The Centre for The Less Good Idea
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersJohannesburg, South Africa
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
The Centre for The Less Good Idea firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Centre for The Less Good Idea
- Legal name
- The Centre for the Less Good Idea NPC
- Website
- https://lessgoodidea.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Centre for The Less Good Idea industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Performing Arts & Interdisciplinary Arts Incubator
- NAICS
- Other Performing Arts Companies (711190), Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (71151)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community & Amateur Theatre (MPAGABAD)
Keywords
Where The Centre for The Less Good Idea is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Johannesburg
- HQ country
- South Africa
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Centre for The Less Good Idea business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: The Friends of the Less Good Idea programme provides annual, ongoing financial support from individual donors, enabling the Centre to continue incubating and devising artistic work without predetermined direction.
- Ticket Sales: Public performances and seasonal events are ticketed, with bookings available through the website for performances at The Centre and international co-productions.
- International Co-productions: Co-production arrangements with international venues and opera houses such as Neuköllner Oper Berlin and Komische Oper Berlin, where works are presented and toured internationally.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Public performance tickets |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
The Centre for The Less Good Idea product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Centre for the Less Good Idea is an interdisciplinary arts incubator space based in Maboneng, Johannesburg, that creates and supports experimental, collaborative, cross-disciplinary arts projects combining text, performance, image, and dance. It operates seasonal programming cycles, public performances, workshops, and educational programmes (SO Academy), and produces international co-productions and creative exchanges with foreign venues and artists under The Centre Outside The Centre banner.
Product overview
The Centre for the Less Good Idea is an interdisciplinary arts incubator that operates multiple interconnected programs: COLLATIONS (performative series curated by the Impresario exploring experimental art forms), SO | The Academy (educative programming with workshops and mentorships), The Centre Outside The Centre (international collaborations), FOR ONCE (short-form works), and Season Programs (curated seasonal performance cycles). These programs support experimental, collaborative, and cross-disciplinary arts projects through physical and virtual spaces in Johannesburg and abroad.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- COLLATIONS
Companies that use The Centre for The Less Good Idea
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Centre for The Less Good Idea technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
The Centre for The Less Good Idea partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- SAHA (South African History Archive)minorCreative exchange partnership combining structured workshop periods with independent research time at The Centre in July 2026. Istanbul-based artists İrem Nalça and Melih Kıraç selected to participate.
- Neuköllner Oper, BerlincoreCo-production partner for 'Selemo', a new chamber opera conceptualised by South African composers and performers Sbusiso Shozi and Nhlanhla Mahlangu, with musical mentorship by Neo Muyanga. The opera debuted at Neuköllner Oper in February 2026.
- Komische Oper, BerlincoreCo-production partner for 'Selemo' chamber opera. Following The Centre's performance of 'African Exodus' at Komische Oper in 2023, an invitation was extended to create a new work, resulting in 'Selemo'.
- Academy of Fine Arts, CarraraminorWorkshop engaging the processes of its Sounding Pictures programme, designed specifically for the Academy involving students and the Conservatory of La Spezia in a collective research path.
- Fondation CartiercoreInternational collaboration under 'The Centre Outside The Centre' programme with Fondation Cartier in 2024.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Centre for The Less Good Idea competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sophiensæle: Sophiensæle is a Berlin-based performance venue dedicated to contemporary dance, theatre, and experimental performance development. It is directly comparable to The Centre as a European experimental performance incubator and active collaborator in The Centre Outside The Centre network of European partners.
- The Chocolate Factory Theater: The Chocolate Factory Theater in Long Island City, New York is a small-scale venue dedicated to the production and presentation of new and experimental performance work. It is directly comparable to The Centre as a small, mission-driven incubator supporting experimental, cross-disciplinary artistic projects at modest scale.
- Tanzhaus NRW: Tanzhaus NRW in Düsseldorf is a major European center for contemporary dance and performance, hosting residencies, co-productions, and international programming. It is directly comparable to The Centre in providing an incubator environment for choreographers and interdisciplinary performers.
- Performance Space New York: Performance Space New York (formerly PS 122) commissions and presents experimental performance across dance, theatre, and live art. It is directly comparable to The Centre's experimental, cross-disciplinary performance incubator model and its focus on artists working at the edges of form.
- PICA (Portland Institute for Contemporary Art): PICA is a contemporary arts incubator in Portland, Oregon that commissions and presents experimental, cross-disciplinary performance and visual art with an emphasis on artist residencies. It is directly comparable to The Centre's model of incubating short-form, interdisciplinary work outside traditional theatre/gallery systems.
- The Market Theatre: The Market Theatre is a landmark performing arts venue in Johannesburg producing experimental and socially engaged theatre. It is directly comparable as a fellow Johannesburg-based performing arts incubator with a similar community orientation and history of supporting cross-disciplinary work, operating in the same South African ecosystem as The Centre.
- The Kitchen: The Kitchen in New York City is a non-profit arts space presenting experimental performance, dance, and visual art at the intersection of disciplines. It is directly comparable as a peer interdisciplinary incubator that prioritizes artist-led experimental projects over traditional commercial programming.
- Vooruit: Vooruit in Ghent, Belgium is a historic arts center hosting experimental music, theatre, dance, and visual art with a strong artist-residency and co-production programme. It is directly comparable to The Centre's interdisciplinary incubator model and its emphasis on collaborative, process-driven artistic development.
Regional players
- Baxter Theatre Centre: The Baxter Theatre at the University of Cape Town is a major South African performing arts venue presenting theatre, dance, and music. It is a regional peer to The Centre, offering a comparable performing arts platform in a different South African city (Cape Town) and serving a similar cultural ecosystem.
Broad incumbents
- Sadler's Wells: Sadler's Wells is a leading London-based dance and performance venue commissioning and co-producing international choreographers. It is a broad incumbent peer to The Centre: both produce and co-produce contemporary performance internationally, though Sadler's Wells operates at much larger scale across dance specifically.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Customer concentration
The Centre for The Less Good Idea social profiles
Digital presenceThe Centre for The Less Good Idea financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Centre for The Less Good Idea leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles21 records
The Centre for The Less Good Idea funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Centre for The Less Good Idea M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Centre for The Less Good Idea
What does The Centre for The Less Good Idea do?
The Centre for the Less Good Idea is an interdisciplinary arts incubator space based in Maboneng, Johannesburg, that creates and supports experimental, collaborative, cross-disciplinary arts projects combining text, performance, image, and dance. It operates seasonal programming cycles, public performances, workshops, and educational programmes (SO Academy), and produces international co-productions and creative exchanges with foreign venues and artists under The Centre Outside The Centre banner.
Is The Centre for The Less Good Idea a public or private company?
The Centre for The Less Good Idea is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Centre for The Less Good Idea founded?
The Centre for The Less Good Idea was founded in 2016. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Centre for The Less Good Idea based?
The Centre for The Less Good Idea is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, in the Africa region.
How does The Centre for The Less Good Idea make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are ticket Sales and international Co-productions.
Who are The Centre for The Less Good Idea's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sophiensæle, The Chocolate Factory Theater, Tanzhaus NRW, Performance Space New York, PICA (Portland Institute for Contemporary Art), The Market Theatre, The Kitchen and Vooruit. Baxter Theatre Centre is listed as a regional player. Sadler's Wells is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does The Centre for The Less Good Idea have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Centre for The Less Good Idea.
What industry is The Centre for The Less Good Idea in?
The Centre for The Less Good Idea's product category is Performing Arts & Interdisciplinary Arts Incubator. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGABAD, Community & Amateur Theatre. Its NAICS code is 711190 and its SIC code is 7812.