MMAG Foundation

What MMAG Foundation does

MMAG Foundation is a nonprofit arts foundation and cultural institution headquartered in Amman, Jordan, founded in 2017. It operates as an integrated residency, programming, and physical-space platform serving artists, writers, filmmakers, and cultural practitioners across the MENA region, reaching its 5th edition of the Artist-in-Residence program in 2026 with six artists from March to July. Its portfolio spans three residency formats (a five-month Artist-in-Residence, a short-term Houseguest program of up to three months, and a year-long Collectives Residency branded "a decubator"), a recurring calendar of public programs (writing groups, open readings, workshops, study groups, film screenings, performances, talks, and exhibitions), and nine on-site spaces — Library, Darkroom, Shared Art Studio, Kitchen, The Cottage, Sound Studio, The Gardens, Screening Room, and the Vitrina street-level gallery.

Name

MMAG Foundation

Legal name

MMAG Foundation

Website

https://mmagfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

MMAG Foundation is a nonprofit arts organization in Amman, Jordan, operating artist residencies, public cultural programs, and nine dedicated creative spaces (library, darkroom, studio, screening room, gallery, and gardens) for MENA-region artists, writers, filmmakers, and collectives.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Arts and Cultural Services

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events without Facilities (711320)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Makerspaces & Fab Labs (Open Build Studios) (EDAMADAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Digital Arts & Design (Graphic Design, Illustration, Animation) (EDAMAAAB)

Keywords

• Artist residency programs
• Cultural arts institution
• Visual arts programming
• Nonprofit arts foundation
• Community arts space

Headquarters

HQ city

Amman

HQ country

Jordan

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Institutional Grants and Funded Programs: MMAG Foundation operates primarily through institutional funding, including grants from the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC) under their Training and Regional Events Grant program. The foundation provides residency programs and spaces without charging participants, suggesting revenue is generated through grant funding rather than program fees.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

MMAG Foundation is a nonprofit arts foundation that provides artist residency programs, cultural programming (workshops, readings, screenings, exhibitions, study groups), and shared physical workspaces (darkroom, library, studios, screening room, gallery) to artists and cultural practitioners in the MENA region. All programs, residencies, and spaces are offered free of charge to participants, funded through institutional grants such as AFAC's Training and Regional Events Grant.

Product overview

MMAG Foundation is an arts and cultural organization based in Amman, Jordan, offering a unified platform of programs, residency opportunities, and physical spaces for artists and the community. The core offerings include Programs (writing groups, open readings, workshops, film screenings, study groups, performances, and exhibitions), Residency programs (Artist in Residence, Houseguest short-term residency, and The Collectives Residency for cultural initiatives), and Spaces (Library, Darkroom, Shared Art Studio, Kitchen, The Cottage, Sound Studio, The Gardens, Screening Room, and Vitrina gallery). These offerings are interconnected, with programs often utilizing the various spaces and residencies providing artists access to the full ecosystem of MMAG's resources and community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Programs Cultural programming including writing groups, open readings, workshops, film screenings, study groups, performances, talks, and exhibitions designed for artists and the broader community. Programs are offered free of charge and accessible through open attendance or simple registration.
• Residency Programs Artist residency programs offering dedicated studio spaces, shared facilities, living accommodations, and financial contributions toward production costs. Includes three residency types: Artist in Residence (5-month program), Houseguest (short-term up to 3 months), and The Collectives Residency: a decubator (year-long program for emerging cultural and artistic initiatives in Jordan). Access is through application processes.
• Spaces Physical spaces at MMAG Foundation headquarters (Jabal Amman, Othman Bin Affan Street, 30) including Library, Darkroom, Shared Art Studio, Kitchen, The Cottage, Sound Studio, The Gardens, Screening Room, and Vitrina for artistic research and community engagement. Spaces are part of the integrated ecosystem supporting residencies and programs.
• Vitrina (Street-level Gallery) An independent street-level one-window gallery where art meets the community, inviting passersby to discover artists' creations. Vitrina serves as a public-facing exhibition space that opens MMAG's programming to the broader Amman community.
• Darkroom A working studio for artists to immerse themselves in both analog and alternative photographic practices, refining their skills in a collaborative space dedicated to the art of image-making.
• lesser Amman Library A quiet haven for artistic research featuring curated collections of books, zines, and art publications. The library hosts literary events such as discussions, readings, and open mics, serving as a hub for the writing and literary community.
• Screening Room A vibrant hub for discussions around alternative, independent cinema where one can curate, discuss, and explore diverse perspectives in filmmaking in the region. The screening room hosts film screenings and supports a dedicated cinema residency.
• The Gardens Outdoor spaces on MMAG grounds where artists cultivate creativity through vibrant intersections of art, nature, and ecology, with projects celebrating sustainability and environmental themes.

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• CLUSTER (Cairo Lab for Urban Studies, Training, and Environmental Research)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLUSTER collaborated with MMAG resident makana on the 'Reimagining our cities: alternative narratives through mapping' workshop, exploring different ways to visualize urban spaces using mapping as a tool.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Triangle Network: UK-headquartered global network of artist residencies and arts organizations with strong MENA presence. Comparable as an enabler of artist residency exchange across the region, including Jordan-based partners.
• Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art: Qatar-based institution dedicated to modern and contemporary Arab art with exhibitions, residencies, and collections. Comparable mission in supporting MENA artistic production, but at much larger institutional scale.
• Sharjah Art Foundation: Major UAE-based arts foundation offering residencies, exhibitions, and year-round public programming. Comparable as a regionally significant arts foundation with residency and public programming at much larger scale.
• Mophradat: Brussels-based foundation supporting contemporary Arab artists through grants, residencies, and programming. Comparable regional peer working with the same MENA artist community and providing institutional support pathways.

Others

• AFAC (Arab Fund for Arts and Culture): Beirut-based regional cultural funder supporting MMAG's Collectives Residency. Comparable as a peer in the MENA cultural ecosystem; while a funder rather than operator, it shares the same institutional mission of supporting regional artistic practice.

Direct peers

• Darat al Funun: Amman-based cultural foundation and artist residency housed in a historic complex. Directly comparable to MMAG as a Jordan-rooted nonprofit providing residencies, exhibitions, and public cultural programming in the same city.
• Beirut Art Center: Beirut-based nonprofit contemporary art institution with exhibitions, screenings, and public programs. Comparable model as a MENA nonprofit cultural institution offering curated programming and artist engagement.
• The Khalid Shoman Foundation: Amman-based arts foundation supporting contemporary art through residencies, exhibitions, and the Darat al Funun complex. Closely comparable mission and operating model to MMAG in the same regional ecosystem.
• Townhouse Gallery: Cairo-based independent art space hosting residencies, exhibitions, and public programs. Comparable independent nonprofit model serving MENA artists and cultural practitioners with similar residency and community programming.
• Pioneer Works: Brooklyn-based nonprofit arts institution combining residencies, studios, exhibitions, screenings, and music programming. Closely comparable integrated multi-disciplinary model pairing physical creative spaces with public programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/mmagfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mmag-foundation

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 MMAG Foundation