Museum of Contemporary Art and Design

What Museum of Contemporary Art and Design does

The Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (MCAD Manila) is a not-for-profit, non-collecting contemporary art museum that operates as the external face of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, housed within the Benilde Design and Arts Campus on Dominga Street, Malate, Manila. Founded in the mid-2010s and PCNC-accredited for tax-deductible donations, MCAD runs a rotating in-house exhibition program of up to three shows per year plus up to two off-site or partner-institution exhibitions, complemented by the MCAD Commons off-site venue (e.g., Space63, Makati). Its core product set comprises the Exhibition Program, Learning Programs segmented by audience (Community, Young Creatives, Kids and Teens, plus Deaf and Hard of Hearing audiences via FSL interpretation), in-house Publications (exhibition catalogues and monographs), digital products including the Unity 3D WebGL-based Tropical Climate Forensics app and the Watch and Chill streaming platform, Online Tours, the MCAD Travel Bursary grant program for Filipino artists, and the tiered MCAD Art Circle membership.

The institution's business model relies on philanthropic and grant-based support rather than transactional revenue. All admission is free; revenue is generated through Art Circle memberships at PHP 25,000 (Patron), PHP 50,000 (Donor), and PHP 100,000 (Benefactor) tiers; one-off publication sales; tax-deductible donations enabled by PCNC accreditation; and project-based grants from partners such as the British Council, Goethe-Institut, Han Nefkens Foundation, Hyundai Card, and the Korea Arts Management Service. It serves a distributed audience of general public visitors, students, families, artists, and curators, and pursues its mission through regional and international collaborations including the Whitechapel Gallery-led Artists' Film International network, ICI New York's 'do it' project, and climate-themed initiatives connected to the World Weather Network and British Council's Creative Commissions for Climate Action.

MCAD's go-to-market is community-led and education-anchored: programming is delivered through physical exhibitions, off-site MCAD Commons shows, public lectures and workshops, screenings (including MCAD x MovingImage and Watch and Chill drive-in/streaming), and digital channels (website, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, email). It curates exhibitions by international artists such as Olafur Eliasson, Haegue Yang, Heidi Bucher, and Pacita Abad alongside Filipino practitioners, leveraging a 20-person team and the structural support of its parent academic institution to deliver a free-access, inclusionary cultural platform.

Name

Museum of Contemporary Art and Design

Legal name

Museum of Contemporary Art and Design

Website

https://mcadmanila.org.ph

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MCAD Manila is a not-for-profit, non-collecting contemporary art museum within De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde in Manila, Philippines, delivering free exhibitions, learning programs, and publications for the general public, students, families, and artists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Manila

HQ country

Philippines

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Memberships: The museum accepts tax-deductible donations and in-kind sponsorships as an organization accredited by the Philippine Council for NGO Certification. MCAD also operates an Art Circle membership program with three tiers (Patron PHP25,000, Donor PHP50,000, Benefactor PHP100,000) offering benefits including VIP previews, private tours, exhibition catalogues, and invitations to events with international artists.
2. Publications Sales: MCAD produces and sells exhibition catalogues, artists' catalogues, and monographs. Published materials include Haegue Yang: The Cone of Concern catalogue (ISBN 978-3-7757-5683-9), Adaptation: A Reconnected Earth (136 pages, ISBN 978-621-96461-4-7), Pacita Abad: A Million Things to Say (164 pages, ISBN 978-621-96461-1-6), and other exhibition-related publications available for purchase at the museum.
3. Travel Bursary Program: MCAD provides travel bursaries to Filipino artists attending residencies, exhibitions, or art festivals, covering roundtrip economy flights and travel insurance plus PHP 3,500 pre-travel allowance. This is a grant/support program funded by the institution, representing an outflow rather than revenue generation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

MCAD Manila is a non-collecting contemporary art museum that curates and presents rotating exhibitions of international and local artists, complemented by parallel educational learning programs segmented by audience (Kids and Teens, Young Creatives, general Community). It also publishes exhibition catalogues and monographs, runs off-site programming (MCAD Commons), provides online tours and digital experiences (Tropical Climate Forensics web app, Watch and Chill streaming), operates an artist travel bursary grant, and sustains operations through a tiered Art Circle membership and tax-deductible donations.

Product overview

MCAD Manila operates as a not-for-profit museum offering a unified portfolio of services centered on contemporary art exhibitions, educational programming, and publications. The core product is the Exhibition Program featuring rotating shows of international and local artists, complemented by MCAD Commons for off-site programming. Learning Programs serve diverse demographics from kids to professionals through workshops, tours, and lectures. The institution publishes exhibition catalogues and monographs, offers online virtual tours, and has developed digital products including the Tropical Climate Forensics web application and Watch and Chill streaming platform. Additional offerings include MCAD Travel Bursary grants for Filipino artists and the MCAD Art Circle membership program for patrons.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Exhibition Program Rotating contemporary art exhibitions presented at the Manila museum and in partnership with Philippine and international institutions, featuring works by international and local artists exploring perception, climate, identity, and contemporary life.
• MCAD Commons Off-site exhibition programme removed from the museum's main gallery, expanding MCAD's programming to larger audiences and supporting creative development and ideas exchange with diverse fields of practice.
• Learning Programs Educational programs operating in parallel with exhibitions, segmented for Community (general public), Young Creatives (late teens, university students, young professionals), and Kids and Teens (ages 7-16). Includes workshops, tours, lectures, screenings, and public programs.
• Publications In-house publishing arm producing exhibition catalogues, artists' catalogues, and monographs, including titles such as Haegue Yang: The Cone of Concern, Adaptation: A Reconnected Earth, and Pacita Abad: A Million Things to Say.
• Online Tours Recorded virtual tours of exhibitions given by MCAD guides, taking visitors through exhibitions and individual artworks, followed by live conversations. Available for individuals and groups with advance booking.
• Tropical Climate Forensics Web Application Interactive web application exploring the climate crisis across past, present, and speculative future using diorama format. Built with Unity 3D WebGL, playable on desktop and mobile, as part of the World Weather Network.
• MCAD x MovingImage Screenings Film and video screening program featuring works from Filipino and international artists, presented in collaboration with MovingImage organization at Benilde Taft Campus.
• Watch and Chill Streaming and Drive-in Theater Drive-in theater converting the museum car park into a screening venue and accompanying online streaming platform, presenting video works in collaboration with MMCA Korea, M+ Hong Kong, and MAIIAM Chiang Mai during the COVID-19 pandemic era.
• MCAD Travel Bursary Grant program providing Filipino artists with roundtrip economy flights (including travel insurance) plus a PHP 3,500 pre-travel allowance for attending residencies, exhibitions, or art festivals.
• MCAD Art Circle Membership Patron community membership program with three annual tiers — Patron (PHP25,000), Donor (PHP50,000), and Benefactor (PHP100,000) — providing benefits including VIP previews, private tours, exhibition catalogue copies, and invitations to events with international artists.

Quantifiable outcome

• Free admission for all visitors
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, major and core.

• Embassy of Denmark in the PhilippinesminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Supporting the Olafur Eliasson: Your curious journey exhibition along with Mercedes Zobel and Goethe-Institut Philippinen.
• Singapore Art Museum, Auckland Art Gallery, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Museum MACANmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Previous venues for the traveling Olafur Eliasson: Your curious journey exhibition before its final leg at MCAD Manila, forming a multi-year regional dialogue across Southeast Asia and Oceania.
• Art Sonje Center, Seoul and Red Brick Art Museum, BeijingmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Heidi Bucher exhibition traveled to MCAD Manila as the third and final leg of its Asian tour, following successful outings in Seoul and Beijing.
• British Council PhilippinesminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Supported the 'Adaptation: A Reconnected Earth' exhibition with Creative Commissions for Climate Action funding.
• Lost FramesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Community-based initiative pioneering showcasing of artists' moving images in the Philippines, facilitating workshops on storytelling and video production.
• Manila ObservatorymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partner in Derek Tumala's 'Tropical Climate Forensics' project, providing research collaboration with one of Southeast Asia's oldest meteorological observatories built by Jesuit fathers in 1865.
• World Weather NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Tropical Climate Forensics is part of the World Weather Network, a global coalition of 28 arts agencies formed in response to the climate crisis.
• Independent Curators International (ICI) New YorkmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021MCAD collaborated with ICI to launch 'do it (MCAD Manila)', the Filipino iteration of the world's longest-running curatorial project conceived by Hans Ulrich Obrist, Christian Boltanski, and Bertrand Lavier in 1993.
• Whitechapel Gallery (Artists' Film International)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021MCAD participates in the Artists' Film International (AFI) network, a collaborative project established by Whitechapel Gallery in 2008. The network pools knowledge from 21 global partner organizations, with each selecting and sharing exciting recent works by regional artists.
• National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partner in the 'Watch and Chill' drive-in theater and streaming initiative, curating video works that explore the reimagined role of 'home' during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• M+ West Kowloon Cultural District, Hong KongmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partner in the 'Watch and Chill' initiative, contributing video works from M+ collections and hosting the traveling physical exhibition.
• MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum, Chiang MaimajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partner in 'Watch and Chill' initiative. Hosted the traveling physical exhibition in December 2021 as part of the regional collaboration.
• Watch and Chill Streaming PlatformminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Online streaming platform (watchandchill.kr) providing free access to video works featured in the Watch and Chill exhibition, with new uploads every Friday through February 2022.
• Han Nefkens FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Presented 'Constructions of Truths' exhibition in partnership with Han Nefkens Foundation, with collaboration from Edouard Malingue Gallery, Kurimanzutto, The Ruya Foundation, and Silverlens.
• Goethe-Institut PhilippinenminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2020Supported the Haegue Yang: The Cone of Concern exhibition along with Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Korea, Korea Arts Management Service, Fund for Korean Art Abroad, Hyundai Card, and ifa (Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen).
• Benilde Digital Filmmaking ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Collaborated with Benilde's Digital Filmmaking Program for workshops and educational activities related to exhibitions.
• Artspace, SydneymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Presented 'What Lies Within: Centre of the Centre' exhibition in partnership with Artspace, Sydney, exploring spaces that summon nature, science, and the human psyche through contemporary installations.
• Edouard Malingue GalleryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2019Collaborated on multiple exhibitions including 'The Extra Extra Ordinary' alongside Taipei Contemporary Art Center.
• Taipei Contemporary Art Center (TCAC)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Co-presented 'The Extra Extra Ordinary' exhibition exploring new sensory processors for contemporary everyday life through art.
• De La Salle – College of Saint BenildecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMCAD is the external face of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, operating within the institution's Design and Arts Campus. This relationship provides institutional support, student involvement, and cross-disciplinary programming including collaborations with Benilde programs in Digital Filmmaking, Fashion and Textiles, and Performing Arts.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Whitechapel Gallery: London-based contemporary art institution with a long-running commissioning and exhibition program. MCAD is a partner in Whitechapel's Artists' Film International network, and the two share a comparable focus on international contemporary art and educational programming.
• Museum MACAN (Modern and Contemporary Art in Nusantara): Jakarta's contemporary art museum with comparable exhibition-driven, non-collecting or limited-collection model. Museum MACAN is a partner venue on the Olafur Eliasson tour and serves a similar Southeast Asian contemporary art audience.
• Mori Art Museum: Tokyo's leading contemporary art museum with a non-collecting model focused on rotating exhibitions of international contemporary art. Comparable curatorial ambition and Asia-Pacific contemporary art focus, though operating at larger scale.
• Singapore Art Museum: Southeast Asian contemporary art museum of comparable scale and mission, focused on contemporary art with international touring exhibitions. SAM is one of MCAD's regional partners on the Olafur Eliasson tour and shares a similar non-collecting, exhibition-led model.
• Metropolitan Museum of Manila: Manila-based contemporary art museum with international exhibition programming. Operates in the same Philippine cultural ecosystem with similar scale and audience targeting, and represents the closest in-country peer.
• MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum: Chiang Mai-based contemporary art museum focused on Southeast Asian and international contemporary art. MAIIAM partnered with MCAD on the Watch and Chill initiative and is highly comparable in scale, mission, and curatorial focus.
• Ayala Museum: Manila-based private museum with a strong focus on Philippine art, history, and culture. Directly comparable as a Philippine museum of similar institutional size, corporate backing, and curatorial programming.

Broad incumbents

• M+, Hong Kong: Hong Kong's flagship museum of contemporary visual culture with massive scale and permanent collection. M+ partnered with MCAD on Watch and Chill and represents the upper end of the regional contemporary art museum spectrum.
• Taipei Fine Arts Museum: Taiwan's leading contemporary art institution and Asia's oldest fine arts museum. A partner venue on the Olafur Eliasson tour, TFAM operates at greater scale but shares MCAD's contemporary art exhibition focus and regional partnership network.
• National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA): Korea's national contemporary art institution and a major regional player. MMCA partnered with MCAD on the Watch and Chill initiative and represents a larger-scale, government-backed counterpart in the same contemporary art category.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MCADManila
• Facebookfacebook.com/MCAD.Manila
• Instagraminstagram.com/mcadmanila
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mcadmanila

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Museum of Contemporary Art and Design