What Ung Scen Öst does

Ung Scen Öst is a publicly funded youth theater organization based in Linköping, Sweden, founded in 2001 and operating as a unit within Scenkonst Öst AB, which is owned by Region Östergötland, Norrköping Municipality, and Linköping Municipality. The organization produces 4–5 original, newly written stage productions annually for children and young people from approximately age 6 through upper secondary, performed at its own theater house in Linköping (Stora scen and Lilla scen), at guest venue Teater Bråddgatan in Norrköping, and through touring productions that travel directly into school classrooms across Östergötland. Productions span short classroom formats (~30 minutes), main-stage pieces (~60–75 minutes), and an immersive format using the entire theater building; a 32-seat mobile theater bus operated in collaboration with Östgötatrafiken and Nobina extends the touring model. Auxiliary output includes free radio drama, downloadable pedagogical PDFs for teachers, the Ung ambassadör program (ages 15–23), theater courses (ages 14–17), and the Take One! film project (ages 13–18).

The business model rests on two streams. The primary economic base is recurrent public subsidy from regional and municipal owners, which funds the entire cost of school performances across Östergötland — all school classes attend free of charge. The secondary stream is ticketed revenue from general public and family audiences, with tiered pricing of 75 SEK (children/youth under 18), 95 SEK (students), 125 SEK (seniors 65+), and 150 SEK (adults); a Scenkonstkortet discount program offers 20% off evening and weekend performances. Distribution operates through own venues, direct-to-classroom touring, the theater bus, guest performances at partner venues (notably Turteatern in Stockholm and BIBU in Helsingborg), and digital channels for radio drama and downloadable materials. Marketing relies on teacher-facing VIP newsletters distributed 2–3 times per term, exclusive teacher evenings, school reference-class development work, press coverage, social media, and a young-ambassador peer-referral network. Artistic direction sits with Paula McManus, appointed December 1, 2020.

Name

Ung Scen Öst

Legal name

Ung Scen Öst

Website

https://ungscen.se

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ung Scen Öst is a publicly funded youth theater in Linköping, Sweden, producing 4–5 original, newly written plays annually for children and young people, with all performances offered free to schools in Östergötland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Theater and Performing Arts

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialized Instruction & Resource Support (Inclusion, Pull-Out, Co-Teaching) (EDAJAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Open Lesson Plans & Teaching Units (K–12) (EDAGAJAI)

Keywords

• Youth theater productions
• Performing arts education
• School touring theater
• Cultural education programs
• Children's live theater

Headquarters

HQ city

Linköping

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales to General Public: Revenue is generated from ticket sales to general audiences for performances at their theater venues in Linköping and Norrköping, as well as weekend and holiday performances. Pricing tiers range from 75 SEK for children/youth under 18 to 150 SEK for regular adults, with discounts for students and seniors.
2. School Audience Subsidy / Free Access for Schools: Schools in Östergötland attend all performances free of charge. This is subsidized through public funding from Region Östergötland, Norrköping Municipality, and Linköping Municipality. The free school access is a core part of the organization's mission under the Scenkonst Öst publicly funded structure.
3. Public Funding and Subsidies: Ung Scen Öst is part of Scenkonst Öst AB, which receives ongoing public funding. The company has approximately 200 permanent employees and annual turnover of about 200 million SEK, funded primarily by regional and municipal owners including Region Östergötland, Norrköping Municipality, and Linköping Municipality.
4. Workshop and Additional Program Fees: Some programs such as theater packages (föreställning plus workshop) and film camps (such as Take One!) are offered free of charge for participants. Premium or paid experiences for families and general audiences may generate ancillary revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Ung Scen Öst is a publicly-funded regional theater company that produces 4-5 original, newly written stage productions per year for children and young people (ages 6-25), including touring classroom productions, main-stage plays, immersive total-theater experiences, a mobile theater bus, and radio drama. All schools in Östergötland attend performances free of charge, and the general public can purchase tickets (75-150 SEK) for performances at the Linköping and Norrköping venues.

Product overview

Ung Scen Öst is a youth theater company producing 4-5 original performances annually for children and young people from age 6 and up, with a focus on schools in Östergötland, Sweden. The core offerings include touring classroom productions (such as Hej impro!, Bäpplet, and Vem i hela världen kan man lita på?), main stage productions (Spit Take, Hjälp, dom kommer!), and radio dramas (Dom hemliga gubbarna). The company operates from its theater house in Linköping and at Teater Bråddgatan in Norrköping, with productions also performed in classrooms throughout the region. Schools in Östergötland attend all performances free of charge. Additional youth programs include the Ung ambassadör ambassador program, Take One! film project, and theater courses for ages 14-17. Since December 2020, Paula McManus has served as artistic director. The company is an independent part of Östgötateatern and Scenkonst Öst.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Spit Take Theater production about friendship, masculinity, and first love. Premieres September 25, 2026 on the Main Stage in Linköping and at Teater Bråddgatan in Norrköping. Target audience: grades 7-9 (school) and from 12 years (general public). Approximately 60 minutes.
• Bäpplet Musical classroom production about identity, belonging, and the courage to ask questions. Written and directed by Paula McManus. Premieres September 25, 2026 on tour in classrooms throughout Östergötland and at venues in Linköping and Norrköping. Target audience: grades 1-2 and from 6 years. Approximately 45 minutes. Supported by Dramatikerrådet at Sveriges författarfond.
• Vem i hela världen kan man lita på? Classroom production about truths, half-truths, and lies, and the difficulty of knowing what's what. Written by Fredrik Lundqvist and Nils Granberg. Premiered March 13, 2026. Target audience: grades 5-6 and from 10 years. Approximately 60 minutes.
• Hjälp, dom kommer! Immersive theater experience where audience follows characters through multiple areas of the theater building. A dystopian story about a group that isolated themselves from the outside world. Returns for 2026. Max 33 persons per performance. Target audience: grades 7+ and from 12 years. Approximately 90 minutes without intermission. Selected for BIBU biennial in Helsingborg May 2026.
• Hej improv! An improvisational theater performance delivered as a school tour. Performers visit school classrooms to play improvisation theater together with students. Approximately 30 minutes, no prerequisites required. Pedagogical and playful for school classes of all ages; schools in Östergötland attend free of charge.
• Queer High Newly written relations comedy about queerness, friendship, and shattered dreams. Written by Robin N Spepel, directed by Johan Paus. Performed spring 2024 on Main Stage in Linköping and at Teater Bråddgatan in Norrköping. Target audience: grades 7+ and from 12 years. Approximately 70 minutes.
• Dom hemliga gubbarna Radio drama for grades 4-6. A story about courage, punk, and daring to go for it. Written by Ellen Rosdahl, directed by Sofia von Schmalensee. Available for free listening during May. Approximately 25 minutes.
• Världens lataste pojke Comedy about laziness, broken family relations, and how easy it is to get stuck. Written by Alma Lindé, directed by Rikard Lekander. Performed fall 2024 in Linköping and Norrköping. Target audience: grades 6+ and from 11 years. Approximately 75 minutes.
• Vad hände med Zozo och Becky? Production about loyalty, friendship, and class. Written and directed by Anja Rajić (dramaturg debut). Performed spring 2024 on tour in classrooms and at venues in Östergötland. Target audience: grades 5-6 and from 10 years.
• Teaterkurs (Theater Course) Theater course for young people aged 14-17. Led by actors Jennifer Carzties and Alice Brise. Tuesdays 18:00-20:30. No prior experience required. Free of charge. Supported by Linköpings kommun.
• Take One! Film Project Film project for young people aged 13-18 in Berga, Lambohov, Ryd, and Skäggtorp in Linköping during 2026. Participants learn scriptwriting, filming, and editing. Concludes with film screenings during Linköping city festival in August. Supported by Linköpings kommun.
• Ung ambassadör (Young Ambassador Program) Group for young people aged 15-23 who want insight into theater life. Ambassadors see performances for free, get behind-the-scenes access, participate in workshops, and help plan events. Free of charge.
• Pedagogiskt material (Educational Materials) Pedagogical materials for teachers including pre- and post-show activities, language support, accessibility information, and discussion guides for all current productions. Also includes downloadable DIY theater activity PDFs (improvisation, puppet making, shadow theater, general theater basics) for schools and families.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4-5 original productions per year, all newly written, delivered free to schools in Östergötland
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Babettes KulturpalatsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Babettes Kulturpalats in Linköping launched a summer festival for the development of newly written performing arts. Ung Scen Öst is one of several collaboration partners. Selected participants from across Sweden receive residencies of up to one week including fees, accommodation, award-winning meals, and a public staged reading with professional actors. The program provides playwrights with focused development time and audience testing.
• Film i ÖstminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Film i Öst is a collaboration partner on the Take One! film project for young people aged 13-18 in Linköping. The project involves young people in Berga, Lambohov, Ryd, and Skäggetorp creating their own short films under professional guidance. Film i Öst contributes film expertise to the collaboration.
• Ung ZonminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026In spring 2026, Ung Scen Öst collaborated with Ung Zon on a film project supported by Linköpings kommun. Young people aged 13-18 in Berga, Lambohov, Ryd, and Skäggetorp create their own short films under the guidance of workshop leaders and young leaders. The project concludes with multiple film screenings in summer 2026.
• TurteaternminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2026Turteatern in Stockholm hosted a guest performance of 'VEM I HELA VÄRLDEN KAN MAN LITA PÅ?' in May 2026. Ung Scen Öst brought the touring production to Turteatern's venue for two additional performances following the completion of the Östergötland tour. Turteatern managed ticket sales for this guest performance.
• Dramatikerrådet (Dramatics Council at Sveriges författarfond)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026The production 'Bäpplet' was given with support from Dramatikerrådet at Sveriges författarfond (the Swedish Authors' Fund). This support enables the commissioning and development of new playwright works, which is central to Ung Scen Öst's model of producing entirely original, newly written plays.
• BIBU (Scenkonstbiennal för barn och unga)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2026'Hjälp, dom kommer!' was selected to be performed at BIBU, the performing arts biennial for children and young people, held in Helsingborg in late May 2026. This represents a showcase of Ung Scen Öst's work at a major national platform for youth performing arts.
• ÖstgötatrafikencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Östgötatrafiken collaborates with Ung Scen Öst on the theater bus project, providing public transport infrastructure and operational support. The bus used for performances is operated in collaboration with Östgötatrafiken's transit system. This partnership enables the unique traveling theater experience performed on a moving public transit bus.
• NobinacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Nobina provides bus drivers for the theater bus performances, operating the vehicle during shows. This collaboration makes the mobile theater bus possible, with drivers starting and stopping the bus at the same location while the performance takes place in transit. Thanks are extended to Nobina drivers in production credits.
• Linköpings kommuncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Linköpings kommun is a key public funding partner and co-owner of Scenkonst Öst. The municipality provides ongoing financial support and has collaborated on specific projects including the Take One! film project (2026) targeting specific neighborhoods, and the ongoing theater program at Ung Scen Öst. The municipality also supports the theater course program for young people aged 14-17.
• Kulturcentrum ÖstcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Starting in autumn 2024, Ung Scen Öst became one of the groups and institutions providing students in Kulturcentrum Öst's artistic education program with close contact with an established cultural actor. Students who have completed adapted upper secondary school in Östergötland receive training in music, dance, visual arts, and theater as part of this program. Ung Scen Öst provides professional exposure and mentorship.
• RiksteaternminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Riksteatern has collaborated with Ung Scen Öst on various touring productions. Notably, 'Röd Katt' was booked extensively through Östergötland's municipalities in collaboration with Riksteatern. Riksteatern also toured 'Puppan' in fall 2023. These collaborations extend reach beyond Östergötland to national audiences.
• Agora (Kulturhuset i Skäggetorp)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2019Agora, the cultural center located in Skäggetorp in Linköping, has been a recurring collaboration partner since 2019-2020 when Ung Scen Öst's theater building was under renovation. The theater has returned periodically to perform and organize activities at Agora, having conducted projects to engage and capture young people's interest in theater through both longer programs and shorter workshops for various ages.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Backsteinhausteater (Kulturhuset Stadsteatern): Stockholm municipal theater with dedicated children's/youth programming and school bookings. Comparable as a publicly funded larger Swedish theater operating a youth-theater program under a broader institutional umbrella.
• Riksteatern: Sweden's national touring theater, collaborating with Ung Scen Öst on co-produced touring productions such as 'Röd Katt' and 'Puppan'. Comparable because it operates nationally with public funding and touring children's/youth productions.

Direct peers

• Dockteatern Tittut: Stockholm-based puppet/object theater for very young audiences and schools. Comparable in operating a publicly funded dedicated children's theater model with school-booking led programming and educational materials.
• Teater Pero: Independent Stockholm children's and youth theater producing original performances for school ages 3–12 and family audiences. Comparable in producing newly written content for school bookings with a similar pedagogy-led approach.
• Polka Theatre: UK-based dedicated children's theater producing original work and touring to schools with extensive educational materials. Comparable as a Western European dedicated children's theater with school-booking and curriculum-linked pedagogy.
• Unga Klara: Stockholm-based municipal youth theater producing original and contemporary plays for school groups and families. Closely comparable as a Swedish publicly funded theater specializing in newly written works for K–12 audiences.

Regional players

• Teater Halland: Regional theater in Halland (Halmstad) producing both adult and youth programming including school touring productions. Comparable regional model funded by region/municipality with a touring children's theater mandate.
• Teater 23 (Göteborgs Stadsteater): Gothenburg city theater's youth stage producing newly written plays for young audiences and schools. Comparable as a publicly funded Swedish municipal youth theater serving K–12 schools with original commissions.
• Byteatern (Kalmar): Regional youth theater in Kalmar county producing contemporary plays for children and schools. Comparable as a publicly funded regional children's theater with analogous free or low-cost school programming and touring into classrooms.

Others

• BIBU (Scenkonstbiennal för barn och unga): Biennial performing arts festival for children and young people held in Helsingborg. Comparable as a national showcase platform where 'Hjälp, dom kommer!' is being featured in May 2026 — a peer/ecosystem participant rather than direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ung-scen-ost

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Ung Scen Öst