What Unga Klara does

Unga Klara operates Sweden's national stage for children and youth (Sveriges nationella scen för barn och unga), a designation held since January 1, 2018. Founded in 1975 by Suzanne Osten as part of Stockholms stadsteater and operating as an independent theatre since 2009, the company produces theatrical productions, educational workshops, and digital content for audiences aged 8-25. Its repertoire addresses weighty themes—climate anxiety, identity, terror, family dynamics, war—through original commissions and adaptations such as Kris, kaos & katastrof, BRINN, Romeo & Julia, and De kommer att drunkna i sina mödrars tårar. Seven productions (four world premieres) were staged in 2025, up from five (four world premieres) in 2024.

The business model blends ticket sales, subscription memberships, public subsidies, and education revenue. Direct ticket sales flow through the Tickster platform on its website, with family discounts of 25% available. Group bookings serve schools—from preschool to university—at subsidized rates via the Kulan (Stockholm City) and Region Stockholm programs that halve ticket costs for schools. The membership program Unga Klaras Vänner collects tiered annual fees (50 SEK for members ≤25, 150 SEK for members >25, 1,000 SEK for associations) and grants priority access to events, with members serving as co-owners—a structure described as unique in Swedish theatre. Public funding includes Kulturrådets Återstartsbidrag of 3 million SEK for a children's/youth cultural offensive, alongside the ongoing national stage mandate. Teacher professional development is priced at 275 SEK per participant, gift cards can be purchased, and the free Skådespelarlinjen acting course for ages 18-25 (run with Balettakademien and Kulturhuset Stadsteatern Husby) anchors the educational pipeline.

Operationally, the company is housed within Kulturhuset Stadsteatern at Sergelgången 31, Stockholm. The artistic leadership of Farnaz Arbabi and Gustav Deinoff (in role since 2014, extended to 2029) anchors programming. Jonas Kahnlund was appointed CEO for a three-year term starting January 7, 2025, succeeding Stefan Hansen, who became Sweden's cultural attaché in Washington D.C. Distribution extends beyond Stockholm through school tours across 40+ municipalities and international touring under the Unga Klara On Tour banner (visiting Turkey, China, South Africa, USA) and via The Childhood Project, a collaboration with 14 theaters in 10 countries whose first world premiere was staged in 2025. The digital arm, Unga Klara On Demand, streams recorded performances and salon conversations in Swedish and English. The company has disclosed no proprietary technology stack or AI capabilities; product surface consists of theatrical productions, educational programs (Unga Klara LAB for ages 13-25, Skådespelarlinjen, workshops for educators), and digital streaming. Ownership is via Unga Klaras Vänner, a non-profit member association that wholly owns the operating entity Unga Klara AB.

Name

Unga Klara

Legal name

Unga Klara AB

Website

https://ungaklara.se

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sweden's national stage for children and youth theatre, producing live performances and educational programs for audiences aged 8-25 from Kulturhuset Stadsteatern in Stockholm under nonprofit member ownership through Unga Klaras Vänner.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's and Youth Theatre (Performing Arts)

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts Programs (Band, Choir, Orchestra, Theater) (EDAJAJAE)

Keywords

• Children's theater productions
• Youth performing arts
• Drama education programs
• School group bookings
• Theater streaming service

Headquarters

HQ city

Stockholm

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ticket sales: Primary revenue stream from individual and group ticket sales for theater performances. Tickets are sold through their website using the Tickster platform. Pricing varies by production with family discounts available.
2. Membership fees: Unga Klaras Vänner (Friends of Unga Klara) membership program. Annual fees: 50 kr for members 25 years or younger, 150 kr for members over 25, and 1,000 kr per year for associations/ organizations. The membership provides updates, invitations to rehearsals, seminars, salons, premieres and priority access to events.
3. Gift cards (Presentkort): Gift cards can be purchased for theater experiences, offering recipients the opportunity to attend performances of their choice.
4. Government subsidies and grants: Kulturrådets Återstartsbidrag of three million SEK was awarded for a cultural offensive for children and youth. Ongoing public funding supports the national stage mandate.
5. Adult education and professional development: Workshops and lectures for adults (pedagogues) to strengthen child perspective and gain insight into performing arts. Also includes teacher training courses priced at 275 kr including two sessions plus a performance ticket.
6. Skådespelarlinjen acting course: A free one-year part-time acting course for young adults aged 18-25, offered in collaboration with Balettakademien and Kulturhuset Stadsteatern Husby.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Unga Klara produces and stages professional theatrical performances for children and youth (typically ages 8 and up), delivered on its home stage in Kulturhuset Stadsteatern, Stockholm, and through national and international touring. Beyond productions, it runs educational programs (Skådespelarlinjen acting course for ages 18-25, Unga Klara LAB creative workshop for ages 13-25, and workshops for pedagogues), a digital streaming offering (Unga Klara On Demand), and a membership-based supporter community (Unga Klaras Vänner).

Product overview

Unga Klara is Sweden's national stage for children and youth, operating as a professional theater company offering live theatrical productions, educational programs, and digital content. The core offering consists of theatrical productions for children and young audiences, including original works such as 'Kris, kaos & katastrof' (sci-fi comedy), 'Buster Keaton på månen' (family drama), 'BRINN' (youth drama), 'Romeo & Julia' (Shakespeare adaptation), and 'Anna Vnuk är Bastarden' (solo performance). Supporting the productions are educational programs: Skådespelarlinjen (free acting course for ages 18-25), Unga Klara LAB (creative workshop for ages 13-25), and workshops for educators. Digital offerings include Unga Klara On Demand (streaming platform for performances and conversations) and Tidningen Ensemblen (youth-created culture magazine). The theater is led by artistic directors Farnaz Arbabi and Gustav Deinoff and is owned by members through the organization Unga Klaras Vänner.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Live theatrical productions for children and youth Professional live theater performances delivered at the home stage in Kulturhuset Stadsteatern (Sergelg\u00e5ngen 31, Stockholm) and on tour, produced for audiences from age 8 upward addressing themes including climate, identity, AI, family conflict, and societal pressures. Tickets sold individually via Tickster on the theater's website, with family discounts available.
• School group bookings with Kulan and Region Stockholm subsidies Group bookings of theater performances for preschool through university classes, priced at 50% of the regular ticket price through the Kulan subsidy (Stockholm City) or Region Stockholm programs. Each booking includes pedagogical materials and optional workshop add-ons designed for classroom use.
• Sk\u00e5despelarlinjen (Acting Line) A free, one-year, part-time acting course for young adults aged 18-25, taught by professional actors and educators from Balettakademien at Kulturhuset Stadsteatern Husby in Stockholm. Designed to be combined with other studies or work.
• Unga Klara LAB A free, weekly creative workshop for youth aged 13-25 in Stockholm, meeting every Monday to explore theater and creative expression through participatory sessions.
• Workshops and lectures for educators (pedagogues) Lectures, workshops and structured teacher-training courses for adult pedagogues, designed to strengthen child perspective, provide insight into performing arts, and equip educators to use theater experiences pedagogically with young people. Priced at 275 kr including two sessions plus a performance ticket for the teacher's-course variant.
• Unga Klara On Demand An on-demand digital streaming platform offering recorded theatrical performances, salon conversations, and workshop content available in Swedish and English to both Swedish and international audiences.
• Tidningen Ensemblen (The Ensemble Magazine) A youth culture magazine created entirely by young people aged 13-18, developed as a project by Unga Klara to give young contributors a platform to write about and curate cultural content.
• Unga Klaras V\u00e4nner membership program Annual recurring supporter membership offering updates, invitations to previews, rehearsals, seminars, salons, premieres and priority access to events; three tiers (50/150/1,000 kr/year). Members are positioned as co-owners of the theater.
• Gift cards (Presentkort) for theater experiences Gift cards purchased for theater experiences, redeemable against performances of the recipient's choice.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100 young people take the stage during Länk 2024
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 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, minor and major.

• BalettakademiencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 May 2024Collaboration on Skådespelarlinjen (Acting Line) - a free one-year part-time acting course for young adults aged 18-25. Course starts Fall 2026 at Kulturhuset Stadsteatern Husby. Balettakademien provides professional actors and educators as teachers.
• Kulturhuset Stadsteatern HusbycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 May 2024Collaboration on Skådespelarlinjen (Acting Line) - a free one-year part-time acting course for young adults aged 18-25. Course venue is at Kulturhuset Stadsteatern Husby.
• DramaqueenminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 September 2020Collaboration on the conversation series 'ALDRIG VÅLD' (NEVER VIOLENCE) about children's rights, held October 5, 12, and 19, 2020.
• Scenkonst SörmlandmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 September 2020Co-production of 'Manhattanprojektet' - a rap and fun detective story for children aged 9-12, written by Rasmus Lindberg and directed by Gustav Deinoff. Premiere at Bagarmossens Folkets Hus October 28, 2020, followed by school tour in Sörmland.
• Swedish Embassy / KulturattachéminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019International touring and cultural exchange. The embassy arranged a sejour for Swedish theater in Beijing in 2019, including a reading of 'Girls will make you blush'.
• Kulturhuset StadsteaterncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnga Klara is located within Kulturhuset Stadsteatern at Sergelgången 31 in Stockholm. This is the home venue for the national stage for children and youth.
• The Childhood Project (14 theaters in 10 countries)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnga Klara's largest international collaboration ever, involving 14 theaters in 10 countries. Unga Klara's production 'Gudarnas väktare' (Guardians of the Gods) emerged from this initiative. World premiere planned for 2025.
• Uppsala stadsteatermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production of 'De kommer att drunkna i sina mödrars tårar' - a science fiction thriller based on Johannes Anyuru's award-winning novel, directed by Farnaz Arbabi.
• Unge Teater Viken (Oslo)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNordic collaboration to strengthen children's and youth's right to quality performing arts. Unga Klara received visits from Unge Teater Viken as part of the developing Nordic cooperation.
• Svenska Teatern (Helsingfors)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNordic collaboration to strengthen children's and youth's right to quality performing arts. Part of ongoing Nordic cooperation development.
• Johanssons pelargoner och dansminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGuest performance of 'Koreografin' - a dance headphone experience available in 13 languages, at Unga Klara November 16-18, 2020 (event cancelled due to pandemic).
• Tyst TeaterminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGuest performance of 'Romeo och Julia på Gullbacken' at Unga Klara November 2-4, 2020 (event cancelled). A Sign Language theater production.
• ÖstgötateaternminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGuest performance of 'Reflekterad olydnad' by Farhiya Feysal at Unga Klara November 11-12, 2020 (event cancelled).
• Rosa BetongminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on 'Reflekterad olydnad' with Östgötateatern. Rosa Betong is an artistic movement creating works from a feminist, multicultural and intersectional perspective.
• Regionteater VästminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGuest performance of 'Forever young' as part of spring 2026 guest performances.
• Ellard/LechminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGuest performance of 'DÖDEN' as part of spring 2026 guest performances.
• World Childhood FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in the 'ALDRIG VÅLD' conversation series about children's rights.
• BarnrättscentrumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in the 'ALDRIG VÅLD' conversation series about children's rights.
• Centrum för barnkultur vid Stockholms universitetminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in the 'ALDRIG VÅLD' conversation series about children's rights.
• Al-Harah Theater (Beit Jala, Palestine)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational collaboration through the project 'Youth Theater for Change' in close collaboration with Al-Harah Theater in Palestine.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Göteborgs Stadsteater: Göteborgs Stadsteater is Sweden's largest regional theater with extensive children's and youth programming, comparable to Unga Klara as a public-funded producing theater serving school and family audiences, although at significantly larger scale and with broader adult programming.
• Kulturhuset Stadsteatern: Kulturhuset Stadsteatern is the host venue where Unga Klara resides and operates as Sweden's national stage under its umbrella. It offers a broader performing arts portfolio including adult theater, dance, and exhibitions, making it comparable as an incumbent cultural institution that contains the anchor's niche rather than competing with it.
• Malmö Stadsteater: Malmö Stadsteater is one of Sweden's larger municipal theaters with both adult and children's/youth programming. It is comparable to Unga Klara as a public-funded regional theater serving family and school audiences, though it has a broader adult programming mandate.

Direct peers

• Riksteatern: Riksteatern is Sweden's national touring theater with a specific remit for children and youth productions, comparable to Unga Klara's touring function across municipalities. Both are publicly funded national-mandate theaters targeting similar school and family audiences across Sweden.
• The Children's Theatre Company (Minneapolis): The Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis is the United States' leading professional theater for young audiences, comparable to Unga Klara in mission and operating model — producing original and adapted plays for children, serving school groups, and maintaining educational programming around each production.
• Uppsala Stadsteater: Uppsala Stadsteater is a direct co-production partner with Unga Klara on productions such as 'De kommer att drunkna i sina mödrars tårar'. It is a Swedish municipal theater producing repertory for general and younger audiences, making it closely comparable as a producing theater with overlapping children's programming.
• Polka Theatre (London): Polka Theatre is a UK dedicated children's theater producing professional productions for early years through teenage audiences, with strong educational outreach and creative learning programming. It is directly comparable to Unga Klara in its specialist focus on theater for young audiences.
• Regionteater Väst: Regionteater Väst is a Swedish regional theater with explicit programming for children and youth, and a partner of Unga Klara for guest performances. It operates a touring model across Västra Götaland, comparable to Unga Klara's outreach touring within Sweden.
• New Victory Theater (New York): New Victory Theater on 42nd Street is New York City's family performing arts venue, presenting theater, dance, and circus for kids and families with extensive educational programming. It is comparable to Unga Klara as a mission-driven performing arts institution pairing productions with teacher resources and school partnerships.
• Svenska Teatern (Helsingfors): Svenska Teatern in Helsinki is a Swedish-language theater in Finland with dedicated programming for children and youth, and a Nordic cooperation partner of Unga Klara. It is comparable as a Nordic, Swedish-language performing arts institution with overlapping audience age ranges and family programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xinstagram.com/ungaklara
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/UngaKlara
• Facebookfacebook.com/ungaklara
• Instagraminstagram.com/ungaklara
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/unga-klara

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Unga Klara