International Circus Festival YOUNG STAGE Basel

What International Circus Festival YOUNG STAGE Basel does

International Circus Festival YOUNG STAGE Basel is a Swiss non-profit association (Verein) headquartered at Wallstrasse 12, Basel, that operated the annual International Circus Festival from 2007 to September 2025. The festival served as one of the world's leading platforms for young contemporary circus artists, attracting 600-800 applicants per year from approximately 60 countries and drawing 6,000-8,000 spectators to the Basel Exhibition Centre; 431 artists performed across its history and roughly 400 used the festival as a career springboard. Following the Grande Finale in September 2025, the association has pivoted its focus toward Circus Camps for children aged 7-12 (approximately 200 participants per year at CHF 370/week) and a portfolio of professional services including casting and booking, creative direction, directing and choreography, workshops, communication and media relations, event technology, and project and production management.

The association generates revenue through four streams: festival ticket sales distributed via Ticketcorner and Eventim, professional services fees, weekly circus camp fees, and commemorative merchandise (the 'Beyond Colors' book sold via Bider und Tanner). It is funded by a mix of patronage foundations (Isaac Dreyfus-Bernheim Stiftung, Ernst Göhner Stiftung), corporate sponsors (IWB, Implenia, Cirque du Soleil, Europa-Park, Circus Roncalli, GOP-Varieté), Swisslos canton lottery funds, media partners, and ticket/camp income. Its core team consists of approximately 8 staff led by Festival Director/Managing Director Nadja Berger, supplemented by a freelance pool across choreography, photography, stage management, casting, and digital marketing.

The technology footprint is a multi-language (German/English) CMS website (young-stage.com) with Matomo and Chartbeat analytics, embedded social media plugins (Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Vimeo), and third-party ticketing integrations. There is no proprietary technology platform; the underlying asset is the brand, the artist alumni network, and the relationships with major European circus employers and industry bodies FEDEC and ECA established over nearly two decades.

Name

International Circus Festival YOUNG STAGE Basel

Legal name

Verein YOUNG STAGE Basel

Website

https://young-stage.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Swiss non-profit association (Verein) based in Basel that operated the International Circus Festival YOUNG STAGE from 2007 to September 2025 as a leading global platform for young circus artists, and now offers Circus Camps for children and professional casting, creative direction, and event production services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Events

NAICS

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

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Circus, Magic & Variety Shows (THAJAFAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Consumer & Public Shows (B2C) Organizers (THAHABAC)

Keywords

• Youth circus festival
• Circus arts events
• Circus education programs
• Talent competition circus
• Performing arts services

Headquarters

HQ city

Basel

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Festival Ticket Sales: Annual circus festival with 6 performances attracting 6,000-8,000 spectators. Tickets sold through Ticketcorner and Eventim platforms.
2. Professional Services: Casting and booking, creative direction, directing and choreography, workshops, communication and media relations, event technology, project and production management.
3. Circus Camps: Summer circus camps for children aged 7-12, approximately 200 children per year, CHF 370 per child per week.
4. Book Sales: Sale of 'Beyond Colors' commemorative book by Pablo Wünsch Blanco through Bider und Tanner bookstore.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Verein YOUNG STAGE Basel is a non-profit association that organized the International Circus Festival YOUNG STAGE in Basel, Switzerland from 2007 to 2025, hosting an annual competition and showcase for young professional circus artists from around the world. Following the festival's conclusion in 2025, the association continues to operate the YOUNG STAGE brand, delivering Circus Camps for children aged 7-14, professional circus-arts services (casting and booking, creative direction, directing and choreography, workshops, communication and media relations, event technology, project and production management), and commemorative products such as the 'Beyond Colors' book.

Product overview

YOUNG STAGE is a non-profit association based in Basel, Switzerland, that previously operated the International Circus Festival (2007-2025), one of the world's most important platforms for young circus artists. The organization now continues under the YOUNG STAGE brand offering professional circus arts services including casting and booking, creative direction, directing and choreography, workshops, communication and media relations, event technology, and project and production management. The annual Circus Camps program for children aged 7-14 provides youth engagement and introduces young people to circus arts. Additionally, the organization published 'Beyond Colors,' a commemorative book documenting the festival's history through artistic photography.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• YOUNG STAGE Circus Camps: Annual summer circus camps for children aged 7-12 years, run in partnership with Station Circus and Circus Luna. Approximately 200 children participate annually in two-week programs during summer holidays.

Products and services

• YOUNG STAGE International Circus Festival Annual international circus festival held in Basel, Switzerland (operated 2007-2025), serving as a competition and career springboard for young professional circus artists from around the world; featured performances, awards, workshops, and networking opportunities for emerging talent, with 431 artists performed over the festival's lifetime and 6,000-8,000 spectators per year at the Basel Exhibition Centre event hall.
• YOUNG STAGE Circus Camps Summer day camps for children aged 7-14 where participants learn various circus disciplines and train with professional coaches, with end-of-program performances; approximately 200 children participate annually during the first two weeks of the Basel summer holidays. Priced at CHF 370 per child per week including snacks, lunch, and a camp T-shirt.
• Professional Circus-Arts Services (casting & booking, creative direction, directing & choreography, workshops, communication & media relations, event technology, project & production management) Suite of professional services for circus, variety, and stage productions: casting and booking to connect artists with producers and event organizers; creative direction including concept development; show directing and choreography; educational workshops; communications and media relations; technical event production; and end-to-end project and production management. Marketed through the professional circus network and the YOUNG STAGE brand.
• Beyond Colors Book Commemorative coffee-table book documenting the YOUNG STAGE festival's 20-year history through approximately 50,000 black-and-white photographs by Pablo Wünsch Blanco, capturing behind-the-scenes moments and artist portraits. Sold through Bider & Tanner bookstore.

Quantifiable outcome

• 431 artists performed over festival history
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Integration8 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MCH GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Venue Partner hosting the festival at the Basel Exhibition Centre event hall.
• FEDECcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007International network partner for professional circus education. FEDEC (Fédération Européenne des Écoles de Cirque) provides network connections and credibility within the circus education community.
• ECA (European Circus Association)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Network partner providing association with European circus industry body.
• TicketcornercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSwiss ticketing platform for festival ticket sales.
• EventimcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEuropean ticketing platform for festival ticket sales in EUR.
• Cirque du SoleilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual award sponsor for innovative artistic vision. Industry-leading circus company providing prestigious recognition to festival winners.
• Europa-ParkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial partner and engagement prize sponsor. Europa-Park Talent Academy also provides special recognition. Major European theme park seeking circus talent.
• Circus RoncalliminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman circus company providing engagement prizes to festival winners.
• GOP-VarietéminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman varieté theater providing engagement prizes to festival winners.
• Circus MontiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss circus company providing special awards and support.
• Wintergarten VarietéminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman varieté theater providing engagement prizes.
• Station CircuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for circus camps program, providing venue and expertise.
• Circus LunaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for circus camps program.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Festival International du Cirque de Monte-Carlo / European Circus Association: European industry association for the circus sector and a network partner of YOUNG STAGE. Comparable as an industry-body peer supporting the European circus ecosystem.
• FEDEC (Fédération Européenne des Écoles de Cirque): European federation of circus schools and a long-standing network partner of YOUNG STAGE. Comparable as an ecosystem enabler and accreditation body for professional circus education.

Direct peers

• Circus Monti: Switzerland-based circus company providing special awards at YOUNG STAGE. Comparable as a domestic circus production house and a Swiss counterpart within the same national ecosystem.
• Monte-Carlo International Circus Festival: Long-running, prestigious international circus competition under the patronage of the Princely Family of Monaco. Comparable as a globally recognized circus competition and award platform for artists.
• GOP-Varieté: Major German varieté theater chain and an engagement-prize sponsor. Comparable as a buyer of circus/variety talent emerging from platforms like YOUNG STAGE.
• Circus Roncalli: Prominent German circus company and an engagement-prize sponsor for YOUNG STAGE winners. Comparable as a circus production house that intersects with the artist-talent pipeline.
• Station Circus: Swiss circus organization and operational partner for the YOUNG STAGE Circus Camps program. Comparable as a circus education and youth-engagement provider in the same Swiss market.
• Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain: Paris-based international circus competition for emerging artists. Direct competitor for young circus talent application flow and the same 'career springboard' positioning that defined YOUNG STAGE.
• Wintergarten Varieté: Historic Berlin varieté theater providing engagement prizes to YOUNG STAGE winners. Comparable as a buyer of emerging circus and variety talent.

Broad incumbents

• Cirque du Soleil: Global leader in contemporary circus and a long-standing award sponsor of YOUNG STAGE. Both organizations operate at the top of the contemporary circus ecosystem, though Cirque du Soleil is a scaled commercial producer while YOUNG STAGE is a non-profit talent platform.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCRxT72jf3rCJQiC__Ds2MYg
• Facebookfacebook.com/YoungStage
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-circus-festival-young-stage-basel
• Instagraminstagram.com/explore/locations/787851295/international-circus-festival-young-stage-basel

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 International Circus Festival YOUNG STAGE Basel