonturm (Frankfurt): Frankfurt performing arts center presenting international contemporary theatre, dance, and performance — comparable as a curated international presenter with co-production and residency models.
• Festival Impatience: French festival dedicated to emerging performing arts creators under 35 — directly comparable mission, and programmed artist Mona El Yafi/Nadim Bahsoun won the Prix des Lycéens 2025.
• Kunstenfestivaldesarts (Brussels): Brussels international performing arts festival presenting theatre, dance, and performance from around the world — direct peer in programming international contemporary creation, and a co-production partner via KVS.

Broad incumbents

• Holland Festival: Amsterdam's flagship international performing arts festival — broader in scope (music, opera, theatre, dance) and larger in scale, but a benchmark peer for international co-production and touring strategy.

Regional players

• La Criée – Théâtre National de Marseille: National theatre co-located at Friche la Belle de Mai and a minor co-programming partner — comparable in Marseille's local performing arts ecosystem but operates as a venue/permanent company rather than a festival.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/lesrencontresalechelle
• Instagraminstagram.com/lesrencontresalechelle
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/les-rencontres-l-chelle

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Les Rencontres à l'échelle - B/P