The Performance Corporation

What The Performance Corporation does

The Performance Corporation is an Irish non-profit creative company founded in 2002 by Jo Mangan and Tom Swift, operating from Ireland with an ~8-person core team. It produces live theatre, opera, and immersive experiences, and runs artist residencies, with the SPACE Programme (Ireland's longest-running international multi-disciplinary artists residency, active since 2008) as a flagship initiative that has supported 100+ artists.

Its core products sit at the intersection of performing arts and immersive technology. Productions combine live performers with Virtual Reality headsets, motion capture, spatial audio, facial recognition, and bespoke virtual worlds — most notably Emperor 101 (a live VR theatre production premiered at Dublin Theatre Festival 2021 and subsequently toured to SXSW Austin and LP360 Vancouver) and We Who Live Under Heaven (a Mixed Reality Opera premiered at Kilkenny Arts Festival in August 2025). Technology infrastructure relies on RETinIZE's Animotive platform for virtual world creation, with distribution via festival partnerships across Ireland (Dublin Theatre Festival, Dublin Fringe, Kilkenny Arts Festival), France (Centre Culturel Irlandais, CENTQUATRE-Paris), the USA, and Canada.

The business model blends project-based Arts Council and local authority grant funding (Arts Council of Ireland, Kildare/Dublin/Mayo County Councils, Creative Ireland) with transaction-fee ticket revenue at €20–€22 per ticket and a recurring €150/year Premium Content Portal subscription for VR and 360° content. Customer segments split between festival audiences and festival/institutional commissioning partners (Dublin Theatre Festival, Irish National Opera, An Taibhdhearc, Centre Culturel Irlandais) and a smaller base of premium individual subscribers and artist-residency participants.

Name

The Performance Corporation

Legal name

The Performance Corporation

Website

https://theperformancecorporation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Performance Corporation is an Irish non-profit creative company that produces live theatre, opera, and VR/Mixed Reality immersive experiences, and runs the SPACE Programme artist residency, serving festival audiences, institutional partners, and premium content subscribers across Ireland, France, the USA, and Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Immersive Theatre Production

NAICS

Performing Arts Companies (7111), Other Performing Arts Companies (711190), Other Performing Arts Companies (71119)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAGAOAF

Virtual Theater, Comedy & Performing Arts (Digital Performances)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Virtual & Hybrid Events

SECONDARYMPAGABAM

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Theater, Broadway & Performing Arts

SECONDARYEDAMAAAJ

Media Arts & Performance (Film, Stagecraft, Lighting, Sound)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Arts & Creative Enrichment (Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Dance)

Keywords

• Immersive theatre productions
• Live VR performance
• Mixed reality opera
• Artist residency programmes
• Site-specific theatre

Headquarters

HQ city

Dublin

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Premium Content Subscription: Annual membership providing access to VR productions, 360 format content, and past creative productions. Subscribers receive notifications when new premium content becomes available.
2. Performance Tickets: Revenue from ticket sales for live performances at festivals and venues. Productions like Pretty Vacant (€22 full, €20 conc.) and free Culture Night performances.
3. Arts Council and Public Funding: Project grants from Arts Council of Ireland, International Residencies Initiative funding, support from Kildare County Council, Dublin City Council, Mayo County Council, and Creative Ireland Mayo for specific productions and the SPACE Programme.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Performance Corporation is a multi-platform creative company that produces live theatrical and operatic performances integrating immersive technologies such as Virtual Reality, Motion Capture, Mixed Reality, Spatial Audio, and Facial Recognition. The company also delivers The SPACE Programme, Ireland's longest-running International Multi-Disciplinary Artists Residency, since 2008, and operates a Premium Content Portal offering subscription access to VR and 360-degree productions. Productions span site-specific theatre, musical satire, opera, and live VR experiences presented at major Irish and international festivals.

Product overview

The Performance Corporation is a multi-platform creative company operating as a single unified creative studio rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. Its portfolio spans live theatre and opera productions (e.g., Pretty Vacant, The Dead, TÍR AN TRAONAIGH), immersive VR/XR experiences (Emperor 101, We Who Live Under Heaven, Mo-Cap Experiments), an annual artist residency called The SPACE Programme (running since 2008), and a Premium Content subscription portal. The products are unified by the company's focus on merging artistic practice with immersive and digital technology, creating energetic and thought-provoking audience experiences across live, virtual, and hybrid formats.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The SPACE Programme: Ireland's longest-running International Multi-Disciplinary Artists Residency with focus on arts and immersive technology, delivered by The Performance Corporation since 2008.

Products and services

• Emperor 101 A groundbreaking live Virtual Reality theatre experience featuring performers live from Ireland engaging with audiences in VR headsets in real-time across international locations. The production explored online conspiracy theories and far-right extremism and was the first theatre production to design and build a performance space in a bespoke virtual world using the Animotive platform created by RETinIZE.
• We Who Live Under Heaven A Mixed Reality Opera composed by Roger Doyle and directed by Jo Mangan merging live performance, electronic music, motion capture, spatial audio and responsive 3D animation experienced through individual VR headsets. Awarded the Fedora Digital Prize for Opera in 2024.
• Pretty Vacant A biting musical satire about greed, gentrification, and the battle for Dublin's soul, set around a Eurovision star turned property shark selling a "visionary" regeneration plan for the Liberties. Ticketed at €22 full price and €20 concession.
• TÍR AN TRAONAIGH (Land of the Corncrakes) A site-specific Irish-language theatrical journey through North Mayo aboard a bus, exploring family, biodiversity and the future of the Irish language. Commissioned by An Taibhdhearc, Ireland's National Irish Language Theatre.
• Mo-Cap Experiments Three works in development exploring artistic possibilities using Motion Capture, Facial Recognition, and Virtual Reality for live theatrical performance. Directed by Jo Mangan and presented at Dublin Theatre Festival 2023, including The Front by Caoimhe Wandel-Brannigan.
• Disappearing Islands A unique site-specific immersive theatrical show blending theatre, dance and song, performed around Belmullet's tidal pool in County Mayo. Inspired by North Mayo's landscape and its connection with the sea.
• The SPACE Programme Ireland's longest-running International Multi-Disciplinary Artists Residency, delivered annually by The Performance Corporation since 2008. The professional development residency for artists and creative technologists focuses on collaboration across form and medium, with a specific focus on immersive technology since 2018. Includes international research trips and residencies at Tyrone Guthrie Centre and Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris.
• Premium Content Portal Subscription-based premium content portal hosting VR productions, 360-degree format content, and creative productions not accessible publicly. Annual membership at €150.00 EUR per year; subscribers are notified when new premium content becomes available.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100+ artists supported since 2008 through SPACE Programme
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

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

• Centre Culturel IrlandaiscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Host venue for SPACE Programme residencies in Paris. Partnership began in 2023, providing residency space for international artist residency focusing on arts and immersive technology.
• CoSTAR Network Lab at Ulster UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Research trip destination for SPACE Programme 2026 cohort at CoSTAR Network Lab and Studio Ulster in Belfast.
• An Taibhdhearc (National Irish Language Theatre)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Commissioned Tír an Traonaigh Irish-language production. An Taibhdhearc is Ireland's National Irish Language Theatre, presenting the production in collaboration with The Performance Corporation.
• Tyrone Guthrie CentremajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Host venue for SPACE Programme 2026 three-day residency from 17-20th November 2026 at Annamackerrig.
• BETA Digital Arts FestivalmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partner for SPACE Programme 2025 creating pathway for participants to present work alongside networking opportunities at the Dublin digital arts festival.
• NEMO Biennale ParismajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partner for SPACE Programme 2025, creating pathway for participants to present work at the Paris Biennale NEMO alongside bespoke networking opportunities.
• Irish National OperamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Collaborated on Out of the Ordinary VR Opera winner of Fedora Digital Prize. Also collaborated on 20 Shots of Opera project with Jo Mangan directing 5 films.
• CENTQUATRE-ParismajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Paris venue for We Who Live Under Heaven presentation as part of Biennale Némo, reflecting the work's international ambition.
• Once Off ProductionscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Producer for Disappearing Islands and Mo-Cap Experiments. Production company partner for multiple The Performance Corporation productions.
• RETinIZEcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2023Immersive Media Studio that created the 'Animotive' platform used for Emperor 101, enabling The Performance Corporation to design and build a performance space in a bespoke virtual world for live VR theatre.
• Boca del Lupo (Canada)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Canadian theatre company that partnered with The Performance Corporation for Emperor 101 LP360 presentation in Vancouver, enabling international distribution of the live VR theatre production.
• Nüwa StudiosmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnered with The Performance Corporation for DCCI Irish Design Week 2023 panel on Emerging Technologies on Stage. Led panel discussion on the convergence of theatre and cutting-edge technologies alongside Jo Mangan.
• Dublin Theatre FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Annual presenting partner for The Performance Corporation productions including Mo-Cap Experiments (2023), Emperor 101 (2021), and The Dead opera.
• The Digital HubminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Venue partner for Mo-Cap Experiments at Dublin Theatre Festival 2023.
• PIX-ART Project, Trinity College DublinminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Supported Mo-Cap Experiments work including The Front choreography by Caoimhe Wandel-Brannigan, exploring digital bodies and choreographic processes.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Punchdrunk: Punchdrunk is a UK-based pioneering immersive theatre company known for large-scale, site-specific productions like Sleep No More. They are a direct global peer in the immersive theatre category, pursuing a similar vision of audience-led, technology-enhanced live performance.
• Fishamble: The New Play Company: Fishamble is an award-winning Irish theatre producing company focused on new play development and touring productions. They share a comparable scale, Irish arts funding model, and festival circuit (Dublin Theatre Festival, international touring) with The Performance Corporation.
• Marshmallow Laser Feast: Marshmallow Laser Feast is a UK-based experiential art collective that creates immersive installations combining art, technology, and live performance. Direct peer in the live/immersive tech crossover space with international festival presence.
• Boca del Lupo: Boca del Lupo is a Canadian interdisciplinary performance company producing innovative theatre, film, and live events. They are a direct international peer who has partnered with The Performance Corporation for Emperor 101's LP360 presentation, reflecting shared experimental practice.
• Landmark Productions: Landmark Productions is an Irish theatre producing company known for ambitious, large-scale productions at Irish festivals. Comparable in scale, funding model, and festival circuit, though more conventional theatrical approach than The Performance Corporation's immersive tech focus.
• ANU Productions: ANU Productions is an Irish immersive theatre company that creates site-specific and multidisciplinary performance work, often blending technology with live performance. It is the closest Irish peer to The Performance Corporation in terms of experimental, technology-integrated theatre practice and shared festival ecosystem.

Others

• Once Off Productions: Once Off Productions is an Irish production company that has co-produced several The Performance Corporation productions (Disappearing Islands, Mo-Cap Experiments). Producer/partner rather than competitor, but operates in the same Irish festival ecosystem.
• RETinIZE: RETinIZE is the immersive media studio that created the Animotive platform used by The Performance Corporation for Emperor 101. Core technology infrastructure partner rather than a peer, but operates at the intersection of immersive tech and live performance.
• Irish National Opera: Irish National Opera is Ireland's national opera company and a direct collaborator with The Performance Corporation on Out of the Ordinary VR Opera and 20 Shots of Opera. They are a partner/commissioning entity rather than a competitor, but share the Irish opera production space.

Broad incumbents

• Meow Wolf: Meow Wolf is a large US-based arts and entertainment company producing large-scale immersive installations. Broader incumbent in the immersive experiences space with significantly greater scale, but pursues overlapping technology-and-narrative integration themes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PerformanceCorp
• Facebookfacebook.com/ThePerformanceCorporation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-performance-corporation
• Instagraminstagram.com/perfcorp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 The Performance Corporation