What Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz does

Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz is a non-legal public institution (nichtrechtsfähige Anstalt) of the State of Berlin, founded in 1914 by a workers' movement association and currently operating under the artistic direction of Matthias Lilienthal. The institution runs five performance venues—Große Bühne (main stage), Prater (Kastanienallee 7-9, reopened after a 10-year renovation), Roter Salon, 3. Stock, and Auswärts—producing theater, performance art, concerts, lecture series, and youth programming. Core offerings include a diverse repertoire of contemporary productions, the long-running P14 youth theater program, a curated concerts program, multi-format series such as '20 Minuten' and 'Geheime Pläne,' and upcoming community initiatives including Gegenfunk Wedding and the School of Self-Defense.

The business model combines state subsidies (the State of Berlin as institutional funder), transaction-based ticket revenue (€12-50 standard repertory, €3 social-pricing tiers, €4 premiere surcharge, with discounts for students, refugees, and Ehrenamtskarte holders), subscription-style recurring membership through the Friends of Rosa supporters' group (founded February 2026), and ancillary Kantine café/restaurant income. Ticketing is outsourced to CTS Eventim; analytics runs on Matomo. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via physical box offices at both venues, telephone booking, and the online webshop, with advance sales opening the first working day of the prior month.

The institution employs approximately 42 staff and serves a diversified audience including general theatergoers, youth program participants, accessibility-focused visitors, and international audiences (with German/English surtitles). Strategic positioning emphasizes radical democratic principles, politically engaged contemporary programming, and grassroots community engagement, distinguishing it from purely commercial entertainment venues in Berlin.

Name

Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz

Legal name

Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz

Website

https://volksbuehne.berlin

Company type

Private

Founded year

1914

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz is a State of Berlin public theater founded in 1914, operating five performance venues and presenting contemporary theater, concerts, youth programs, and accessibility services to a broad Berlin audience.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Theater

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Other Performing Arts Companies (711190)

akta.pro primary industry

Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Multipurpose Event Center Operations (Civic Centers, Community Event Complexes) (MPAGALAE), Nightclub & Small Live Venue Operations (Clubs, Bars with Stages) (MPAGALAF)

Keywords

• Live theater performances
• Performing arts venue
• Contemporary theater productions
• Youth theater programs
• Concert and music events

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Primary revenue stream from selling tickets to theater performances, concerts, and events. Prices range from 12-50 euros for repertory performances with premiere surcharges and various discount categories.
2. Membership/Friends of Rosa: Supporters' group 'Friends of Rosa' with annual membership fees supporting the theater's artistic aspirations.
3. Kantine/Café: The Kantine restaurant operates Monday-Friday from 9:00 AM and weekends from 3:00 PM, serving affordable meals, snacks, and drinks to theatergoers and the public.
4. State of Berlin Funding: As a non-legal public institution of the State of Berlin, receives public funding for operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz is a public theater institution in Berlin that produces and presents live theatrical performances, contemporary dance, concerts, readings, and interdisciplinary cultural events across multiple performance venues (Große Bühne, Prater, Roter Salon, 3. Stock). It also operates the P14 youth theater program, a music program, the Kantine café/restaurant, guided tours, and accessibility services (wheelchair access, audio description, hearing assistance).

Product overview

Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz is a public theater institution of the State of Berlin offering a diverse portfolio of performance-based cultural products and services. The core offering centers on live theater productions at multiple venues: the Große Bühne (main stage) for large-scale premieres and productions, the Prater (a separate venue on Kastanienallee) for performances and concerts, the Roter Salon and 3. Stock for intimate performances and readings. Supporting products include: P14 (youth theater program where young people create their own productions for over 30 years), a dedicated concerts program featuring sound-based and performative projects, curated series such as '20 Minuten' lecture performances and 'Geheime Pläne' discussions, accessibility services including audio description and wheelchair access, the Kantine café/restaurant, and guided theater tours. The theater also hosts The School of Self-Defense (workshops and performances at Prater) and Gegenfunk Wedding (a youth media project launching autumn 2026). Ticket sales are managed through the CTS Eventim platform rather than a proprietary system. The 2026/27 season includes world premieres of new productions including 'House of Hopes', 'Perfection', 'Mononoke', 'Mata Leão', and others.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• P14: Youth theater program at the Volksbühne, operating for over 30 years, where young people create their own theater
• Gegenfunk Wedding
• Prater
• Friends of Rosa
• Roter Salon
• 3. Stock (3rd Floor)

Products and services

• Große Bühne (Main Stage) Performances Primary performance venue at Linienstraße 227 hosting major theater productions, world premieres, and large-scale performances for general public audiences in Berlin.
• Prater an der Kastanienallee Separate performance venue at Kastanienallee 7-9, 10435 Berlin, fully wheelchair accessible; hosts performances, concerts, and The School of Self-Defense series.
• P14 Youth Theatre Youth theatre program where young people create and present their own theatrical productions; supports young theater makers in their artistic and creative processes.
• Concerts Program

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Theater X (Moabit)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation partner for Gegenfunk Wedding project - a digital channel run by young people from Berlin's Wedding and Moabit districts, developing multimedia and performance-based formats.
• MÄDEA (Gesundbrunnen)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation partner for Gegenfunk Wedding project - developing multimedia and performance-based formats including talk shows, street interviews, reports, screenprints, posters, and mobile broadcast station.
• Berlin Anti-War MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegular meeting location for Gegenfunk Wedding project participants. One of Berlin's oldest anti-militarist institutions, founded by Ernst Friedrich, with collections showing how children were molded into future soldiers.
• RambaZamba TheaterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInclusive theater company bringing together professional actors with and without disabilities. Collaborating with Volksbühne for performances at the freshly renovated Prater venue.
• Förderband e.V. – Kulturinitiative BerlinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization for the Berliner Spielplan Audiodeskription pilot project, improving cultural participation for blind and visually impaired people in Berlin.
• Allgemeiner Blinden- und Sehbehindertenverein Berlin gegr. 1874 e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting organization for accessibility services, including the audio description project for Berlin's theaters.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Direct peers

• Hebbel am Ufer (HAU): Berlin's anchor for international contemporary theater and dance, operating three venues. Comparable on experimental, international, and politically engaged programming.
• Berliner Ensemble: Major publicly funded repertory theater in Berlin operating at the Theater am Schiffbauerdamm. Most direct comparable to Volksbühne in city, public funding model, and multi-venue programming.
• Theater an der Parkaue: Berlin's state-owned youth theater, comparable to Volksbühne's P14 program in mission and target audience. Useful peer for benchmarking youth theater operations.
• Maxim Gorki Theater Berlin: Publicly funded Berlin theater with a politically engaged, experimental profile. Comparable to Volksbühne's leftist tradition and contemporary programming.
• Deutsches Theater Berlin: Berlin's flagship public repertory theater with multiple stages (main stage, Kammerspiele, Box). Comparable scale, public funding, and programming breadth.
• Schaubühne Berlin: Renowned Berlin public theater with a strong contemporary and international repertoire. Comparable on public funding, repertory model, and international artist collaborations.
• Sophiensæle: Independently producing venue for contemporary performance, dance, and theater in Berlin. Comparable on experimental format, multi-venue operation, and international artist platform.

Broad incumbents

• Münchner Kammerspiele: Major publicly funded German municipal theater with repertory and contemporary focus. Comparable as a regional incumbent with similar programming model, though based in Munich.
• Residenztheater München: State-funded Bavarian State Theater with multiple venues. Comparable as a larger public repertory institution, though with a more classical profile.

Emerging players

• Kampnagel Hamburg: Hamburg's city-funded center for contemporary performing arts across multiple halls. Comparable on public funding, multi-venue experimental programming, and international artist support.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/volksbuehne
• Instagraminstagram.com/volksbuehne_berlin
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/volksb%C3%BChne-berlin

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries5 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 Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz