Teatr Figur

What Teatr Figur does

Teatr Figur Kraków, founded in 2007 in Kraków, Poland, is the country's only professional shadow theater. The company produces theatrical performances combining shadow, light, and puppetry for adult audiences on its main stage and for younger audiences through its dedicated children's sub-brand Teatr Figurki. Its technical specialization includes proprietary shadow theater techniques using polarizers, color reflections, and shadow multiplication, multi-sensory performances designed for infants and children with disabilities, and site-specific outdoor productions. The theater has built an international reputation through touring in South Korea (Seoul, 2011), Taiwan (2011), North America, and Europe, and was awarded at the 21st UNIMA World Puppet Festival in Chengdu, China in 2012.

The company operates four revenue streams: ticket sales through its Kraków venue at ul. Sławkowska 14 and online channel; grants from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage (MKiDN), the EU NextGenerationEU program, the City of Kraków, and Małopolska Voivodeship; educational workshops and theater pedagogy training delivered under the 'Przestrzenie Sztuki' program; and festival co-production partnerships. Since 2024, Teatr Figur has served as the Kraków regional operator of the 'Przestrzenie Sztuki – Teatr' program implemented by Instytut Teatralny im. Zbigniewa Raszewskiego, coordinating productions and residencies across Małopolska municipalities. Customer segments include adult art-theater audiences, families with children, educators and cultural animators, and underserved youth in smaller municipalities.

The organization is led by founder and artistic director Dagmara Żabska, with Marta Hankus as financial and administrative director. The team comprises 1-10 employees. Distribution is primarily direct-to-consumer via the company website (teatrfigur.pl), Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, supplemented by touring productions to municipal cultural centers across Małopolska and participation in domestic and international theater festivals.

Name

Teatr Figur

Legal name

Teatr Figur Kraków

Website

https://teatrfigur.pl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Teatr Figur Kraków, founded in 2007, is Poland's only professional shadow theater, producing shadow and puppet performances for adults and children. It operates a Kraków venue, the Teatr Figurki children's stage, and the regional Przestrzenie Sztuki program, funded by ticket sales and public cultural grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Shadow Theater / Performing Arts

NAICS

Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (7115)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAGABAK

Puppetry & Marionette Theatre

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Theater, Broadway & Performing Arts

SECONDARYMPAGABAE

Children’s & Youth Theatre

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Theater, Broadway & Performing Arts

SECONDARYMPAGABAO

Theatre Services & Design (Scenic/Costume/Props/Stage Management)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Theater, Broadway & Performing Arts

Keywords

• Shadow theater
• Puppet theater
• Theatrical performances
• Children's theater
• Theater education

Headquarters

HQ city

Kraków

HQ country

Poland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Primary revenue stream from ticket sales for theater performances at the main venue in Kraków and touring productions. Tickets are sold online through the website and at the box office.
2. Government and EU Funding: Significant funding received from Ministry of Culture and National Heritage (MKiDN), European Union NextGenerationEU program, and local government (Kraków, Małopolska Voivodeship). Funding supports specific productions, the Przestrzenie Sztuki program, and artistic projects.
3. Workshop and Training Services: Educational workshops for teachers, cultural animators, and theater professionals conducted as part of the Przestrzenie Sztuki program. These include shadow theater workshops, improvisation training, and theater pedagogy courses.
4. Festival and Event Partnerships: Revenue and co-production arrangements through participation in international and domestic theater festivals, including performances at venues across Poland and internationally.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Teatr Figur creates and performs professional shadow theater (teatr cieni) and puppet theater productions for both adult and children audiences, with the main Teatr Figur stage focused on adult performances and the Teatr Figurki sub-brand dedicated to children. The company produces original theatrical works using light, shadow, and puppetry as primary mediums, complemented by educational theater workshops for teachers and cultural animators, and community outreach programming under the Przestrzenie Sztuki initiative serving smaller municipalities in the Małopolska region.

Product overview

Teatr Figur is Poland's only professional shadow theater, offering a diverse portfolio of theatrical productions for both adults and children. The company operates two main stages: the main Teatr Figur for adult audiences featuring shadow theater, puppet, and visual performances; and Teatr Figurki for young audiences including multisensory performances for babies. Productions range from critically acclaimed shows like 'Mglisty Billy' and 'Bracia polarnej zorzy' to new works like 'Księżycowe Opowieści' (outdoor theatrical walk), 'Rozkład jazdy', 'Frogshop', and 'Tape'. The theater also runs educational programs including theater pedagogy workshops for teachers, shadow theater workshops, and the 'Przestrzenie Sztuki' program supporting independent theater creators across Małopolska region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Teatr Figurki: The children's stage of Teatr Figur Kraków, dedicated to performances for young audiences including toddlers and children. Operates as a separate brand under the Teatr Figur umbrella.

Products and services

• Teatr Figur (Main Stage — Shadow Theater Performances) Professional shadow theater performances for adult audiences in Kraków, combining shadows, light, and puppetry as primary artistic mediums. Offers ticket-purchasable theatrical performances exploring themes of human experience, memory, and social issues.
• Teatr Figurki (Children's Stage) A dedicated stage operated by Teatr Figur for young audiences including babies, toddlers, and children. Offers multisensory performances with accessibility features for children with disabilities.
• Księżycowe Opowieści (Moon Stories) Outdoor site-specific theatrical walk combining shadow theater with nature in Wolski Forest, Kraków. Explores moon legends, science, and imagination.
• Rozkład Jazdy Performance about an actress and actor who must play seven characters to save their show, based on Petr Zelenka's drama.
• Frogshop Satirical performance exploring consumerism and capitalism through the story of a frog that swallowed the country.
• Materia Nomada Performance exploring how photographs come alive through movement, gesture, and form, co-produced with the Museum of Photography in Kraków.
• Huljet, huljet Poetic performance about life in the Kraków ghetto, inspired by wartime photographs and diaries.
• Strefa bezpłatnego parkowania, czyli osiedlowe love Humorous performance about love and everyday life in Kraków housing estates, featuring songs by Zoska Papużanka and live music.
• Jestem cały świat minus świat oprócz mnie Installation combining shadow studies, acting, plastic and sound installations inspired by the works of Themersons.
• Bracia polarnej zorzy (Brothers of the Aurora) Concert and shadow theater performance based on fairy tales and legends from Baltic Sea countries (Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland), performed with the Chór Teatru CHOREA.
• Mglisty Billy Shadow theater performance for audiences aged 10+ based on the comic 'Mglisty Billy' by Guillaume Bianco, exploring themes of childhood, death, and grief.
• Pępuszek (Multisensory Performance for Ages 0-4) Multisensory performance for infants and toddlers aged 0-4, incorporating touch, sound, and visual stimuli, with accessibility features for children with disabilities.
• Kapi i Ara (Plastic-Musical for Children 5+) Plastic-musical performance for children aged 5+ about a young capybara named Kapi who dreams of adventures.
• Tape Performance for youth and adults about a high school student trying to find his identity.
• Swoje Ciało Improvisational dance and shadow theater performance examining the relationship with one's own body.
• Party Love Performance about love based on conversations with residents of a social welfare home, created with Fundacja Wszyscy Obecni.
• Edukacja teatralna (Theater Education Workshops) Educational programs including shadow theater workshops, improvisation training, and theater pedagogy courses for teachers, cultural animators, and theater professionals.
• Przestrzenie Sztuki Teatr Program Artistic program operated by Teatr Figur as regional operator, supporting independent theater creators with productions, residencies, workshops, and training across Małopolska municipalities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 18 years of continuous operation as Poland's only professional shadow theater
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Fundacja Wszyscy ObecnicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 November 2024Collaboration on the 'Party Love' production based on interviews with residents of the Dom Pomocy Społecznej im. św. Brata Alberta in Kraków. The foundation works with marginalized communities including people with disabilities, families of incarcerated individuals, and residents of degraded urban neighborhoods.
• Instytut Teatralny im. Zbigniewa RaszewskiegocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Teatr Figur serves as the Kraków operator for the Przestrzenie Sztuki Teatr program, which is implemented by Instytut Teatralny. This partnership enables the theater to coordinate regional artistic initiatives, fund productions, and support independent theater artists across Małopolska. The program provides funding from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
• Nowohuckie Centrum Kultury (NCK)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNCK serves as a host venue for Teatr Figur performances, including the Festival Teatrów dla Dzieci 2026 where 'Bracia polarnej zorzy' was presented. The partnership provides access to a major Kraków cultural venue.
• Chór Teatru CHOREAmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusical collaboration on 'Bracia polarnej zorzy' where the CHOREA Theater Choir provides polyphonic vocal performances. The choir has extensive experience in musical projects for children and uses human voice along with simple instruments and loopstation.
• Muzeum Fotografii w KrakowiemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partnership for 'Materia Nomada' performance inspired by the work of Kraków photographer Adam Karaś. The museum served as premiere venue and creative collaborator on the project.
• Ośrodek Kultury w BrzeszczachmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCultural center serving as a host venue and festival partner for Małopolski Festiwal Kreatywności and Objazdowy Festiwal Teatrów Najmłodszych events.
• Wadowickie Centrum KulturymajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCultural center partner for festival events and performances in the Wadowice area, hosting Małopolski Festiwal Kreatywności activities.
• Centrum Kultury i Filmu im. Billy'ego Wildera w Suchej BeskidzkiejmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCultural venue hosting festival performances and workshops as part of the Małopolski Festiwal Kreatywności program.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Wrocławski Teatr Lalek: Wrocław-based Polish puppet theater with a long-standing repertory and educational programming. Comparable as a domestic Polish peer in the puppet theater segment serving different regional audiences than Teatr Figur.
• Teatr Lalek Guliwer: Warsaw-based state puppet theater operating a comparable children's programming model with educational and repertory performances. Comparable as a Polish puppet theater serving family audiences, though focused on conventional puppetry rather than shadow theater.

Emerging players

• Told by an Idiot: UK-based company creating devised, physical, and visual theater with international touring and educational outreach. Comparable as a small-to-mid visual theater ensemble with mixed adult/youth programming and festival circuit presence.

Direct peers

• Manual Cinema: Chicago-based company that combines shadow puppetry, live actors, and film projection in performance — a directly comparable artistic discipline and delivery model to Teatr Figur's shadow theater approach.
• Cricot 2 / Cricoteka: Poland's most renowned visual theater company founded by Tadeusz Kantor, now operated by Cricoteka in Kraków. Directly comparable as a Polish visual/experimental theater company operating in the same city and adjacent artistic tradition.
• Faulty Optic Theatre: UK-based puppet and shadow theater company producing original works and educational workshops. Comparable as a small-team shadow/puppet theater with both artistic productions and pedagogical programming.
• Paul Mesner Puppets: US-based puppet theater company producing original works for adult and family audiences, plus educational programming. Comparable as a small-team puppet theater mixing repertory and educational verticals.
• ShadowLight Productions: San Francisco-based shadow theater company specializing in original shadow theater productions, immersive experiences, and educational programming — a directly comparable artistic discipline and touring model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCZ-placeholder
• Facebookfacebook.com/TeatrFigurKrakow
• Instagraminstagram.com/teatr_figur

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 Teatr Figur