SPRING Performing Arts Festival

What SPRING Performing Arts Festival does

Stichting SPRING operates SPRING Performing Arts Festival, a ten-day annual international festival founded in 2013 and held in Utrecht, Netherlands. Now in its 14th edition (with 2027 already announced for May 13–22), the festival presents more than 25 adventurous and urgent performances across approximately 13 venues — including Stadsschouwburg Utrecht, Theater Kikker, EKKO, and public spaces — featuring over 100 performers from countries spanning Argentina, Palestine, Japan, and Australia. Beyond the annual festival window, SPRING runs SPRING Academy (workshops, trajectories, and professional development), a (co)productions program that commissions and partners on new work (e.g., RUNNER with Frascati Producties, While Taking Shape with Dansateliers), and presents the Motus Mori movement archive initiated by Katja Heitmann.

The organization is a Dutch non-profit foundation (ANBI status) governed by a Supervisory Board and led by Artistic Director Grzegorz Reske (also an IETM board member since 2017) and Managing Director Erin Coppens, supported by a core team of 27 staff split across marketing & communications, academy, and production functions. Revenue is a hybrid of consumer ticket sales (€9–€27.50 per ticket), subscription FANCLUB memberships (€35/€65/€95 annually plus open-amount tier), one-time donations, and — most materially — institutional funding from the Municipality and Province of Utrecht, national performing arts fund Fonds Podiumkunsten, cultural foundations (Ammodo, Fonds 21, Dioraphte), and multi-year European Union Creative Europe grants supporting cross-border networks such as EUphoric Youth (2026–2029), Moving Borders, and Festivals in Transition.

The platform runs on commodity infrastructure — a custom website (springutrecht.nl) with Mailchimp for email, Buckeroo and ActiveTickets for payments and ticketing, Google Analytics for traffic, and Vimeo/YouTube/Facebook for video and social distribution — with no proprietary technology or AI/ML components. Distribution is event-driven, with online ticket sales year-round augmented by a physical festival kassa (box office) during the ten festival days, while audience development is community-led through FANCLUB, professional programming networks, and partnerships with We Are Public (media) and Hotel Mitland (accommodation).

Name

SPRING Performing Arts Festival

Legal name

Stichting SPRING

Website

https://springutrecht.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Stichting SPRING is a Dutch non-profit foundation running the annual ten-day SPRING Performing Arts Festival in Utrecht, presenting 25+ international dance, theatre, and performance works across 13 venues, complemented by year-round SPRING Academy, (co)productions, and a subscription FANCLUB membership program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Festival

NAICS

Other Performing Arts Companies (711190), Dance Companies (711120), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Fine Arts Schools (611610)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts & Culture Community Festivals (Multidisciplinary Arts Weeks) (MPAGAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Dance Festivals & Dance Series (MPAGADAJ)

Keywords

• Performing arts festival
• International dance festival
• Contemporary theatre productions
• Artist development programs
• Festival ticketing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Utrecht

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ticket sales: Revenue from selling tickets to festival performances and events. Ticket prices range from €9 (CLUB EKKO standalone) to €27.50 (Kill Me at Stadsschouwburg).
2. SPRING FANCLUB membership: Annual membership program with three tiers: FAN (€35/year), BIG FAN (€65/year), SUPERFAN (€95/year), and SUPERBIGFAN (self-selected amount). Members receive exclusive FANmails, behind-the-scenes content, and a SPRING print.
3. One-time donations: Single donations accepted to support artists in their creative process, networking, or organizational development. Donations can be made via QR code or direct payment link.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SPRING is a ten-day international performing arts festival held annually in Utrecht, Netherlands, presenting more than 25 innovative dance, theatre, performance, and interdisciplinary works by Dutch and international artists across 13 venues. Beyond the main festival, it operates SPRING Academy (educational trajectories and workshops), SPRING (co)productions (festival-initiated new works), a FANCLUB membership program, and a Professionals Program for industry networking.

Product overview

SPRING Performing Arts Festival is a single unified product—a ten-day international performing arts festival in Utrecht, Netherlands—offering live performances, installations, and educational programs. The portfolio consists of the core SPRING Festival event, the SPRING Academy education program, SPRING (co)productions for artist development, the FANCLUB supporter membership, a Professionals Program for industry networking, and an integrated ticketing system. All offerings are interconnected elements of the annual festival experience, with the Academy and co-productions feeding into the main festival programming.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SPRING Academy: Educational program offering trajectories, workshops, and professional development opportunities for artists and practitioners in performing arts.
• SPRING (co)productions

Products and services

• SPRING Performing Arts Festival Ten-day annual international performing arts festival in Utrecht presenting more than 25 innovative dance, theatre, performance, and installation works by Dutch and international artists across 13 venues, including Stadsschouwburg Utrecht, Theater Kikker, and public spaces such as Neude and Central Station.
• SPRING Academy Year-round education and talent development program offering workshops, trajectories, and professional development opportunities for emerging and established artists in the performing arts field.
• SPRING (co)productions Festival-initiated and co-produced performances built through long-term collaborations with innovative interdisciplinary artists, often premiering at the festival and providing sustainable support beyond a single presentation.
• SPRING Professionals Program Professional networking and information service for international creators, artists, programmers, and students, providing exclusive ticket discounts, latest program updates, and industry communications.

Quantifiable outcome

• 14th edition in 2026 with 30+ productions across 13 venues
• +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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• EUphoric Youth Consortium (2026-2029)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Four-year European collaboration project (2026-2029) supported by Creative Europe. SPRING is one of 11 partners including Rosendal Teater (Norway), NTIL (Latvia), NTNU, Tanzfabrik Berlin, Trafó House (Hungary), Festival d'Avignon (France), ART DOT (Ukraine), Lavanderia a Vapore (Italy), NTGent (Belgium), and Materiais Diversos (Portugal). Project gives young people real say in programming at art institutions.
• Moving Borders Network (ARK project)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Network partners: Hellerau (Dresden), Ringlokschuppen (Mülheim), Le Maillon (Strasbourg), Teatro Municipal (Porto), Onassis STEGI (Athens), Performing Arts Institute Warsaw, and SPRING. Produced ARK project by Quarantine.
• Festivals in Transition Network (Urban Heat)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 201513-partner network supported by Creative Europe. Partners include SPIELART (Munich), Homo Novus (Riga), LIFT (London), Baltic Circle (Helsinki), and others. Project on art and activism.
• Global City Local City NetworkmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Network including Spielart München, Baltic Circle Helsinki, August Dance Tallinn, Bunker Ljubljana, Homo Novus Riga, LIFT London, Alkantara Lisbon, and SPRING. Organized research weeks about urbanism.
• Gemeente Utrecht (Municipality of Utrecht)coreOthersPrimary government subsidizer of the festival. Provides municipal funding support to SPRING as a major cultural event in Utrecht.
• Provincie Utrecht (Province of Utrecht)coreOthersRegional government subsidizer providing provincial funding support for the festival.
• Fonds PodiumkunstencoreOthersNational performing arts fund providing major subsidy support. SPRING is supported by this Dutch national cultural funding body.
• AmmodomajorOthersMajor fund and head partner supporting SPRING festival.
• Fonds 21majorOthersMajor fund supporting SPRING festival.
• DioraphtemajorOthersMajor fund supporting SPRING festival.
• Theater KikkercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSPRING office is located in the Theater Kikker building. Theater Kikker is a key venue partner for festival performances.
• Stadsschouwburg UtrechtcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMain theater venue for festival performances, including big venue and Blauwe Zaal.
• EKKOmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUtrecht-based arts organization collaborating on club nights and events like fatigue clubnight.
• Asia Europe Foundation (ASEF)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Asia-Europe Cultural Festival (AECFest), a festival within a festival focused on cultural exchange between Asian and European communities.
• We Are PublicminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMediapartner for SPRING festival.
• Hotel MitlandminorOthersAccommodation partner for festival guests. Located near city center, Green Key Gold certified.
• DansateliersmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRotterdam-based dance organization, coproduction partner for works like While Taking Shape by Amparo González Sola.
• Dans BrabantminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDance organization in Brabant region, partner of SPRING.
• Frascati ProductiesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmsterdam-based theater productions, coproduction partner for works like RUNNER by Ira Brand.
• GaudeamusmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusic institute with collaborative residency project with SPRING. Supports artist development.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hellerau – Europäisches Zentrum der Künste (Dresden): Dresden-based performing arts venue and festival presenting contemporary dance, music, and performance with a strong production/residency model. Partner in the Moving Borders Network alongside SPRING.
• Tanzfabrik Berlin: Berlin production and presentation house for contemporary dance with year-round programming and artist residencies — directly comparable to SPRING's Academy and (co)production activities. EUphoric Youth consortium partner with SPRING.
• LIFT (London International Festival of Theatre): Biennial London festival presenting international contemporary performance and theater with global artist commissions. Direct peer in curatorial mission and partner alongside SPRING in the Festivals in Transition and Global City Local City networks.
• Ringlokschuppen (Mülheim): Mülheim-based performing arts venue and festival with a contemporary dance and theater program and EU project activity. Moving Borders Network partner with SPRING; comparable in producing and presenting scale.
• SPIELART (Munich): International performing arts festival in Munich presenting contemporary dance, theater, and interdisciplinary work. A direct peer of SPRING — same curatorial mandate, comparable scale, and a long-standing co-member of the Festivals in Transition Network.
• Baltic Circle (Helsinki): Helsinki-based international contemporary performing arts festival with a similar multidisciplinary brief and comparable annual-edition scale. Co-member of the Global City Local City Network with SPRING since 2013.
• Homo Novus (Riga): Riga-based international performing arts festival with a comparable multidisciplinary and experimental brief. Long-standing network partner of SPRING via the Global City Local City Network and Festivals in Transition.

Broad incumbents

• Festival d'Avignon: Larger and longer-established French performing arts festival with broader theater mandate and significantly larger scale. EUphoric Youth consortium partner with SPRING; relevant as a comparable peer in curatorial ambition and EU funding access, though materially larger in budget and audience.
• NTGent: Belgian city-theater with national remit producing and presenting contemporary performance, including international co-productions. EUphoric Youth consortium partner alongside SPRING and relevant as a peer in artist-development and international touring.
• Onassis STEGI (Athens): Large Athens-based cultural foundation producing contemporary performance, dance, and digital arts with international commissions. Moving Borders Network partner of SPRING and comparable in its international artist-development and EU-network posture.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/spring-performing-arts-festival

Compliance2 records

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 SPRING Performing Arts Festival