MAZ - Maison de la Photographie Guyane-Amazonie

What MAZ - Maison de la Photographie Guyane-Amazonie does

MAZ - Maison de la Photographie Guyane-Amazonie is the operating brand of the French non-profit association La Tête Dans les Images, founded in 2012 and headquartered in Cayenne, French Guiana. It is the only photography-focused cultural institution in French Guiana and the only photography festival across all French overseas departments, making it a category-of-one operator in its geographic niche.

Its core programs span the full cultural value chain: the Biennale Internationale des Rencontres Photographiques de Guyane (8 editions, 69,486+ cumulative visitors since founding), the Amazonique conference cycle, FotoKontré artistic residencies, Éditions MAZ photography publishing, and a cultural mediation arm serving schools, medico-social institutions, and prison populations. The 2025 cycle included participation in the Saison France-Brésil with projects (Kalana Tapele, Ô Abre Alas, Persistance) and the cross-residency 'Soyons Eaux' with CCC, MAT, and Maison Julien Gracq, signaling deliberate internationalization.

The business model is that of a publicly supported cultural association under French law (loi 1901). Revenue is not publicly disclosed but is derived from a mix of public subsidies (Région Guyane, DAC, Ministry of Culture, potentially EU programs), memberships/donations, and event-related income (biennial ticketing, catalogue sales). The organization runs on a lean team of 7 employees plus service civique contributors, with a Squarespace-built website and standard digital communication tooling — there is no proprietary technology platform. In 2015 it converted from an annual to a biennial format to concentrate production resources per edition.

Name

MAZ - Maison de la Photographie Guyane-Amazonie

Legal name

La Tête dans les Images

Website

https://maz-photographie.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

MAZ is a non-profit cultural association in French Guiana operating a biennial photography festival, residencies, publishing, and educational mediation. It serves schools, local communities, photographers, and underserved populations across the Caribbean-Amazonian region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Photography and Visual Arts Cultural Services

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Photographic Services (54192)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts, Culture, Heritage & Tourism Congresses (THAHAJAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Photography & Videography Workshops (THAJAKAD)

Keywords

• Photography biennale
• Artistic residencies
• Cultural mediation
• Photo book publishing
• Community art programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Cayenne

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. Membership and Donations: As a non-profit association (association loi 1901), MAZ relies on membership fees and donations from supporters. The association is registered as 'La Tête Dans les Images' and has operated since 2012.
2. Public Subsidies and Grants: MAZ receives support from public partners (including the Région Guyane for the first edition of the Biennale, and partners such as the French Ministry of Culture for initiatives like the Photographie Bicentenary). Partners provide financial, logistical, and moral support.
3. Event Revenue and Sales: Revenue generated from events including catalog sales („ contact us to place an order“ for the Biennale catalogue), workshop fees (e.g., €10 per person for storytelling workshops), and potential ticket income from exhibitions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

MAZ operates a portfolio of interconnected photography-focused cultural programs: the Biennale Internationale des Rencontres Photographiques de Guyane (an international photography biennial), artistic residencies (including FotoKontré Caribbean cross-residencies), cultural mediation programs (including the Mallette Pédagogique toolkit and Pass Culture devices for schools and underserved audiences), Éditions MAZ (photo book and catalog publishing), and the Amazonique conference cycle. The association supports creation, exhibition, education, and publication of photography in French Guiana and the wider Amazonian/Caribbean region.

Product overview

MAZ - Maison de la Photographie Guyane-Amazonie operates as a cultural association rather than a technology platform. The organization offers a portfolio of interconnected programs: the Biennale Internationale (international photography biennial), Amazonique (inter-biennial conference cycle), Artistic Residencies (Foto Kontré and others), Éditions (photo book publishing), Cultural Mediation (educational programs including pedagogical toolkits and Pass Culture devices), and an event calendar. These programs work together to promote photography, support artists, and educate audiences about visual arts in French Guiana and the wider Amazonian/Caribbean region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Biennale Internationale des Rencontres Photographiques de Guyane An international photography biennial, the only festival entirely dedicated to photography in French overseas departments, launched in 2012, featuring 63 exhibitions across multiple cities and 69,486 cumulative visitors across 8 editions. Open to the general public and photography enthusiasts in French Guiana and the wider Amazonian/Caribbean region.
• Amazonique Conference Cycle A conference and workshop cycle between biennial editions, exploring photography in Amazonian and Caribbean territories, focusing on themes of narration, counter-narration, and archives. Targeted at photographers, researchers, and the culturally-engaged public.
• Artistic Residencies (FotoKontré, Atelier du regard) Artistic residency programs including FotoKontré (Caribbean cross-residencies with Guadeloupe, Martinique, and French Guiana) and Atelier du regard, supporting artist mobility, original work creation, and inclusive practices for emerging and professional photographers from French Guiana, the Caribbean, and international territories.
• Éditions MAZ (Photo Book Publishing) Photographic publishing division producing art books and exhibition catalogs that document and promote the photographic heritage of French Guiana. Publications available by direct order; targeted at collectors, researchers, curators, and cultural institutions.
• Médiation Culturelle (Cultural Mediation Programs) Educational programs including the Mallette Pédagogique (pedagogical toolkit for schools), Pass Culture devices (Traqueurs d'Infox, Pause Photo Prose, Table MashUp, Les Mots du Clic), artistic workshops, and training for cultural mediators. Targeted at school groups, young people in eastern French Guiana, and underserved audiences including prison populations and medico-social institutions.
• Agenda and Exhibitions Program Event calendar and current exhibitions program showcasing photography exhibitions throughout the year in various venues across French Guiana, including Musée Franconie, CIAP Camp de la Transportation, Fort Diamant, and outdoor public spaces. Open to the general public.

Quantifiable outcome

• 69,486+ visitors across 8 editions of the Biennale
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Editions ReversminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Publishing partner referenced in relation to the Billy éditions and the MAZ Editions program for documenting and publishing photographic heritage from French Guiana.
• CCC (Centre Claude Cahun)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partner in the cross-residency program 'Ô Abre Alas' (2024) and '‘Soyons Eaux’' (2025), which brought photographers Jérôme Blin and Nathyfa Michel to explore rivers in France and French Guiana respectively.
• MAT (Maison des Arts et des Technologies)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Co-partner with CCC and MAZ in the cross-residency program that resulted in the '‘Soyons Eaux’' exhibition exploring river landscapes.
• Maison Julien GracqcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Co-partner with CCC and MAZ in the cross-residency program leading to the '‘Soyons Eaux’' exhibition.
• Collectif FotoAtivacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Brazilian partner co-carrying the 'Persistance' project and deploying 'La Maleta Luminosa' mediation tool in Belém during COP30, in partnership with the Français-Brésil Season.
• Institut Pasteur (Guyane)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Scientific partner for Sylvie Bonnot's 'Le Royaume des éphémères' residency, providing an art-sciences component on mosquito ecology in collaboration with the Bicentenary of Photography.
• Festival Amazônia Mapping (Belém)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partner for the presentation of 'Kalana Tapele' video mapping in Belém, Brazil, within the framework of the France-Brazil Season 2025.
• Saison France-Brésil 2025 / Institut FrançaiscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025The overarching program 'Des mondes en forêt : l’Amazonie habitée' comprising Kalana Tapele, Ô Abre Alas, and Persistance is presented under the Saison France-Brésil 2025 organized by the Institut Français.
• CNRS GuyanecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Scientific partner providing LiDAR data for the 'Kalana Tapele' video mapping project, enabling artist Alex Le Guillou to explore 'montagnes couronnes' archaeological sites in Amazonia. This partnership bridges art and science.
• Académie des Beaux-ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Supporting body for Sylvie Bonnot's 'L’Empire des éphémères' photography corpus, part of the Bicentenary of Photography labeled by the Ministry of Culture.
• Ministère de la Culture (France)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024The Bicentenary of Photography (2024) is a national program of the Ministry of Culture. MAZ's 'Le Royaume des éphémères' residency is labeled within this program.
• La Station Culturelle de Fort-de-FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the FotoKontré residency program, co-directing with Éline Gourgues. La Station Culturelle is a key cultural institution in Martinique and a co-porteur of the Caribbean cross-residency program alongside the Biennale.
• Amis de Artistik Rézo CaraïbescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation partner in the FotoKontré program, represented by Présidente Cynthia Phibel, contributing to the Caribbean photography residency network alongside Martinique and Guadeloupe.
• Fondation DappercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for the 'Reprendre Racines' itinerant exhibition, under the curatorship of Aude Leveau Mac Elhone. The Foundation supports exhibitions exploring links between humans and their environment, particularly in African and non-Western contexts.
• Isabelle SaussolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborator in the development of 'Ébullition guyanaise', a multisensory mediation device conceived by MAZ and Isabelle Saussol, targeting publics in medico-social structures.
• ECPADcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-porteur with MAZ of Sylvie Bonnot's corpus 'L’Empire des éphémères' in the context of the Bicentenary of Photography. ECPAD (French Ministry of Armed Forces audiovisual agency) will host an exhibition in Paris.
• Région GuyanecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitial funder of the first edition of the Biennale des Rencontres Photographiques de Guyane in 2012. The association La Tête Dans les Images took over from the second edition onward.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• PHotoEspaña:
• Festival Photo La Gacilly: Outdoor photography festival held annually in Brittany, France. Direct peer: a regional French photography festival combining large-scale outdoor exhibitions, educational programs, and themed editions — comparable model to MAZ's Biennale.
• Rencontres d'Arles: France's flagship photography festival, held annually in Arles. Direct peer: a major photography biennial/festival programming exhibitions, residencies, and education across France, with substantially larger scale and year-round cadence.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/maz-maisondelaphotographieguyaneamazonie

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 MAZ - Maison de la Photographie Guyane-Amazonie