Schouwburg De Lawei

What Schouwburg De Lawei does

Schouwburg De Lawei is a private cultural theater and event venue headquartered at Laweiplein 1, Drachten, Netherlands, serving the Smallingerland region of Friesland. The company originated in 1960 and operates a single physical venue combining a main hall, a small hall, and supporting F&B and event spaces. Its programming centers on live theater (cabaret, musicals, plays, dance, family shows), curated film screenings (including outdoor 'Buitenfilms' in partnership with Museum Dr8888), visual arts exhibitions, and cultural education programs for children and youth such as KidsFestival, Dance Camp, and educational theater projects. Supporting products include the annual Christmas musical (e.g., 'De Nachtegaal van Drachten'), Theater Na de Dam remembrance performances, the city-wide Simmerdeis festival (now spanning 16+ Drachten locations), and ancillary food and beverage services on site. The organization participates in Dutch cultural-sector sustainability and diversity frameworks (Green Key Gold; Charter Diversiteit) and is led by Director-Bestuurder Elly van der Goot and Artistic Director/Programmeur Inge Imelman (25 years tenure).

The company generates revenue primarily through ticket sales for live performances, films, and exhibitions (ticketing handled via the Peppered/Culturesuite platform, plus physical and telephone box office), supplemented by recurring subscription revenue from the 'Vrienden van De Lawei' Friends membership at €30 per year, on-site food and beverage sales, and direct venue rental for corporate and private events. Customer segments are diversified across general-admission theater and film audiences, families and children through holiday programming, schools via educational projects, and business/corporate clients for venue hire. Marketing is conducted through the venue's own website (lawei.nl), email newsletter, organic social media (Linktree aggregation), printed seasonal brochures, and earned local media coverage. The organization appears to operate as a Dutch municipal/community cultural facility supported by artistic and operational leadership, with no disclosed venture, private equity, or public ownership.

Name

Schouwburg De Lawei

Legal name

Schouwburg De Lawei

Website

https://lawei.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Schouwburg De Lawei is a private Dutch cultural theater and event venue in Drachten, Netherlands, offering live theater, film screenings, visual arts, educational programs, and venue rental services to regional Smallingerland audiences, families, schools, and corporate clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Venue

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG), Screening Rooms & Cinematheques (Nonprofit/Institutional) (MPADAKAF), Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit) (THAJADAH)

Keywords

• Live theater performances
• Film screenings
• Visual art exhibitions
• Cultural education programs
• Venue rental services

Headquarters

HQ city

Drachten

HQ country

Netherlands

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 selling tickets for theater performances, films, concerts, dance, and other live events in the main hall and small hall.
2. Membership Program (Vrienden van De Lawei): Annual membership at €30 per year providing priority access to ticket sales, free ticket for a special performance, and newsletter updates. The program supports the theater's cultural programming.
3. Food & Beverage: On-site restaurant and catering services for theater visitors.
4. Venue Rental for Events: Theater and event spaces available for business events and private hire.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Schouwburg De Lawei is a theater and cultural venue that presents live stage performances, film screenings, and visual art exhibitions for the general public. In addition to its performance programming, the venue offers cultural education programs for schools and families, venue rental for private and corporate events, and a "Vrienden" (Friends) membership program for recurring supporters. Operations are managed by a directeur-bestuurder supported by an artistiek directeur and a Raad van Toezicht (supervisory board).

Product overview

Schouwburg De Lawei is a cultural theater venue in Drachten, Netherlands, offering a unified portfolio of live entertainment and cultural programming. The core offerings include theater performances (cabaret, musicals, plays, dance), film screenings, and visual arts exhibitions. Additional services include educational programs, a KidsFestival for children, the annual Simmerdeis city festival, Theater Na de Dam remembrance performances, and annual Christmas musical productions. Supporting services encompass venue rental for business events, food and beverage, and a Friends membership program. The venue operates as a multipurpose cultural center rather than a software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Live theater and stage performances Curated program of professional and amateur live stage productions presented at the venue for general audiences, families, and school groups.
• Film screenings Cinema programming including curated film screenings for general audiences and special interest groups.
• Visual art exhibitions Rotating exhibitions of visual art hosted in the venue's gallery spaces for the general public.
• Cultural education programs Structured cultural education offerings, including school performances and workshops, designed for primary and secondary schools and families.
• Venue rental (private and corporate events) Rental of theater halls, foyers, and supporting spaces for corporate events, meetings, receptions, and private celebrations.
• Vrienden (Friends) membership program Annual membership subscription program offering supporters benefits such as discounted tickets and priority access, generating recurring revenue and audience loyalty.

Named customers2 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

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Museum Dr8888coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership for outdoor film screenings. Filmhuis De Lawei and Museum Dr8888 jointly organize 'Buitenfilms' (outdoor films) in the garden of Museum Dr8888 during summer months.
• Poppodium IdunaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCross-promotional partnership for events. De Lawei supports events at Poppodium Iduna such as the Colorful Beginnings event by Regenboog Belang Smallingerland.
• Simmerdeis FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchouwburg De Lawei serves as the central hub for the Simmerdeis city festival in Drachten. The 2026 edition features programming across 16+ locations throughout the city.
• Regenboog Belang SmallingerlandminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupport for LGBTQ+ community events such as Colorful Beginnings held at Poppodium Iduna.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• De Meenthe Steenwijk: Regional theater in Steenwijk, Overijssel offering live performances, films, and educational programs. Comparable single-venue Dutch cultural center serving a small city and surrounding region.
• Het Kielzog Hoorn: Combined cultural venue in Hoorn (theater, film, exhibitions) operated under a single municipal cultural organization. Same 'schouwburg-plus-cinema' structure as De Lawei.
• De Tamboer Hoogeveen: Regional theater in Hoogeveen, Drenthe, presenting theater, music, and film with a comparable small-city cultural venue footprint. Closely mirrors De Lawei's multi-programming, single-venue operating model.
• Schouwburg Ogterop Meppel: Regional theater in Meppel, Drenthe offering theater, film, and educational programming. Similar small-to-mid city theater profile in the same Northern Netherlands market as De Lawei.
• Theater De Blauwe Kei Veghel: Regional theater in Veghel, North Brabant, presenting theater, music, film, and education. Comparable Dutch regional cultural venue with a similar multi-vertical programming approach.
• Schouwburg Amstelveen: Regional theater near Amsterdam presenting theater, dance, music, and youth programming. Same multi-vertical Dutch schouwburg model with comparable educational and business-event programming.
• De Harmonie Leeuwarden: Main theater and concert venue in Leeuwarden, Friesland. Same-province Dutch regional cultural venue offering comparable theater, film, and event programming to a comparable-sized population base — directly comparable schouwburg/schouwburg-achtige model.
• Stadsschouwburg Groningen: Regional theater in Groningen presenting drama, dance, cabaret, and youth programming. Operates as a producing-and-presenting venue in the same Northern Netherlands cultural geography as De Lawei, with overlapping programming categories.

Regional players

• Poppodium Iduna Drachten: Pop music venue in Drachten, the same city as De Lawei. Complements rather than competes with De Lawei's theater programming; identified in the data as a cross-promotional partner for events such as Colorful Beginnings.

Others

• Museum Dr8888: Museum in Drachten that co-hosts De Lawei's outdoor film ('Buitenfilms') series in its garden. A direct programming partner and cultural-sector peer in the same city, but operating in the museum/heritage vertical rather than performing arts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xlinktr.ee/lawei
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/schouwburg-de-lawei

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Schouwburg De Lawei