Festival Jack Of All Trades (JOAT) International

What Festival Jack Of All Trades (JOAT) International does

Festival Jack Of All Trades (JOAT) International is a Montreal-based nonprofit cultural organization founded in 2014 that produces an annual international street dance festival, supplemented by year-round programming. Its core event is a multi-day festival held in late August/early September at Place des Arts and Club Soda, featuring competitive battles across four disciplines — Breaking, Hip Hop, Popping, and Kidz Battle — alongside workshops, master classes, concerts, exhibitions, and a vendor marketplace. The festival draws international dancers and judges from countries including the USA, France, Germany, South Korea, Vietnam, and Portugal, and targets a hybrid audience of street dance practitioners, families and youth, and the general public. Revenue is generated across five streams: ticket sales (single battles $30–$55; four-battle packages $129.50–$155), corporate and public-sector sponsorship (Canada Council for the Arts, Ville de Montréal, Stance, Desjardins, Quartier des spectacles), venue partnerships with Place des Arts and Club Soda, vendor and market fees at the JOAT MARKET, and merchandise sales. JOAT also operates JOAT en tournée, a touring interactive battle show across Quebec, and has produced heritage programming including the JOAT.EXE documentary and the AMALGAME/SIX STEPS photographic exhibition in partnership with MEM - Centre des mémoires montréalaises. Technology is limited to a livestream distribution layer via Stream Machine for remote audiences and a dancer registration system; the organization is privately operated with no disclosed venture or external equity backing, led by founder and Artistic Director Handy Yacinthe alongside Executive Co-Director Elie-Anne Ross.

Name

Festival Jack Of All Trades (JOAT) International

Legal name

JOAT Festival International de Street Dance

Website

https://joatfestival.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Festival Jack Of All Trades (JOAT) International is a Montreal-based nonprofit founded in 2014 that produces an annual international street dance festival featuring battles, workshops, and exhibitions, serving street dance communities, families and youth, and the general public through ticketed events and public-sector sponsorship.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from selling tickets to main battle events at Club Soda and other ticketed performances. Individual battle tickets range from $30-$55, with packages combining multiple battles for $129.50-$155.
2. Corporate Sponsorship: Funding and support from corporate partners including government arts councils (Canada Council for the Arts, Ville de Montréal), cultural organizations, and private companies that sponsor festival activities and operations.
3. Venue Partnerships: Strategic relationships with major venues like Place des Arts that provide infrastructure, audience reach, and co-promotional support in exchange for being the festival's primary venue host.
4. Vendor and Market Fees: Revenue from food, beverage, and artisan vendors operating at the JOAT MARKET during the festival, including Trois Lacs Microbrewery, Kwizinn, and various artisans.
5. Merchandise Sales: Sales of official JOAT merchandise including specially designed event T-shirts and promotional items.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

JOAT International Street Dance Festival organizes and produces an annual international street dance festival in Montreal featuring competitive Breaking, Hip Hop, Popping and KidzBattle dance battles, alongside workshops/master classes, concerts, photo exhibitions, an on-site JOAT Market, and post-battle party nights. Year-round the organization runs JOAT en tournée touring shows, JOAT Prelims qualifying rounds, and cultural mediation programs for youth, supplemented by ticketed event packages and livestream access for remote audiences.

Product overview

JOAT International Street Dance Festival is a cultural organization producing an annual international street dance festival in Montreal since 2014. The core offering is the multi-day festival featuring competitive dance battles (Breaking, Hip Hop, Popping, KidzBattle), workshops, concerts, and exhibitions. Year-round activities include JOAT en tournée (touring shows), JOAT Parties, and cultural mediation programs. The festival operates as a single unified event brand supplemented by recurring sub-events and programs including Master Classes, Prelims (pre-qualification battles), the JOAT Market, and documentary/film projects like JOAT.EXE. Ticket packages bundle multiple battle events for attendee convenience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• JOAT Festival International de Street Dance Annual international multi-day street dance festival held in Montreal, featuring Breaking, Hip Hop, Popping and KidzBattle dance battles, workshops/master classes, concerts, photo exhibitions, JOAT Market, and JOAT Parties for dancers, families and general audiences.
• JOAT Battles Competitive dance battles in Breaking, Hip Hop, Popping, and Kidz categories where dancers compete through improvisation, judged on creativity, musicality, and technical skill following JOAT official battle rules; registration handled via the UTC Dancer Registration Platform.
• JOAT en tournée (JOAT on Tour) Interactive street dance show inspired by JOAT Battles that tours Quebec, featuring live DJ accompaniment and competitive dance performances for local audiences under the direction of Handy Yacinthe.
• JOAT Parties Post-battle celebration dance nights featuring DJs, MCs, and music, designed to continue the festival energy after competitive events; door entry $15, free with Popping Battle ticket.
• JOAT Market On-site vendor marketplace at the festival featuring artisans, food and drink kiosks (e.g., Trois Lacs Microbrewery, Kwizinn), and official festival merchandise including specially designed T-shirts.
• Master Classes Professional dance workshops taught by master dancers, offering instruction in various street dance styles for dancers of different skill levels.
• JOAT 4 Battles Package Combined ticket package offering discounted access to all four main battle events (Breaking, Hip Hop, Popping, and KidzBattle) across the festival duration, priced at $129.50 presale and $155 regular.
• JOAT Prelims Pre-selection battles where dancers audition to qualify for the main battles, with judges selecting the top 16 performers to advance to competitive finals (e.g., JOAT Prelims Break).
• Cultural Mediation Programs Educational and outreach activities including JOATKidz battles for youth ages 10–15, family workshops, and cultural exchange programs designed to democratize street dance access.
• JOAT.EXE Documentary Short documentary film directed by Do Phan Hoi tracing the evolution of the JOAT Festival, featuring archival footage, personal accounts, and dance sequences highlighting key figures in Montreal's street dance scene.
• SIX STEPS Photo Exhibition Black-and-white photographic portrait exhibition celebrating Montreal's street dance scene, with images inspired by 1980s and 1990s aesthetics documenting the community of artists.

Quantifiable outcome

• The 2026 festival will feature battles in Breaking (Sept 3), Hip Hop (Sept 4), Kidz Battle (Sept 5), and Popping (Sept 6)
• +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

Feature2 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Place des ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPremier cultural venue in Montréal and primary host of the JOAT Festival. Provides main festival infrastructure including Esplanade, performance spaces, and co-promotional support. The festival has been presented at Place des Arts since 2022, with the partnership being central to JOAT's professional presentation.
• StanceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFootwear/apparel brand appearing as a festival partner. The partnership supports the festival's marketing and brand presence.
• Conseil des arts du Canada (Canada Council for the Arts)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerFederal arts funding body providing grants and support for the festival's artistic programming and operations.
• Ville de MontréalcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCity of Montréal providing municipal support and funding for cultural events and festival programming.
• Quartier des spectaclesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCultural district organization supporting arts and cultural events in Montréal's entertainment district.
• Tourisme MontréalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial tourism organization for Montréal providing promotional support and visitor outreach for festival events.
• Caisse de la culture DesjardinsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCultural banking arm of Desjardins credit union supporting arts and cultural initiatives.
• MEM – Centre des mémoires montréalaisescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMuseum dedicated to preserving oral history of Montréal. In 2025, JOAT partnered with MEM to present documentary film JOAT.EXE and photo exhibition AMALGAME, celebrating street dance heritage.
• Goethe-InstitutminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGerman cultural institute promoting German language and culture internationally, partnering with JOAT for cultural programming.
• Urban-Element Zone (UEZ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMontreal-based dance studio specializing in street dance teaching and performance for over 20 years. Presents JOATKidz Prelims and provides dance education expertise. UEZ co-founders established original studio in 2003.
• Artbeat MontrealminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusic organization leading the Montreal Loves Dilla DJ collective tribute event, organizing events celebrating hip-hop producer J Dilla.
• BOSSYminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization empowering women through street dance. Presents 'BOSSY – The Get Down' event celebrating women in Montréal's street dance scene.
• MKA (Montreal Krump Alliance)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMontreal Krump community organization. Presents MKA SESSION battles and collaborates on Krump workshops. The alliance represents the krump dance community.
• Loop SessionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusic/beatmaking organization that collaborated on Loop Sessions events at the festival.
• Consulat général de France au QuébecminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFrench consulate in Quebec providing cultural support and diplomatic backing for international programming.
• Danse DanseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDance presentation organization credited as co-producer of the JOAT Festival International de Street Dance.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Red Bull BC One: Red Bull BC One is the world's premier 1v1 b-boy competition, organized globally by Red Bull with national qualifiers and a world final. Comparable to JOAT's battles but at much larger global scale and with substantially bigger corporate sponsorship backing.

Regional players

• UK B-Boy Championships: UK B-Boy Championships is a long-running UK-based breaking competition series with international qualifier events. Comparable to JOAT's battle competition format and structure, but geographically focused on the UK market.
• Festival Quartier Danses: Festival Quartier Danses is an annual contemporary dance festival in Montréal presenting indoor and outdoor performances. Comparable to JOAT as a Montréal-based dance festival leveraging Place des Arts and similar venues, though focused on contemporary rather than street dance.
• R16 Korea World B-Boy Championship: R16 is a premier b-boy competition hosted by the South Korean government in Wonju, featuring national qualifiers worldwide and a world final. Directly comparable to JOAT as a multi-national qualifier-to-final breaking championship, though anchored in Asia.

Direct peers

• Outbreak Europe: Outbreak Europe is a major international hip-hop dance festival held annually in Slovakia featuring battles in multiple styles plus workshops, parties, and showcases. Directly comparable to JOAT's combined battles/workshops/concerts programming model.
• The Notorious IBE: The Notorious IBE is an international hip-hop dance festival in Rotterdam, Netherlands featuring breaking, hip-hop, popping, and krump battles alongside workshops and cultural programming. Closely comparable to JOAT as a multi-day multi-discipline international street dance festival.
• Freestyle Session: Freestyle Session is an internationally recognized breaking event held in California, founded in 1997, featuring 1v1 and crew battles. Directly comparable to JOAT's Breaking battle programming and community-building focus.
• Hip Hop International: Hip Hop International produces the World Hip Hop Dance Championship and is a global dance competition organization. Comparable to JOAT as a multi-discipline street dance competition operator with international participation and tiered structure.
• Battle of the Year (BOTY): Battle of the Year is the longest-running international breaking crew competition, founded in Germany in 1990. It is directly comparable to JOAT as a multi-style international street dance competition series drawing crews and judges from around the world.
• Silverback Open Championships: Silverback Open is a U.S.-based b-boy competition featuring 1v1 battles with international participants. Comparable to JOAT's Breaking battle format and international participant draw, though more focused on the breaking discipline specifically.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/JackOfAllTradesfestival
• Facebookfacebook.com/joatfestival
• Instagraminstagram.com/joat.festival
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/festival-joat

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Festival Jack Of All Trades (JOAT) International