Médiations Culturelles aquitaine-afriques (MC2a)

What Médiations Culturelles aquitaine-afriques (MC2a) does

Médiations Culturelles aquitaine-afriques (MC2a) is a French cultural non-profit association (association loi 1901) founded in 1989 and headquartered in Bordeaux, Nouvelle-Aquitaine. The organization serves as a cultural bridge between African and European (specifically Aquitaine) communities, producing exhibitions, theatrical and operatic productions, festivals, conferences, radio programming, and intergenerational arts projects centered on contemporary African art and the African diaspora experience in France. It operates two physical venues — Porte44 (44 rue du Faubourg des Arts) and Annexe B (1 rue Jean Artus) — and extends its programming footprint through partnerships with major regional and national institutions including the Opéra National de Bordeaux, Musée d'Aquitaine, Musée d'ethnographie de Bordeaux, FRAC, Vivres de l'Art, Forum des Arts de Talence, and the Université Bordeaux Montaigne, as well as international partners such as Iwalewa-Haus (University of Bayreuth) and ISADAC/Université Polydisciplinaire de Larache in Morocco.

The core technology stack is essentially human-curatorial: MC2a does not operate a proprietary digital platform, software product, or AI/ML capability. Its output is event-based and community-led, relying on a small permanent staff of five (President Alain Ricard, Artistic Director Guy Lenoir, Administrator Séverine Etchenique, Production Manager Catherine Tetard, and Public Relations Officer Laura Garduno) augmented by volunteers, amateur performers, contracted artists, and partner institutions. Marketing and distribution operate through the web2a.org website, social channels (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter), an email newsletter, and the weekly DÉTOURS radio program on Radio Paul Bert.

The business model is grant-funded and non-commercial. Revenue derives almost exclusively from French public-sector institutional grants — the Ministry of Culture and Communication, DRAC, Conseil Régional d'Aquitaine, Conseil Général de la Gironde, Mairie de Bordeaux, and ACSé — supplemented by the Convention Institut Français + Région Nouvelle Aquitaine partnership. Programming is offered to the public free or at low cost; there is no disclosed ticket revenue, pricing model, or private-sector sponsorship. End-user 'customers' are the general public and African diaspora communities in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, with secondary audiences including academic researchers, elderly care facilities, and partner cultural institutions. MC2a is a founding member of the Institut des Afriques (IdAf), a federative structure that aggregates African-focused actors in the region.

Name

Médiations Culturelles aquitaine-afriques (MC2a)

Legal name

Migrations Culturelles aquitaine afriques (MC2a)

Website

https://web2a.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

MC2a is a Bordeaux-based French cultural non-profit (founded 1989) that produces exhibitions, theatrical productions, and festivals connecting contemporary African and diaspora arts with audiences in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, funded primarily by French public-sector grants and operating through a 5-person staff and a dense institutional partnership network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Arts Services

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (711310), Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (711510)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAHACAA

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies)

Travel & Hospitality/MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions)/Professional Conference Organizers (PCOs) & Meeting Planners

SECONDARYTHAHACAK

Sponsorship, Exhibitor & Partnership Management Services

Travel & Hospitality/MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions)/Professional Conference Organizers (PCOs) & Meeting Planners

Keywords

• Cultural mediation services
• African diaspora arts
• Community arts programming
• Exhibition and festival production
• Theatrical productions

Headquarters

HQ city

Bordeaux

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Institutional Grants and Public Funding: MC2a receives regular support from public institutions including the French Ministry of Culture and Communication, Direction Régionale des Affaires Culturelles, Conseil Régional d'Aquitaine, Conseil Général de la Gironde, Mairie de Bordeaux, and ACSÉ. This constitutes the primary funding model for the organization's operations and programs.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

MC2a is a cultural non-profit association based in Bordeaux that organizes and produces exhibitions, theatrical performances, festivals, radio programs, and community engagement events connecting African and diaspora cultures with audiences in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. It acts as a cultural mediator and producer of artistic projects, collaborating with museums, universities, and cultural institutions across France and Africa.

Product overview

Médiations Culturelles aquitaine-afriques (MC2a) is a cultural mediation association based in Bordeaux that serves as a platform connecting African and diaspora cultures with audiences in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. The organization operates primarily through its core cultural mediation services and produces various artistic projects including theatrical productions (such as the urban opera LEENA), large-scale exhibitions (Les Revenants, IWALEWA), cultural festivals (AOC de l'Égalité), radio programs (Émission DÉTOURS), and artistic residencies. The organization functions as an intermediary, facilitating cultural exchanges between Africa and Europe through exhibitions, performances, conferences, and community outreach programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MC2a Cultural Mediation Services Cultural mediation services that connect African and diaspora cultures with audiences in Nouvelle-Aquitaine through exhibitions, artistic events, theatrical productions, conferences, and community outreach programs targeting the general public, diaspora communities, academic partners, and elderly care facilities.
• LEENA Urban Opera An urban opera performed in French and Wolof, written by Boubacar Boris Diop with music by El Hadj N'Diaye and Mathieu Ben Hassen, exploring migration and identity through professional and amateur performers at the Opéra National de Bordeaux.
• Les Revenants – Constellation du Tout-Monde A large-scale outdoor artistic event featuring installations by 12 African and Caribbean artists along the shores of the Garonne, Dordogne, and Gironde estuary, addressing themes of migration and the Atlantic slave-trade heritage.
• DE L'AIR A summer cultural program in the Grand Parc neighborhood of Bordeaux featuring video art, theatrical performances, dance, and artistic installations aimed at post-confinement cultural revitalization.
• Festival des Francophonies en Limousin Annual francophone theatre festival directed by Hassane Kassi Kouyaté, featuring theatrical productions and artistic exchanges in which MC2a participates as a partner producer.
• Émission DÉTOURS Weekly radio program broadcast every Wednesday at 10:00 on Radio Paul Bert, featuring guests from MC2a, the Institut des Afriques, and So-Coopération discussing cultural topics.
• Bons Baisers du Portugal A cultural event exploring Portuguese immigration history in France through exhibitions, performances, and artistic encounters, organized in partnership with the Musée d'Aquitaine and ALIFS.
• AOC de l'Égalité An annual societal, cultural, and participatory event promoting intercultural dialogue and social cohesion across Aquitaine, addressing themes of racism, migration, youth, and gender equality.

Named customers5 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

Partnerships

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

• Forum des Arts et de la Culture de TalencecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 August 2021Host venue for Frédéric Bruly Bouabré exhibition (August-September 2021) in partnership with MC2a and Institut des Afriques.
• Musée d'ethnographie-Université de Bordeaux (MEB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 May 2021Joint exhibition of Dialiba Konaté's works from May 11 to September 30, 2021.
• Musée d'AquitainecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 August 2014Partner for Les Revenants exhibition project and various cultural events, providing exhibition space and collaboration.
• Iwalewa-Haus, University of BayreuthflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 September 2013International cultural exchange partnership presenting 'Iwalewa - Quatre vues de l'Afrique contemporaine' exhibition series at four venues in Bordeaux, representing 30+ years of African art collections.
• Cargo 209minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 April 2013Partner for '10 tonnes de préjugés' exhibition project on cross-cultural perspectives between Bordeaux and Saint-Louis, Senegal.
• Université Bordeaux MontaignecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for theatrical projects including Jean Genet, le Fantôme de Larache, providing student involvement from theatre programs.
• Cours FlorentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDrama school participating in theatrical creation projects, providing student performers for cultural productions.
• Institut Supérieur d'Art Dramatique et d'Action Culturelle de Rabat (ISADAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoroccan drama institute collaborating on Afro-Mediterranean cultural initiatives.
• Université Polydisciplinaire de LarachecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoroccan university partner in the Jean Genet cultural project linking Nouvelle-Aquitaine with Larache.
• Centre Culturel de LarachecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal cultural center in Larache, Morocco, collaborating on Mediterranean-African cultural exchange projects.
• Convention Institut Français + Région Nouvelle AquitainemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerInstitutional partnership providing funding and support for cultural projects linking Africa and Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
• Association pour le Développement Solidaire / Larache en ActioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Moroccan association founded by Mustapha El Khadir to support Larache's development, partnering on cultural initiatives.
• Institut des Afriques (IdAf)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMC2a is a founding member of the Institut des Afriques, a federative structure bringing together actors engaged in African cultural, university, and solidarity work in Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
• FRAC (Fonds Régional d'Art Contemporain)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional contemporary art fund partnering on exhibitions and cultural projects.
• Les Afriques dans le Monde (LAM)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch laboratory (UMR 5115 CNRS) at Sciences Po Bordeaux, partnering on African studies and cultural research projects.
• Quai du MarocmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation at Quai du Maroc, Bordeaux, collaborating on African cultural events and the Revenants project.
• Les Vivres de l'ArtmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural venue in Bordeaux participating in artistic projects and events.
• Opéra National de BordeauxflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor co-production partner for LEENA urban opera, combining professional and amateur performers.
• IMEC (Institut Mémoires de l'édition contemporaine)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchive and research institute partnering on cultural preservation projects.
• Cie Deux Temps Trois MouvementsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTheatre company participating in artistic projects.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Opéra National de Bordeaux: Major French opera house in Bordeaux, flagship co-production partner for MC2a's LEENA urban opera. Broad incumbent peer: shares the Bordeaux cultural ecosystem and has provided MC2a with venue and production resources, but operates at much larger scale with broader programming mandate.
• FRAC Nouvelle-Aquitaine (MÉCA): Regional contemporary art fund in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, with which MC2a partners on exhibitions. Broad incumbent peer: operates in the same regional contemporary-art ecosystem and shares MC2a's emphasis on bringing contemporary art to local audiences, but at a much larger institutional scale and broader thematic scope.

Direct peers

• SAVVY Contemporary: Berlin-based art and knowledge space dedicated to contemporary African and diaspora artistic and discursive practices. Direct peer: comparable mission of facilitating cultural exchange, exhibitions, and discursive programs around African and Afro-diasporic themes for European audiences.
• The Africa Centre: UK-based cultural institution dedicated to African cultural programming, exhibitions, and diaspora engagement. Direct peer: matches MC2a's role as a platform connecting African and diaspora cultural production with European audiences through events, exhibitions, and discursive programming.
• Iwalewa-Haus (University of Bayreuth): African art and culture center at the University of Bayreuth, Germany, with a 30+ year collection of contemporary African art. Direct peer: MC2a has an explicit flagship partnership with Iwalewa-Haus and they operate in the same niche of presenting contemporary African art to European audiences through exhibitions and cultural exchange.
• Raw Material Company: Dakar-based center for contemporary art and knowledge production focused on African and diaspora artistic practices. Direct peer: shares MC2a's mission of curating African contemporary art and providing a platform for artists, researchers, and audiences to engage with African cultural production across Africa and Europe.
• Festival des Francophonies en Limousin: Annual francophone theater festival in Limoges under Hassane Kassi Kouyaté, featuring African and diaspora theatrical productions. Direct peer: shares MC2a's mission of producing and presenting African and diaspora performing arts in France, and MC2a is documented as a partner producer.

Emerging players

• Cargo 209: Cultural/creative space in Saint-Louis, Senegal, and explicit MC2a partner for the '10 tonnes de préjugés' cross-cultural project. Emerging peer: comparable scale and mission of facilitating cross-cultural perspectives between West Africa and France, and shares MC2a's small-team, project-driven operating model.

Regional players

• Musée d'ethnographie de l'Université de Bordeaux (MEB): University-affiliated ethnography museum in Bordeaux with African collections. Regional peer: hosted MC2a-curated exhibitions of artists like Dialiba Konaté, operates in the same Bordeaux cultural ecosystem, and shares focus on ethnographic and contemporary African cultural presentation.
• Centre Culturel de Larache: Local cultural center in Larache, Morocco, and direct MC2a partner on Mediterranean-African cultural exchange. Regional peer: operates on the African side of the same Franco-Moroccan cultural corridor MC2a helps anchor, with comparable mission of cultural mediation and exchange programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MC2a_
• Facebookfacebook.com/MC2a-795926810479003
• Instagraminstagram.com/mc2a_annexeb/?hl=fr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/m%C3%A9diations-culturelles-aquitaine-afriques

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Médiations Culturelles aquitaine-afriques (MC2a)