Souffleurs De Sens

What Souffleurs De Sens does

Souffleurs De Sens is a French non-profit association (Association loi 1901) founded in 1993 and headquartered in Paris (11-13 rue de l'Escaut, 75019), operating under the larger GROUPE SOS Solidarités umbrella. Its mission is cultural accessibility and social inclusion for people with disabilities. The organization delivers services through two main poles — Pôle Accessibilité (live audiodescription for blind and visually impaired audiences, surtitrage for deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences, accessibility diagnostics and consulting for cultural institutions) and Pôle Art et Handicap (inclusive artistic workshops, cultural project engineering, and the IMAGO regional network linking cultural and medico-social actors across Île-de-France). A flagship offering, Souffleurs d'Images, is a human-mediated accompaniment service in which trained volunteer describers provide live verbal description of visual elements at cultural events, averaging roughly 600 sessions per year across approximately 200 partner venues. Complementary services include Appels d'Art (free telephone cultural outreach launched during COVID-19), Qualiopi-certified professional training delivered in partnership with ARCAT Formation (including an 80-hour, €2,900 HT audiodescription course), and corporate disability awareness programs deductible from AGEFIPH contributions. The team is small (3 named staff plus volunteer and intern support), the addressable market is principally cultural sector professionals, medico-social establishments, and corporate clients subject to OETH obligations, and funding is a hybrid mix of public grants (Région Île-de-France, DRAC, Ville de Paris, ARS), corporate and nonprofit foundation support (Fondation de France, Fondation Safran, Fondation Bouygues Télécom, Fondation Free, UNADEV), and fee-for-service revenue.

Name

Souffleurs De Sens

Legal name

SOUFFLEURS DE SENS – GROUPE SOS Solidarités

Website

https://souffleursdesens.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Souffleurs De Sens is a Paris-based non-profit association within GROUPE SOS Solidarités that provides cultural accessibility services — live audiodescription, surtitrage, volunteer accompaniment (Souffleurs d'Images), and Qualiopi-certified training — for people with disabilities, cultural institutions, medico-social establishments, and corporate OETH clients across France.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Accessibility Services

NAICS

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM)

Keywords

• Cultural accessibility services
• Disability inclusion training
• Audio description services
• Accessible arts programming
• Inclusive workshop facilitation

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Training Services: Certified professional training programs on cultural accessibility, delivered in partnership with ARCAT Formation (Qualiopi certified). Programs include courses on welcoming disabled audiences, accessible communication, audio description, and disability awareness. Training is offered both as open inter-establishment sessions and customized in-house programs.
2. Accessibility Consulting and Diagnostics: Expert accessibility audits and recommendations for cultural organizations covering artwork access, print and web communication, signage, and physical infrastructure. Custom quotations provided for specialized interventions.
3. Corporate Sensitization Services: Disability awareness and workplace inclusion programs for enterprises, using artistic approaches including forum theater, workshops, artistic creation, and coaching. Services are deductible from AGEFIPH contributions for French companies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

SOUFFLEURS DE SENS delivers cultural accessibility services for people with disabilities through two poles (Pôle Accessibilité and Pôle Art et Handicap 75) and the Souffleurs d'Images program. Offerings include live audiodescription and surtitrage at performing arts venues, accessibility diagnostics and consulting for cultural institutions, Qualiopi-certified professional training, corporate disability-awareness programs (deductible from AGEFIPH contributions), and human-mediated accompaniment (around 600 soufflages per year) at roughly 200 partner cultural venues across Île-de-France, plus the free Appels d'Art telephone-based cultural exchange service.

Product overview

Souffleurs De Sens is a non-profit association (part of Groupe SOS Solidarités) offering a portfolio of accessibility and inclusion services for people with disabilities in the cultural sector. The organization operates through two main poles: the Accessibilité pole (providing audiodescription, surtitling, and accessibility diagnostics) and the Art et Handicap pole (promoting cultural access through networking, artistic workshops, and training). Key services include the Souffleurs d'Images program (live human description for blind/moderately visually impaired spectators at cultural events), Appels d'Art (phone-based cultural exchanges), professional training on accessibility, and corporate awareness programs. The organization also participates in the IMAGO regional network of cultural accessibility actors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Souffleurs d'Images: A service that provides blind and visually impaired people with accompaniment to cultural events through trained volunteer 'souffleurs' who describe visual elements during performances and exhibitions.
• Pôle Accessibilité
• Pôle Art et Handicap 75

Products and services

• Pôle Accessibilité (Accessibility Pole) Service pole dedicated to accompanying, equipping, and training cultural and medico-social sectors on the specific needs of people with disabilities, encompassing audiodescription, surtitrage, and accessibility diagnostics.
• Audiodescription et Surtitrage Live audiodescription (audio description delivered via headphones) for blind and visually impaired spectators and surtitrage (live captioning displayed on LED panels or video projectors) for deaf and hard-of-hearing spectators at performing arts events.
• Diagnostic Accessibilité (Accessibility Diagnostics) Expert accessibility audits and consulting providing recommendations across the accessibility value chain for cultural organizations, including artwork access, print and web communication, signage, and physical infrastructure.
• Pôle Art et Handicap 75 Paris-based resource center for cultural and medico-social professionals promoting democratization and autonomous access to culture for people with disabilities through networking, artistic practice, inclusive creation, awareness, and training.
• IMAGO - Le Réseau Regional network of cultural accessibility actors across Île-de-France departments 75, 77, 78, 91, 92, 94, and 95, connecting cultural institutions and medico-social establishments to encourage sustained links and facilitate artistic projects involving people with disabilities.
• Ateliers de Pratique Artistique en Établissements Sociaux et Médico-Sociaux Artistic practice workshops covering theater, dance, body expression, and singing, co-constructed with social, medico-social, and health structures for people with disabilities, with optional end-of-project public presentations.
• Souffleurs d'Images Free human-mediated visual description service where trained volunteer 'souffleurs' whisper live descriptions of visual elements to blind or visually impaired spectators during cultural events at partner venues across the Île-de-France region.
• Appels d'Art Free telephone-based cultural outreach service providing artwork descriptions, online exhibition walkthroughs, and readings for people with disabilities, those in precarious situations, or without digital access.
• Formations Professionnelles Qualiopi-certified professional training programs on cultural accessibility, disability awareness, accessible communication, and live audiodescription, delivered in partnership with ARCAT Formation; offered as open inter-establishment sessions (e.g., 80-hour audiodescription course at €2,900 HT per person) and customized in-house programs.
• Sensibilisation en Entreprise Corporate disability awareness and workplace inclusion services using artistic approaches including forum theater, workshops, artistic creation, and coaching to help enterprises improve workplace conditions for employees with disabilities; engagements deductible from AGEFIPH contributions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 600+ soufflages and art calls per year
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

36 partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.

• Maillon Théâtre de StrasbourgmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 September 2024Partner theater in Strasbourg for Souffleurs d'Images Arts Vivant training as part of a partnership including TJP Strasbourg.
• Opéra National du RhinmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 September 2024Partner opera house in Strasbourg for Souffleurs d'Images Music training as part of partnership with Festival Musica and Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg.
• Proquartet (Centre Européen de Musique de Chambre)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 April 2024European chamber music center partnering in tripartite arrangement with SOUFFLEURS DE SENS and IME TEDyBEAR for musical practice workshops for children with disabilities.
• GROUPE SOS SolidaritéscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOUFFLEURS DE SENS is a member organization of GROUPE SOS Solidarités, one of France's largest social enterprise groups with 850 establishments, 22,000 employees, and operations in 50 countries serving 2 million people. GROUPE SOS combats exclusion and promotes access to essentials for all. The group focuses on medico-social (youth, health, vulnerable and elderly persons) and preparing for the future (ecological transition, territorial revitalization, accessible commerce and culture). SOUFFLEURS DE SENS is listed under the GROUPE SOS Solidarités disability sector.
• ARCAT FormationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOUFFLEURS DE SENS partners with ARCAT Formation, a certified training organization (Qualiopi certified), to develop and deliver consolidated training offerings on Health, Disability, and Culture. ARCAT is part of GROUPE SOS. This partnership enables professional training certification and widens distribution of accessibility training programs to cultural and social economy sectors.
• IMAGO - Le RéseaucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOUFFLEURS DE SENS serves as the Paris pole (pôle parisien) of the IMAGO regional network of cultural accessibility actors in Île-de-France. The network includes Art and Disability poles across departments 75, 77, 78, 91, 92, 94, 95. IMAGO's mission is to encourage and sustain links between cultural and medical-social actors, facilitate encounters between artists and disabled audiences, and promote artistic creation projects. The network provides practical resources, organizes meetings, and delivers training programs.
• Région Île-de-FrancecoreOthersPrimary regional government funder supporting SOUFFLEURS DE SENS operations and programs. Regional council provides financing for network activities including Art and Disability poles, tripartite partnerships between cultural and medical-social establishments, and professional training programs.
• DRAC Île-de-FrancecoreOthersDirection Régionale des Affaires Culturelles (Regional Directorate for Cultural Affairs) - the French Ministry of Culture's regional authority providing institutional support and funding for cultural accessibility initiatives.
• Ville de PariscoreOthersCity of Paris municipal government providing financial and institutional support for SOUFFLEURS DE SENS operations and cultural accessibility programs in the capital.
• Centre PompidoumajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor cultural institution partner for Souffleurs d'Images service and co-producer of 'Les Surfaces Sonores' inclusive podcast describing museum artworks for blind and visually impaired audiences.
• Comédie-FrançaisemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner national theater for audio description and Souffleurs d'Images accessibility services, including 'Trois fois Ulysse' production and other performances.
• La VillettemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor Paris cultural venue (national entertainment complex) partner for cultural accessibility programs and inclusive artistic activities.
• Philharmonie de ParismajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner concert hall for musical accessibility programs and cultural participation initiatives for disabled audiences.
• Festival MusicamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrasbourg contemporary music festival partner for Souffleurs d'Images music training programs.
• Mucem MarseillemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusée des Civilisations de l'Europe et de la Méditerranée - major national museum partner for cultural accessibility initiatives.
• CCAH (Comité Coordination des Associations de Personnes Handicapées)minorOthersNational coordination committee of disability associations providing institutional support and expertise on disability matters.
• UNADEV (Union Nationale des Aveugles et Déficients Visuels)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational union of blind and visually impaired persons partnering on Souffleurs d'Images service awareness and advocacy.
• Bourse du Commerce - Pinault CollectionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContemporary art museum (Bourse du Commerce) partnered for cultural accessibility programs.
• BPI / Centre PompidouminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBibliothèque Publique d'Information (public information library) at Centre Pompidou partnering on disability and accessibility information services.
• Le CentQuatremajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParis cultural center and venue hosting inclusive workshops, performances (including 'L'Invisible Lien'), and Forum des Dynamiques Culturelles events.
• Collectif Scènes 77minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeine-et-Marne departmental arts collective partnered under IMAGO network for Art and Disability activities in the 77 department.
• Espace IcareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccessible venue partner hosting inclusive workshops and performances (including 'Les Joyeuses Commères de Windsor' showcase).
• Culture et SantéminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational program promoting culture-health connections, aligned with SOUFFLEURS DE SENS mission on cultural access for all.
• Maison des MétallosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural venue in Paris hosting participatory cultural mediation project creating accessible guided tours of its history, in partnership with medical-social establishments.
• MPAA (Maison des Pratiques Artistiques Amateurs)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmateur artistic practices center partnering on TRIP (Troupe Itinérante Pluridisciplinaire) inclusive performance project.
• ARS Île-de-FranceminorOthersAgence Régionale de Santé (Regional Health Agency) providing institutional support for health and social accessibility programs.
• Théâtre du NordminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational theater in Lille partnered for cultural accessibility programs.
• Théâtre National de BretagneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational theater in Rennes partnered for accessibility initiatives.
• Festival Constellations de MetzminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFestival in Metz partnered for cultural accessibility programming.
• Théâtre Sorano ToulouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTheater in Toulouse partnered for accessibility initiatives.
• Komidi Île de la RéunionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural network on La Réunion island (French overseas department) partnered for accessibility programming.
• Grand Palais ParisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor Parisian exhibition venue partnered for cultural accessibility.
• Petit Palais ParisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFine arts museum in Paris partnered for accessibility programs.
• Mac ValminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusée d'art contemporain du Val-de-Marne partnered for accessibility initiatives.
• Théâtre de la Ville ParisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor Paris theater partnered for accessibility programs.
• Pass CultureminorOthersFrench government cultural access voucher program supporting cultural participation for young people, aligned with accessibility mission.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCKQ5-0vgGRf9V0qIYQyrlRA/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/SouffleursdeSens
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/crth

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Souffleurs De Sens