Phénomène

What Phénomène does

Phénomène is a French non-profit cultural association (loi 1901) founded in 2019 and headquartered in Aurec-sur-Loire with operational bases in Saint-Étienne and Lyon. It supports, produces, and diffuses emerging creation in arts, music, and media through an interconnected ecosystem of programs: the PHNMN Fréquences annual three-day festival at the Puits Couriot mining site in Saint-Étienne, the PHNMN Campus national student creative network (relaunched in 2026 as a musical tremplin competition), the Spectre online editorial platform (covering culture, music, society, and current affairs), the Doppler record label, and recurring PHNMN Sessions concerts at partner venues. The organization's primary customers and beneficiaries are emerging artists and student creators seeking professionalization and visibility, alongside students and young cultural audiences in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region; secondary stakeholders include institutional partners (Ville de Saint-Étienne, Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Département de la Loire, CROUS de Lyon, Université Jean Monnet) and corporate sponsors (Crédit Mutuel, Intermarché, El Tony Mate).

The underlying operating model is participatory and largely non-digital in its core technology footprint: events are produced through physical venues and partner networks, ticketing runs through the third-party Shotgun platform, membership is managed via Assoconnect, and editorial content is published on a standard web CMS at spectre.phnmn.fr. There is no proprietary software platform, API, or mobile application. The revenue model combines several streams: 66% tax-deductible donations and membership fees, festival ticketing (with free student entry upon reservation and progressive early-bird pricing), corporate mécénat, and institutional public grants. Go-to-market relies on grassroots social media presence (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, TikTok, Twitch, Spotify, Tumblr), earned media partnerships with France Bleu Saint-Étienne Loire, and call-for-project outreach through university and CROUS networks, positioning Phénomène as a regional talent-discovery and amplification platform rather than a scalable technology business.

Name

Phénomène

Legal name

Association Phénomène

Website

https://phnmn.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Phénomène is a French non-profit association founded in 2019 that supports emerging artists and student creators through festivals, a record label, an online media platform, and a national student creative network, serving creators and young cultural audiences primarily in the Saint-Étienne and Lyon regions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Event Production

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts, Culture, Heritage & Tourism Congresses (THAHAJAN)

Keywords

• Cultural event production
• Artist development programs
• Music festival organization
• Independent media platform
• Creative incubation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Firminy

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Membership: Association operates on member donations. Donations are stated to be 66% tax-deductible in France. Example given: a 30€ donation costs only 10.20€ after tax deduction.
2. Mécénat (Patronage): The association accepts corporate sponsorship and patronage to support festival operations and emerging artist programs.
3. Festival Ticketing: Revenue generated through ticket sales for PHNMN Fréquences festival events, with progressive pricing and free entry for students.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Phénomène is a French non-profit cultural association that produces and diffuses emerging creation through an integrated portfolio: the PHNMN Fréquences annual festival in Saint-Étienne, the PHNMN Campus national student creative network with a musical tremplin competition, the Spectre online editorial media platform, the Doppler record label providing artistic mentorship, and recurring PHNMN Sessions live events. Revenue comes from tax-deductible donations, membership fees, corporate patronage, festival ticket sales, and institutional grants.

Product overview

Phénomène is a French cultural association (loi 1901) operating since 2019 that supports and disseminates emerging creation in arts, music, and media. The organization functions as a multi-platform cultural enterprise comprising two flagship festivals (PHNMN Campus and PHNMN Fréquences), an online media platform (Spectre) with diverse editorial programs, a record label (Doppler), and recurring concert series (PHNMN Sessions). The ecosystem is interconnected: PHNMN Campus identifies and mentors student talent who may be signed to Doppler or programmed at PHNMN Fréquences, while Spectre provides editorial coverage of cultural events and programming.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PHNMN Fréquences: Annual festival dedicated to emerging artistic creation, featuring concerts, workshops, and performances over 2-3 days in Saint-Étienne.
• PHNMN Campus
• Spectre
• PHNMN Sessions
• Doppler

Products and services

• PHNMN Campus

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ festival-goers on site for main festival plus 2,500+ in OFF events
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ville de Saint-ÉtiennecoreOthersInstitutional partner supporting PHNMN Fréquences festival. The city hosts the festival at the Puits Couriot site and provides ongoing support for cultural programming in Saint-Étienne.
• CROUS de LyoncoreOthersInstitutional partner supporting student-focused programs. CROUS supports PHNMN Campus initiatives targeting student populations.
• Université Jean Monnet Saint-ÉtiennecoreOthersUniversity partner hosting PHNMN Campus events and tremplin musical semi-finals at Campus Tréfilerie.
• Région Auvergne-Rhône-AlpescoreOthersRegional council providing institutional support for cultural programming and emerging artist initiatives.
• Département de la LoirecoreOthersDepartmental council supporting cultural events in the Loire department where Saint-Étienne is located.
• France Bleu Saint-Étienne LoireminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner providing radio coverage and promotion for festival events and emerging artists.
• Crédit MutuelminorOthersOfficial partner providing sponsorship support for festival operations.
• El Tony MateminorOthersOfficial partner of PHNMN Fréquences festival.
• IntermarchéminorOthersOfficial partner of PHNMN Fréquences festival.
• Le ClapiercoreOthersVenue partner - former railway station converted to concert hall, hosts nighttime electronic programming during PHNMN Fréquences festival.
• Puits Couriot - Musée de la MinecoreOthersHistoric mining site hosting PHNMN Fréquences festival. Iconic Saint-Étienne cultural landmark providing festival venue.
• Le Périscope (Lyon)coreOthersCultural venue in Lyon hosting PHNMN Campus finale and semi-final events of the musical tremplin.
• AS Saint-ÉtienneminorOthersOfficial partner of PHNMN Fréquences festival.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• La Route du Rock: Brittany-based independent music festival focused on emerging and alternative artists. Comparable in curatorial focus on emerging creation but operating in a different French region.

Direct peers

• La Coopérative de Mai: Clermont-Ferrand music venue and association (SMAC) operating concert programming and artist support. Comparable in scale, non-profit music venue model, and emerging artist mission.
• Le Sucre: Lyon-based music venue and event operator (located in a former sugar warehouse) hosting emerging electronic and live artists. Comparable regional scope and emerging artist programming model.
• Nuits Sonores: Lyon-based independent electronic and emerging music festival and association. Operates annual multi-day programming and has expanded into media and label activities, mirroring Phénomène's regional festival + artist support model.
• Stéréolux: Nantes-based cultural non-profit combining a music venue, creation studios, and emerging artist programming. Similar size, non-profit status, and remit to support emerging creation in music and digital arts.
• Les Subsistances: Lyon cultural venue hosting performing arts, music, and emerging artist programming. Comparable mission of supporting emerging creation with a mix of venue operations and festival-style events.
• La Friche la Belle de Mai: Marseille cultural cooperative operating a former industrial site as a multi-arts venue with residencies, festivals, and artist support. Comparable in mission as a non-profit cultural ecosystem combining venue, programming, and artist accompaniment.

Broad incumbents

• Le Printemps de Bourges: One of France's largest music festivals, with a strong focus on emerging and French-speaking artists. Comparable in artist development mission but at significantly larger scale and broader national reach.
• Les Eurockéennes de Belfort: Established French music festival focused on discovery and emerging artists. Comparable dedication to emerging creation but operating at much larger scale and with longer track record.
• La Gaîté Lyrique: Paris digital arts and contemporary music venue operated by a public-interest entity. Comparable artist-support and emerging-creation mission but at significantly larger scale and broader programming scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/_phnmn
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCeTxQ3VLadegmvlcyaFSc2Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/phnmn.asso
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/phnmn
• Instagraminstagram.com/_phnmn
• TikToktiktok.com/@_phnmn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 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 Phénomène