What Darb 1718 Contemporary Art and Culture Centre does

Darb 1718 Contemporary Art and Culture Centre is a non-profit NGO founded in December 2008 by Egyptian visual artist and cultural activist Moataz Nasr, operating as a contemporary art and culture center in historic Cairo, Egypt. The organization provides six core service offerings: dynamic workshops for creative expression, ongoing underground music events, museum-quality art exhibitions featuring national and international contemporary works, film screenings with industry expert discussions, community service through NGO collaborations, and an artist residency program accommodating international artists and curators onsite. The physical venue in old Cairo encompasses two contemporary art galleries, two live performance stages, a large outdoor cinema, workshop areas, a roof lounge, and an artist-in-residence studio and living space, making it a multi-purpose cultural infrastructure asset in the district.

The center generates revenue through three streams: venue rental for private events using its exhibition spaces, performance stages, outdoor cinema, gardens, and rooftops; artist residency fees charged to international artists and curators for immersive onsite experiences; and workshop fees for educational programs. The customer base spans emerging artists (primary segment), the general public, international artists and curators, and NGOs/community organizations. The organization employs 22 people and markets exclusively through organic social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok) and its website, with a community-driven and event-driven go-to-market motion focused on direct engagement at the physical venue.

Darb 1718 operates under continued supervision by the Egyptian Ministry of Social Affairs as a registered non-profit NGO. It has built ongoing strategic ties with local craftsmen, young Egyptian artists, intellectuals, and activists, and maintains collaborations with local and international arts, education, and tourism organizations for cross-cultural exchanges and public outreach. No funding rounds, external institutional investors, or parent company are disclosed. The organization is not a technology company — no proprietary platform, API, AI/ML capabilities, or digital product is disclosed — and its competitive position rests on the unique heritage of its physical location, founder credibility, and ecosystem of community partnerships.

Name

Darb 1718 Contemporary Art and Culture Centre

Legal name

Darb 1718

Website

https://darb1718.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Darb 1718 is a non-profit contemporary art and culture center in historic Cairo, Egypt, offering workshops, art exhibitions, music and film events, community programs, and artist residencies to emerging artists, international curators, and the general public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cairo

HQ country

Egypt

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Venue Rental and Private Events: Darb 1718 welcomes entities interested in using their spaces for private events, generating revenue through venue rental of their exhibition spaces, theater, dance and concert stages, outdoor cinema, gardens, and rooftops.
2. Artist Residency Program: The center offers an immersive cultural experience for artists producing their artistic works while living onsite, generating revenue through residency fees for international artists and curators.
3. Workshops and Educational Programs: The center facilitates workshops providing a supportive environment for participants to express and create freely, generating revenue through workshop fees.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

No verifiable source content with a resolvable source ID was provided; a grounded description of the core offering cannot be emitted.

Product overview

Darb 1718 is a contemporary art and culture center offering a unified portfolio of cultural services rather than a traditional software product. The center provides six interconnected offerings: Workshops for creative expression and education; Music Events featuring underground contemporary musicians; Art Exhibitions showcasing national and international works in two galleries; Film Events with screenings and expert discussions; Community Service through artist and NGO collaborations; and Artist Residency providing immersive onsite experiences. The venue itself—featuring two galleries, performance stages, outdoor cinema, workshop areas, roof lounge, and residency facilities—serves as the primary 'product' where these programs are delivered.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Bridge cultures through museum-quality exhibitions featuring national and international contemporary art

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Local CraftsmencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDarb 1718 maintains strong ties with local craftsmen, integrating traditional skills and heritage with contemporary artistic expression at the center.
• Local and International Arts OrganizationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContinuous collaborations with other arts, education and tourism organizations locally and internationally for cross-cultural exchanges and public outreach programs.
• Egyptian Ministry of Social AffairscoreOthersThe center operates under continued supervision by the Egyptian Ministry of Social Affairs as a registered non-profit NGO since December 2008.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• The Cairo Opera House: Egypt's largest state-backed performing arts complex. A broader incumbent offering overlapping performance and exhibition programming but at much larger scale and with government backing.
• Palais de Tokyo: Major contemporary art center in Paris combining exhibitions, performance, residencies, and public programming. Comparable integrated gallery-performance-residency venue at much larger scale.
• Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art: Qatar-based museum dedicated to modern and contemporary Arab art. A larger, state-funded institution with overlapping focus on contemporary Arab artistic production and cross-cultural exhibitions.
• MASS MoCA: Large-scale US contemporary art and performance complex with residencies, exhibitions, and music programming. Comparable multi-venue cultural center model with artist residencies and live events.

Regional players

• Beirut Art Center: Non-profit contemporary art center in Beirut focused on exhibitions, public programs, and publishing. Comparable MENA independent art institution serving similar emerging-artist and curatorial mandate.
• Alserkal Avenue: Dubai-based arts and culture district housing galleries, residencies, and creative-industry tenants. Comparable model of repurposing a physical space into a multi-tenant cultural ecosystem, but based in the UAE.

Direct peers

• El Sawy Culturewheel: Multi-venue cultural center in Cairo hosting music, theater, film, and workshops. Closely comparable mix of performance, exhibition, and community programming in a single physical footprint.
• Townhouse Gallery: Independent contemporary art space in Cairo offering exhibitions, residencies, and public programs. Operates in the same city and core category as Darb 1718, serving similar emerging artists and audiences.
• Contemporary Image Collective (CIC): Cairo-based non-profit artist-run space focused on contemporary art, moving image, and critical practice. Directly comparable as a small, independent Cairo non-profit serving emerging artists and experimental programming.

Emerging players

• The Art Foundation (Studio Misr): Cairo-based independent art initiative supporting emerging Egyptian artists through exhibitions and small programs. Partial overlap in serving the same emerging-artist segment in Cairo.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/darb1718
• Facebookfacebook.com/Darb1718
• Instagraminstagram.com/darb1718
• TikToktiktok.com/@darb1718
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/darb-1718-contemporary-art-and-culture-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Darb 1718 Contemporary Art and Culture Centre