QUAI DES ARTS

What QUAI DES ARTS does

Quai des Arts (legal entity: Mairie d'Argentan) is a municipal performing arts venue in Argentan, France, opened in September 2009. It operates two halls — Quai A (657 seated / 900+ standing, modular, acoustically optimized) and Quai B (150 seats, 300 m² with technical grid) — within a 2,600 m² architect-designed facility (Patrick Mauger) located on former SNCF land near the train station. Programming spans theater, dance, circus, music, puppetry, and comedy, anchored by the 24th-edition Festival International d'Orgue and the Festival des Trop Petits (the only festival dedicated to early childhood 0-6 years in the Orne department). The venue is operated by a 17-person core team plus intermittent/seasonal staff, and functions as a municipal cultural service rather than an independent commercial enterprise.

The business model blends self-generated and publicly-funded revenue streams: ticketing via season subscriptions (minimum 3 shows) and individual sales priced in three tiers (Category A €35 down to Category C €6.50 full-price), plus gift cards (€15/€30/€70), venue rental to external productions, and ancillary bar/catering (Grignotte). Distribution is multi-channel — physical box office, Digitick online, telephone, plus integrations with FranceBillet, Ticket Net, PassCulture and Atouts Normandie. Municipal subsidy from Mairie d'Argentan and regional support from DRAC Normandie underwrite the cultural mission and accessible pricing structure (reduced rates for youth, students, job seekers, RSA/AAH/ASPA beneficiaries, groups of 8+, and free access for accompanying school adults).

Customer engagement extends well beyond ticket-holders. Cultural mediation programs include school partnerships (maternelle through lycée with subsidized daytime programming), Culture-Santé-Medico-social outreach, Culture-Justice prison programs, and the Les Provinces Créatives neighborhood partnership (2025-2027) targeting the Provinces district of Argentan with DRAC Normandie and Contrat de Ville d'État co-funding. Partnerships with regional festivals (Septembre Musical, Spring Festival, Printemps de la chanson) and conservatories (Caen, Alençon, Falaise) extend programming reach, while the 'Billets Suspendus' suspended-ticket charity program and on-demand TAD transit partnership with Service Mobilité de la Ville d'Argentan widen social and physical access. The venue holds three live performance entrepreneur licenses and is GDPR-compliant under the oversight of the Mairie d'Argentan's DPO.

Name

QUAI DES ARTS

Legal name

Mairie d'Argentan

Website

https://quaidesarts.fr

Company type

Public

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Quai des Arts is a municipal performing arts venue in Argentan, France, operating two halls (657 and 150 seats) with year-round theater, dance, music, and circus programming, two signature festivals, and subsidized access for schools, youth, and underserved communities under the Mairie d'Argentan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Venue

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB), Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues) (MPAGALAC), Multipurpose Event Center Operations (Civic Centers, Community Event Complexes) (MPAGALAE)

Keywords

• Performing arts venue
• Live performance theater
• Cultural programming services
• Music festival organization
• Municipal cultural services

Headquarters

HQ city

Argentan

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Individual tickets sold for performances across three price categories (A, B, C) with full, reduced, subscriber, and child rates. Season subscriptions (minimum 3 shows) provide recurring revenue with subscriber pricing advantages. Gift cards sold in fixed denominations (70€, 30€, 15€).
2. Venue Rental: Theater spaces (Quai A 657 seats, Quai B 150 seats) rented to external productions, companies, and organizations. Rental rates established by municipal council deliberation.
3. Municipal Budget: As a municipal cultural service of Argentan (Service culturel municipal), the venue receives funding from the Mairie d'Argentan. The publisher/operator is the Mairie d'Argentan, Place du Docteur Couinaud, 61200 Argentan.
4. Bar and Catering: Grignotte bar service operating before evening performances (opens 7pm), offering homemade savory tarts, cheeses, soups, and desserts. Provides ancillary revenue and enhances audience experience.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Quai des Arts is a municipal performing arts venue that produces and hosts live performances across theater, dance, music, circus, puppetry, and comedy in two performance halls (657-seat Quai A and 150-seat Quai B). Its core offerings include seasonal programming, signature festivals (Festival International d'Orgue and Festival des Trop Petits), season subscriptions and individual ticket sales with tiered pricing, artist residencies, school programming, cultural mediation activities, and venue rentals. The venue operates as a unified cultural center funded through municipal budgets and ticket revenue.

Product overview

Quai des Arts is a municipal performing arts venue in Argentan, France, comprising two performance halls (Quai A with 657 seats and Quai B with 150 seats) opened in September 2009. The venue operates as a unified cultural center offering diverse programming across theater, dance, music, circus, and puppetry. Core offerings include the Festival des Trop Petits (France's only festival dedicated to early childhood 0-6 years), the Festival International d'Orgue (annual organ music festival in its 24th edition), and Les Provinces Créatives neighborhood cultural partnership. The venue provides ticket sales and subscriptions with tiered pricing, gift cards, and a suspended tickets charitable program. Additional services include artist residencies, school programming, cultural mediation activities, and venue rental for external events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Festival International d'Orgue: Annual classical music festival celebrating organ music, held at Eglise Saint-Germain in Argentan
• Festival des Trop Petits
• Les Provinces Créatives
• Espace Pro Enseignants

Products and services

• Quai A (Grande Salle) The main performance hall with 657 seated seats and capacity for over 900 standing, featuring optimized acoustics for a wide variety of shows. Available for venue rental and used for the venue's own programming.
• Quai B (Petite Salle) A 300 m² flexible space equipped with a technical grid, suitable for intimate young audience performances, small shows, and seminars.
• Festival International d'Orgue Annual classical music festival celebrating organ music in its 24th edition (2026), held at Église Saint-Germain, featuring international organists and concerts throughout the festival period.
• Festival des Trop Petits Annual festival dedicated to early childhood (0-6 years), the only festival of its kind in the Orne department, featuring age-appropriate performances and activities for toddlers and infants.
• Les Provinces Créatives Cultural partnership program with the Provinces neighborhood (2025-2027), bringing performances, workshops, and festive events to both the district and the theater. Supported by DRAC Normandie and the City Contract.
• Billetterie et Abonnements Ticket sales and subscription services with tiered pricing (Category A/B/C), reduced rates for students/unemployed/social benefit recipients, and season subscription packages starting at 3 shows minimum with exchange privileges.
• Programming Scolaire School programming with dedicated daytime performances for maternelle, primaire, collège and lycée levels, plus pre-show visits and artist encounters. Subsidized rates (€4 nursery, €6.50 primary+) with free accompanying adults.
• Billets Suspendus Suspended ticket program allowing patrons to donate tickets for economically disadvantaged spectators to collect free of charge from a board in the theater hall.
• Cartes Cadeaux Gift cards available in fixed denominations of €70, €30, and €15, valid September 2025 through June 2026 for any shows on the season. Non-refundable and non-transferable to next season.
• Résidences d'Artistes Artist residency program supporting regional and national theater companies with facilities and creative support.

Quantifiable outcome

• Festival des Trop Petits is the only festival dedicated to 0-6 years in Orne department
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record.

• DRAC NormandieOthers · 1 January 2025Direction Régionale des Affaires Culturelles de Normandie provides funding support for cultural initiatives including Provinces Créatives partnership (2025-2027) and Mon Quai, mon quartier, ma culture neighborhood cultural program. Regional government body overseeing cultural development.
• Contrat de Ville d'ÉtatOthers · 1 January 2025State-city contract supporting the Provinces Créatives cultural partnership targeting residents of Provinces neighborhood. Part of national urban renewal and social cohesion policy.
• Septembre Musical de l'OrneStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual music festival in Orne department; co-presents operatic performances at Quai des Arts (e.g., La Bohème, September 2026). Mutual programming collaboration.
• Spring FestivalStrategic or Co-development PartnerNormandy festival dedicated to new circus forms. Partnership includes cross-ticketing with reduced rates for ticket holders attending both venues.
• Printemps de la chanson (Conseil Départemental de l'Orne)Strategic or Co-development PartnerDepartmental chanson music festival; co-programming with cross-ticketing benefits for attendees.
• Service Mobilité de la Ville d'ArgentanStrategic or Co-development PartnerOn-demand transport service (TAD - Transport à la Demande) operating on performance evenings. Multiple stops proposed; reservations via 02.33.36.07.11. Enables audience access without private vehicle.
• WeArePublicTechnology or IntegrationWebsite hosting provider for www.quaidesarts.fr. Located at 57/59 Av de la Côte de Nacre, 14000 Caen. Provides website infrastructure and digital services.
• Atouts NormandieGTM or Marketing PartnerNormandy regional youth pass providing 30€ leisure budget for 15-25 year olds. Activated via 'volet loisirs'; QR code and PIN required at box office for ticket purchase.
• PassCultureGTM or Marketing PartnerFrench government cultural pass for 15-20 year olds offering subsidized access to performances. QR code reservation presented at box office for ticket pickup.
• Centres de Formation des Conservatoires (Caen, Alençon, Falaise)Strategic or Co-development PartnerMusic conservatories participating in special pricing programs and Festival International d'Orgue 'Jeunes Tribunes' concert featuring advanced students.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Le Théâtre du Jeu de Paume: Historic performing arts venue in Avignon operating theater, music, and dance seasons. Comparable French regional venue with subscription pricing and presenting function, though within a more tourist-driven market.
• L'Archipel de Thau: Multi-venue cultural complex in Sète (the city name listed in Quai des Arts' firmographic data), with performance halls, festivals, and presenting/booking functions. Highly comparable venue structure and programming model.
• Scène Nationale 61: National-label performing arts venue in Alençon, the Orne department capital. Most directly comparable peer to Quai des Arts: similar municipal model, comparable hall sizes, overlapping audience, and shared regional festivals network.
• Le Liberté: Publicly operated cultural venue in Toulon with multiple performance spaces and presenting functions. Comparable size, governance model, and diversity of programming across performing arts disciplines.
• Le Théâtre de Caen: Regional performing arts venue in Caen (Calvados, Normandy) hosting theater, dance, and music. Comparable functions as a mid-sized Normandy cultural venue with season subscriptions and festival programming.
• Le Théâtre de Bayonne (Scène Nationale): Labeled Scène Nationale in Bayonne offering theater, dance, music, and circus. Comparable mid-sized venue with public funding, festival programming, and similar audience development strategies.
• Le Théâtre d'Orléans: Municipal performing arts venue in Orléans with multiple halls and season programming. Comparable scale and public-sector operations model, with similar tiered subscription and reduced pricing tactics.

Broad incumbents

• Le Trianon: Established Paris theater hosting music, comedy, and live performances. Comparable venue function but operates in the much larger Paris market with different economics.
• L'Opéra de Rouen Normandie: Regional opera house in Normandy presenting opera, ballet, and orchestral music. Overlaps with Quai des Arts' musical programming but with much larger capacity and heritage brand.
• Le Zénith de Rouen: Larger concert and event venue in Normandy's capital. Comparable regional entertainment competitor for touring productions but with significantly larger capacity and broader commercial positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/VilleArgentan
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ArgentanWeb
• Facebookfacebook.com/QuaiDesArtsArgentan
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/quai-des-arts

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 QUAI DES ARTS