Labo des histoires

What Labo des histoires does

Labo des histoires is a French non-profit association (association loi 1901) of general interest, founded in 2011 and headquartered at 161 rue Saint-Martin in Paris. Its stated mission is to democratize the practice of creative writing among young people aged 6 to 25 and to use writing as a vehicle for cultural and social inclusion. The organization operates a network of 12 regional antennas across metropolitan France and overseas territories (Martinique, La Réunion, Guyane), delivering approximately 3,000 creative writing workshops per year to a diverse participant base including schoolchildren, hospitalized youth, judicial-supervision youth, allophone migrants, school dropouts, priority-neighborhood residents, and visually impaired participants. Workshops are led by paid professional writers — authors, poets, screenwriters, and lyricists — and are delivered both at the association's premises and 'hors les murs' (off-site) at partner schools, cultural venues, social centers, and healthcare facilities. The Paris office is hosted at the Maison de la Poésie in the 3rd arrondissement since 2013, and includes a large workshop room and a small theater used for events and competition finals.

The product portfolio centers on the Ateliers d'écriture créative (the core workshop program), supplemented by Formations (training programs for individuals and organizations wishing to design and animate creative writing workshops), national competitions such as 'Et si JE faisais la loi ?' and the 'Tournoi des Mots' poetry tournament, plus specialized initiatives including Livres-à-son (multisensory writing for visually impaired youth in partnership with IDES) and Escape Game writing stages. Underlying delivery is a human-facilitated creative writing methodology, with no proprietary technology platform, software product, or AI/ML capability disclosed.

The business model is non-commercial on the participant side: all workshops are provided free of charge to young people. Revenue derives from tax-deductible donations, training fees, and institutional funding from central government bodies (Ministère de la Culture, Ministère de l'Éducation nationale et de la Jeunesse, Ministère de l'Intérieur des Outre-Mer), regional authorities (Région Ile-de-France, DRAC IDF, DRAJES, ANCT), corporate and private foundations (Fondation La Poste, Fondation TotalEnergies, Fondation Crédit Mutuel), and publisher partners (Le Livre de Poche, Hachette Romans). The association holds three formal government recognitions — 'Association éducative complémentaire de l'enseignement public', 'Jeunesse et Education populaire', and 'Association d'intérêt général' — and in June 2026 received the Grand Prix de l'apprentissage du français Charles Defforey from the Institut de France. Leadership is led by President Laurent KEISER, with operational directors Sandrine Naouri Ngoma (Paris antenna) and Margaux Nemmouchi (national cultural action coordination).

Name

Labo des histoires

Legal name

ASSOCIATION LABO DES HISTOIRES

Website

https://labodeshistoires.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Labo des histoires is a French non-profit association founded in 2011 that runs ~3,000 free creative writing workshops per year for young people aged 6-25, delivered through 12 regional antennas across metropolitan and overseas France using paid professional writers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Creative Writing Education Services

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161)

akta.pro primary industry

Fiction Writing Workshops (Short Story, Novel) (EDAMAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Genre Writing Workshops (Sci‑Fi, Fantasy, Romance, Mystery, Horror) (EDAMAMAG), Online & Hybrid Creative Writing Workshops (EDAMAMAL), Literary Arts & Writing Organizations (BPAGAHAK)

Keywords

• Creative writing workshops
• Youth literary education
• Writing training programs
• Writing competitions
• Cultural inclusion programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and public funding: As a non-profit association (loi 1901) of general interest, Le Labo des histoires operates primarily through donations and institutional funding from government bodies and foundations. Services are provided free of charge to participants.
2. Training services: The association offers training programs for individuals and organizations wishing to design and animate creative writing workshops, generating revenue through professional development services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Le Labo des histoires is a French non-profit association (loi 1901) that delivers creative writing workshops to young people aged 6-25, led by professional authors, poets, screenwriters, and lyricists. The association runs approximately 3,000 workshops annually across 12 regional antennas in metropolitan and overseas France, provided free of charge to participants. Beyond workshops, it offers professional training for individuals and organizations seeking to design and animate creative writing sessions, and runs national creative writing competitions and projects such as 'Tournoi des Mots' and 'Livres-à-son'.

Product overview

Le Labo des histoires operates as a unified educational and cultural platform offering creative writing workshops and programs for young people aged 6-25. The core offering consists of approximately 3,000 creative writing workshops per year, supplemented by training programs, writing competitions, and national projects. The organization maintains 12 regional antennae across France (metropolitan and overseas) that deliver workshops both at their locations and hors les murs (off-site) in schools, cultural venues, and social settings. Specialized programs include the 'Livres-à-son' multisensory workshops for visually impaired youth, Escape Game writing stages, and the national 'Tournoi des Mots' poetry competition. The product portfolio operates as a coordinated ecosystem where workshops, competitions, and training programs serve the mission of democratizing creative writing access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ministère de la CulturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment ministry providing institutional support and funding for cultural initiatives promoting creative writing among youth.
• Ministère de l'Éducation nationale et de la JeunessecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment ministry granting the association its official approvals (Association éducative complémentaire de l'enseignement public and Jeunesse et Education populaire). Provides institutional recognition and partnership framework.
• Ministère de l'intérieur des Outre-MerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMinistry supporting the association's activities in overseas territories (Martinique, La Réunion, Guyane).
• CNC (Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational film and moving image center providing support for cinematic and screenwriting projects.
• ANCT (Agence Nationale de la Cohésion des Territoires)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational agency supporting territorial cohesion projects, particularly in priority neighborhoods and rural areas.
• Fondation La PosteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation providing funding and support for cultural and educational projects.
• Maison de la Poésie (Paris)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural institution hosting the Paris office since 2013, providing workshop space including a large atelier room and small theater.
• DRAC IDF (Direction Régionale des Affaires Culturelles Ile-de-France)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional cultural authority providing institutional support in Ile-de-France.
• DRAJES IDFminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional authority for youth, sports, and associative life in Ile-de-France.
• Région Ile-de-FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional council providing funding and institutional support for activities in the Ile-de-France region.
• APHP IDF (Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParis public hospital system partnering for creative writing workshops in healthcare settings.
• Pass CultureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench cultural pass program for youth, partnering on creative writing competitions and events.
• Ville de ParisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity of Paris providing institutional support for Paris-based activities.
• FongepminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational network partner for Paris activities.
• Le Livre de PochecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublisher partnering on national competitions like the 'Tournoi des Mots' poetry tournament, providing books as prizes.
• Hachette RomansminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublisher partnering on the 'Et si JE faisais la loi?' creative writing competition.
• Fondation TotalEnergiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation providing funding support for national projects.
• Fondation Crédit MutuelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation providing financial support for cultural projects.
• RFIminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFrench international radio station featuring the association in its '8 milliards de voisins' program to discuss youth and writing.
• Maison de la PoésiecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHost venue for the Paris antenna, providing workshop spaces for creative writing events and the 'Tournoi des Mots' finals.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• LitWorld: LitWorld is a global nonprofit that advances literacy and creative writing among children through community-based programs, including its signature LitClub model. It shares Labo des histoires' focus on using creative writing as a tool for social inclusion and youth empowerment.
• Ministry of Stories: Ministry of Stories is a UK-based charity founded by author Nick Hornby that runs creative writing workshops and mentoring for young people aged 8-18 in East London. It shares Labo des histoires' workshop-anchored, writer-led model and mission to democratize writing access for underserved youth.
• 826 National: 826 National is a US-based network of youth writing centers that provides free creative writing tutoring, workshops, and publishing opportunities to students aged 6-18. Like Labo des histoires, it operates a workshop-based model animated by professional writers, targets disadvantaged youth, and combines writing programs with publishing outcomes.

Emerging players

• The Reading Agency: The Reading Agency is a UK charity that promotes reading and literacy for children and adults through programs and partnerships. While UK-based, it shares Labo des histoires' mission of democratizing literary engagement for youth through institutional partnerships and program delivery, though focused more on reading than creative writing.

Broad incumbents

• Ligue de l'enseignement: La Ligue de l'enseignement is one of France's largest secular education associations, operating a federated network across France. It overlaps with Labo des histoires on youth cultural and educational programming, but operates at much greater scale and broader scope than Labo des histoires' specialized writing focus.
• Les Francas: Les Francas is a French federation of associations providing extracurricular activities and youth programs. It operates at much larger scale and broader scope than Labo des histoires, but shares the focus on out-of-school cultural and educational programs for French youth, often partnering with the same municipal and community structures.
• Bibliothèques sans frontières: Bibliothèques sans frontières (Books Without Borders) is a French NGO that promotes literacy and access to books and education for underserved communities, including youth. It overlaps with Labo des histoires' mission of democratizing written expression, though BSF focuses more on book access and library creation than workshop facilitation.

Regional players

• Fédération des Centres Sociaux et Socioculturels de France: The FCSF is the national federation of French social and sociocultural centers, which are key partner venues for Labo des histoires' hors les murs workshops serving priority neighborhood and underserved populations. It represents the community-based infrastructure that hosts similar youth cultural initiatives.
• Lecture Jeunesse: Lecture Jeunesse is a French association that promotes reading and literature for young people through research, publications, and events. It overlaps with Labo des histoires' mission of literary engagement for youth, though it focuses on reading promotion rather than creative writing practice.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/le-labo-des-histoires

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Labo des histoires