Passages Transfestival - Metz

What Passages Transfestival - Metz does

Passages Transfestival is a French non-profit association (association loi 1901) headquartered at 10 rue des Trinitaires in Metz, operating an annual international festival of performing arts focused on transcultural and transdisciplinary programming. Founded around 2011 and now in its 15th anniversary edition ("Nouveaux Rivages" in May 2026), the organization presents theatre, dance, music, and multidisciplinary work from artists primarily drawn from South America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, with the 2026 edition alone hosting over 100 international artists from 25 nationalities across 4 continents and attracting more than 10,000 spectators over 15 days. The core product portfolio comprises the biennial-turned-annual festival editions, the ZIGZAG Ateliers monthly workshop series (launched 2024) held on the first Tuesday of each month at various Metz venues, and year-round Transmissions programs including Les Petits Passagers (youth education), Les Voisins Voyageurs (intergenerational/intercultural projects), Gardez la flamme! (Cultural Olympiad initiative), and Transpods (student-created podcast series).

The association has no proprietary technology platform; operations rely on standard web infrastructure (WordPress-based website), Mapado for online ticketing, and basic analytics/calendar integrations (Google Analytics, Google Calendar, iCalendar, Outlook). Core customer-facing infrastructure consists of the Quartier Général (QG Esplanade) festival headquarters near Place de la République and partnerships with eight primary venues across Metz (Arsenal, Centre Pompidou-Metz, Saint-Pierre-aux-Nonnains, L'Agora, MJC Metz-Borny, Bliiida, Cité musicale-Metz, CCN Ballet de Lorraine). International programming reach is enabled by partnerships with D-CAF Cairo, Hewar Theater Alexandria, Festival Perspectives Saarbrücken, Le Maillon Strasbourg, Théâtre de Liège, and others.

The business model blends public subsidies (Ministry of Culture-DRAC Grand Est, Région Grand Est, Eurodépartement de la Moselle, Eurométropole de Metz, Ville de Metz, Académie Nancy-Metz, EU Interreg), ticket sales at €5–18 per performance and sliding-scale workshops starting at €5, project grants and co-productions with European cultural partners, and private sponsorship (Batigère Habitat, Groupe Thierry Oldak). The organization is governed by a Bureau de l'association led by Présidente Michèle Paradon and led artistically by Benoît Bradel, supported by a core staff of roughly 12 and over 40 intermittent/seasonal workers activated during the festival window.

Name

Passages Transfestival - Metz

Legal name

PASSAGES TRANSFESTIVAL

Website

https://passages-transfestival.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Passages Transfestival is a French non-profit association based in Metz that operates an annual international performing arts festival focused on transcultural programming, drawing 100+ artists from 25 nationalities and engaging 10,000+ spectators, supplemented by year-round ZIGZAG workshops and Transmissions education programs funded by French and European public institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Festival

NAICS

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Musical Groups and Artists (71113)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural Festivals & Events Organizations (BPAGAHAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Concerts & Music Festivals (THAJAFAA), Dance Performances (THAJAFAD)

Keywords

• Performing arts festival
• International cultural programming
• Cultural mediation programs
• Transdisciplinary arts workshops
• Arts education outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

Metz

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Public Funding and Subsidies: Major revenue source from public institutions including Ministry of Culture-DRAC Grand Est, Région Grand Est, Eurodépartement de la Moselle, Eurométropole de Metz, Ville de Metz, Académie Nancy-Metz, and European Union Interreg programs.
2. Ticket Sales: Revenue from ticket sales for performances, concerts, and workshops. Online sales via mapado.com platform. Pricing ranges from free/donation-based (ZIGZAG workshops starting at 5€) to 5-18€ for performances.
3. Project Grants and Partnerships: Co-productions and co-programming with European cultural institutions generate additional funding and resources for artistic projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Passages Transfestival operates an annual international festival of performing arts in Metz presenting theater, dance, circus, music, and multidisciplinary works from artists across Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, the Mediterranean and Asia. The organization complements the biennial festival with year-round programming including ZIGZAG monthly workshops, cultural mediation programs (Transmissions), and educational initiatives (Les Petits Passagers, Transpods, Les Voisins Voyageurs, Gardez la flamme!). It also produces co-productions and facilitates international touring for selected works across European venues.

Product overview

Passages Transfestival is an international performing arts festival organization based in Metz, France, offering a comprehensive portfolio centered on its annual Transfestival event. The core product is the annual festival featuring theatre, dance, and music performances. Supporting offerings include ZIGZAG Ateliers (monthly transdisciplinary workshops), Transmissions (year-round audience development and cultural mediation programs), Les Petits Passagers (youth education initiatives), and Transpods (student-created podcasts). The organization operates within the GRACE European cooperation project for cross-border cultural exchange.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ZIGZAG Ateliers: Transdisciplinary and inclusive workshops launched in 2024, monthly itinerant artistic practice sessions
• GRACE
• Transmissions

Products and services

• Passages Transfestival (Annual Festival) Annual international festival of contemporary performing arts featuring theater, dance, circus, music, and multidisciplinary performances across multiple venues in Metz, with themed editions exploring transcultural and transdisciplinary artistic expressions.
• ZIGZAG Ateliers Monthly transdisciplinary and inclusive workshops connecting audiences with invited festival artists through immersive artistic practice sessions, held on the first Tuesday of each month at various cultural venues in Metz.
• Transmissions (Cultural Mediation Programs) Year-round audience development and cultural mediation programs including inclusive practice workshops, participative artistic projects, and cross-border cultural exchange programs through the GRACE European cooperation project.
• Les Petits Passagers Educational program for young audiences including workshops, behind-the-scenes access, artistic practice sessions, and philosophy ateliers connecting students with festival artists and themes.
• Les Voisins Voyageurs Transgenerational cultural action program featuring inclusive practice workshops and participative artistic projects connecting diverse populations including migrants, people with disabilities, and other socially isolated groups through artistic engagement.
• Gardez la flamme! (Cultural Olympiad) Program celebrating artistic performances at the intersection of live performance and athletics, featuring shows, practice workshops, and encounters around themes of the body and physical performance.
• Transpods (Podcast Series) Festival podcast series created by students, designed as an augmented experience of the festival where participants explore edition themes and share their perspectives.
• GRACE International Co-productions and Touring European co-production and touring program enabling international works produced through the festival to tour across venues in the Greater Region (Metz, Verdun, Forbach, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg, Saarbrücken, Völklingen, Eupen, Verviers, Liège) and beyond.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10,000+ festival spectators per edition with 100+ international artists from 25 nationalities
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, strategic and supporting.

• GRACE (Greater Region Artistic and Cultural Education) NetworkflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Collective of 25 cultural operators, local governments, and universities across the Greater Region (Metz, Verdun, Forbach, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg, Sarrebruck, Völklingen, Eupen, Verviers, Liège). Total project budget of 6,465,000€ co-financed by Interreg VI Grande Région 2021-2027. Passages leads artistic and educational programming with cross-border workshop exchanges and masterclasses.
• Ministry of Culture - DRAC Grand EstcoreOthersPrincipal public funding body providing operational and programmatic support to the festival. Label 100 EAC (Éducation Artistique et Culturelle) recognized institution.
• Région Grand EstcoreOthersRegional government providing significant annual funding and support for festival operations and international programming.
• Eurométropole de MetzcoreOthersMetropolitan authority providing local funding and hosting festival activities across the Metz metropolitan area.
• Institut Français - Saison MéditerranéeflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor partnership for 2026 edition under the French Institute's Mediterranean Season, bringing artists from Maghreb, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine. Provides international programming framework and co-funding.
• D-CAF (Downtown Contemporary Arts Festival)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational festival partnership with Cairo's Downtown Contemporary Arts Festival, directed by Ahmed El Attar. Supports independent Egyptian and international contemporary creation in theater, dance, music, and visual arts.
• Theater Is A Must / Hewar TheaterstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent theater festival and forum founded in 2012 by Hewar company in Alexandria. Directed by Adel and Nada Abdelwahab, supports politically and socially engaged contemporary Arab creation and emerging artist development.
• Centre Pompidou-MetzcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKey venue partner for festival performances and installations. Co-host of ZIGZAG workshops and artistic programming.
• BliiidacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor cultural venue partner hosting festival events and ZIGZAG workshops. Important partner for inclusive and accessible programming.
• Festival Perspectives (Saarbrücken)strategicChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCross-border festival partner co-programming productions including Lia Rodrigues' 'Borda' and 'Moyette' for audience development across the Greater Region.
• Le Maillon Théâtre de StrasbourgstrategicChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEuropean scene theater partner co-presenting touring productions including Lia Rodrigues' 'Borda' as part of cross-border programming network.
• Cité musicale-MetzcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMusical venue partner hosting concert programming and co-productions with Passages festival.
• CCN - Ballet de LorrainestrategicChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational Dance Center partner for choreographic programming and masterclasses with international artists.
• ONDA (Office national de diffusion artistique)supportingOthersNational office supporting artistic distribution providing logistical and financial support for national touring of selected productions.
• Batigère Habitat and Groupe Thierry OldaksupportingOthersPrivate partners providing financial and logistical support for specific festival productions and educational programs.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Edinburgh International Festival: One of the world's premier international performing arts festivals featuring opera, theatre, dance, and music. Shares Passages' international programming focus but operates at a substantially larger global scale with significantly higher funding and audiences.
• Festival d'Automne à Paris: Major Paris-based contemporary arts festival presenting international theatre, dance, music, and visual arts. Larger and more established than Passages, with similar international contemporary performing arts focus but operating at a metropolitan and global scale.

Direct peers

• Tanz im August: Berlin's international dance and performing arts festival presenting contemporary choreography and transdisciplinary work. Shares Passages' focus on international artists, festival-driven audience development, and year-round community engagement programming.
• Festival delle Colline Torinesi: Turin-based international contemporary theatre and dance festival featuring international productions and emerging artists. Similar mid-sized European festival profile to Passages with comparable international contemporary performing arts programming.
• Holland Festival: Amsterdam's leading international performing arts festival featuring theatre, dance, music, and opera. Comparable international contemporary arts mission and festival-driven distribution model, though operating at a larger scale in a different national market.
• Festival Montpellier Danse: Major French international dance festival presenting international choreography companies. Direct peer in French festival landscape, with overlapping international dance programming and public funding reliance, though larger and more dance-focused.
• Festival de Marseille: Annual performing arts festival in Marseille featuring international contemporary theatre, dance, and circus. Comparable to Passages in transcultural Mediterranean programming, festival-driven model, and reliance on public funding.
• La Bâtie - Festival de Genève: Geneva-based international performing arts festival presenting contemporary theatre, dance, music, and circus. Comparable in scope and format, with similar mid-sized European festival positioning and international contemporary programming focus.
• Festival TransAmériques: International contemporary performing arts festival in Montreal focused on theatre, dance, and multidisciplinary work from around the world. Closely aligned with Passages Transfestival in mission, programming format, and international artist focus.
• Rencontres chorégraphiques internationales: Tunis-based international contemporary dance festival connecting Arab, African, and European choreographers. Direct peer to Passages in transcultural Mediterranean programming, South-North artist exchange, and similar scale of operation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/passages-transfestival

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Passages Transfestival - Metz