visual voices
Visual Voices is a Nicosia-based non-profit organization supporting emerging visual artists and civil society through socially engaged arts programs centered on peacebuilding, dialogue, and social change across Cyprus and internationally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersBogotá, Colombia
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What visual voices does
Visual Voices is a Nicosia, Cyprus-headquartered non-profit organization founded in 2018 that supports emerging visual artists and civil society through socially engaged arts programs focused on peacebuilding, dialogue, and social change. The organization was co-founded by Marina Neophytou and Alden Jacobs and operates a portfolio of initiatives rather than a unified software product, including artist residencies and exhibitions (Living Between, Crossing 24/31, Leipzig 2021), community projects (Color the Court, Symbols for Peace, Coastline(s) Waning), and multi-year European programs such as RELATE (2024-2026), In Ex(ile) Lab, and Mon-Art (2025-2027). Its most distinct technical offering is the Visual Voices AR App, an augmented-reality platform for digital graffiti and peace-advocacy storytelling developed in partnership with ITICA Lab and NYU Tisch School of the Arts, complemented by the inclusive Vis-à-Vis platform. Beneficiary segments include emerging visual artists interested in socially engaged practice, civil society organizations and activists, and Cypriot youth across the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot divide; geographic reach spans Cyprus, France, Italy, Portugal, Germany, Bulgaria, Albania, Lebanon, Jordan, and beyond.
Programming is delivered through direct community engagement, participatory residencies, workshops, and exhibitions rather than commercial channels. Revenue is derived entirely from institutional grants and philanthropic funding — programs are offered free to participants — with funders including the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union, Allianz Foundation, Stiftung Mercator, European Cultural Foundation, Porticus Foundation, Institut français, Ville de Paris - Label Europe, Goethe-Institut Zypern, the Cyprus Deputy Ministry of Culture, and the Chrest Foundation. The team is led by co-founders Marina Neophytou (Director of Organizational Practice and Partnerships) and Alden Jacobs (Director of Program Development), supported by Artistic Director Melina Philippou, Community & Artistic Manager Selin Genç, and Lead Participatory Arts Advisor Nurtane Karagil.
Visual Voices does not charge participants and has no disclosed revenue, operating under a grant-funded, non-commercial distribution model in which the unit of "delivery" is the program or residency, not a subscription or license.
visual voices firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- visual voices
- Legal name
- Visual Voices
- Website
- https://visual-voices.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Visual Voices is a Nicosia-based non-profit organization supporting emerging visual artists and civil society through socially engaged arts programs centered on peacebuilding, dialogue, and social change across Cyprus and internationally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
visual voices industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Arts and Cultural Programming
- NAICS
- Performing Arts Companies (7111)
- SIC
- Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cultural Centers & Community Cultural Organizations (BPAGAHAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Media Arts & Film/Photography Nonprofits (BPAGAHAJ), Community Arts, Culture & Creative Placemaking Enterprises (BPAGALAO)
Keywords
Where visual voices is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bogotá
- HQ country
- Colombia
- HQ region
- Latin America
Offices1 record
Markets served
visual voices business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
visual voices product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Visual Voices is a Nicosia-based non-profit organisation that delivers visual arts programs — including artist residencies, professional development workshops, community projects, and exhibitions — to support socially engaged art practices in Cyprus and internationally. Its programs bridge Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities through arts-based methodologies and partner with civil society organisations, educational institutions, and international bodies. It also operates the Visual Voices AR App, an augmented reality platform developed with ITICA Lab and NYU Tisch for digital storytelling and peace advocacy.
Product overview
Visual Voices is a Nicosia-based non-profit organization offering a portfolio of socially engaged art programs and initiatives rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include Artist-Focused Programs providing residencies and professional development; Platforms of Expression including the Visual Voices AR App for augmented reality storytelling; and Community Projects facilitating participatory arts-based peacebuilding. Key projects include RELATE (2024-2026) for inclusion and cultural exchange; Of Monumental exploring public art monuments; Mon-Art (2025-2027) for sustainable lifestyles through public art; In Ex(ile) Lab supporting displaced artists across Europe; Art for Social Action grants; and annual Exhibitions & Residencies. The organization also partners on the PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival with UNAOC/IOM. These programs are delivered through community collaboration, not a software platform.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Visual Voices AR App Augmented reality application for digital graffiti and storytelling that brings together socially engaged art and AR technology to promote user-generated content and peace advocacy stories. Developed as a collaboration between Visual Voices, ITICA Lab, and NYU Tisch School of the Arts.
- Artist-Focused Programs Programs designed to support and empower artists by providing resources, mentorship, and professional development opportunities, including artist residencies and capacity-building workshops, targeted at emerging visual artists interested in socially engaged practices.
- Community Projects Participatory initiatives that unite artists, activists, civil society organisations, local stakeholders, and diverse publics to address shared concerns through arts-based methodologies, emphasising inter- and multi-communal exchanges.
- Exhibitions & Residencies Annual artist residency programmes bringing together artists from Cyprus and internationally (Cyprus, Lebanon, Jordan, Germany, France, Italy, Portugal) to create works around themes of peace, conflict transformation, and social change, culminating in exhibitions.
- RELATE (REveaL – Art To Exchange) Two-year project (2024-2026) building meaningful connections within Cyprus' creative and cultural landscape through artistic residency, mentorship programme, and public exhibitions to promote inclusion and diverse community contributions.
- Of Monumental Interdisciplinary bi-communal project exploring Cyprus' public art monuments through performance art, photography, and multimodal ethnography to examine how monuments negotiate contested narratives of identity, memory, and reconciliation. Funded by the Deputy Ministry of Culture – Cyprus under the Politismos II programme.
- Mon-Art (Monasteries of Art) European project (2025-2027) implementing public art as a means to enable new green and sustainable lifestyles, creating artistic residencies that reimagine human-nature relationships aligned with the European Green Deal.
- In Ex(ile) Lab Two-year laboratory supporting artists in exile in Cyprus, France, Italy, and Portugal through opportunities to create performances, build professional networks, receive artistic advice, and reach new European audiences. Co-founded with Alkantara (Portugal), Santarcangelo Festival (Italy), Fabrique Chaillot, and co-funded by Creative Europe Programme, Institut français, Ville de Paris – Label Europe, and Porticus Foundation.
- Art for Social Action (ASA) Building Community – Art for Social Action project that supports participatory public artworks addressing social and environmental issues through small grants to artist-CSO partnerships.
- Coastline(s) Waning Environmental campaign and artistic project critiquing the destructive transformation of Cyprus' coastline for tourism, implemented in cooperation with Allianz Foundation and environmental partners including Enalia Physis Environmental Research Centre, AKTI Project and Research Centre, MASDER, and Cyprus Marine & Maritime Institute (CMMI).
- Color the Court Innovative peacebuilding project combining arts, sports, and peace education through community basketball court revitalisation and workshops with youth across the divide in Cyprus, conducted in collaboration with PeacePlayers Cyprus.
- Vis-à-Vis Inclusive physical and digital space where CSOs, artists, informal groups, and communities meet to exchange, collaborate, and participate through accessible infrastructure and socially engaged artistic practices.
Companies that use visual voices
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
visual voices technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
visual voices partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
31 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- PeacePlayers CypruscoreCollaboration on peacebuilding projects including 'Color the Court' series and 'Symbols for Peace' mural at Ledra Palace Hotel in the UN buffer zone.
- Generation for Change (Cyprus)corePartner in the RELATE project (2024-2026) dedicated to building connections within Cyprus' creative and cultural landscape.
- Agency of Artists in Exile (aa-e) (France)corePartner in RELATE project and In Ex(ile) Lab, supporting artists in exile across Cyprus, France, Italy and Portugal.
- Alkantara (Portugal)majorPartner in In Ex(ile) Lab, a two-year laboratory supporting artists in exile.
- Santarcangelo Festival (Italy)majorPartner in In Ex(ile) Lab, a two-year laboratory supporting artists in exile.
- Fabrique ChaillotminorCo-funder and collaborator in In Ex(ile) Lab.
- Youth for Exchange and Understanding (YEU)majorCollaboration on 'Symbols for Peace' mural project.
- Clowns Without Borders BelgiumminorHosting visit to Cyprus to raise awareness about intercultural conflicts and cultural diversity, working with refugee camps and migrant populations.
- United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC)coreOfficial collaborating partner for PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival, empowering youth activism through arts.
- International Organization for Migration (IOM)coreCo-organizers of PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival with UNAOC.
- Sistema CyprusminorCollaborative partner for KID's Guernica Mural project sent to Japan.
- Heart of Peace HiroshimaminorPartner organization for KID's Guernica Mural project.
- Embassy of Japan in CyprusminorCollaboration on KID's Guernica Mural project for Hiroshima Peace Memorial Day 2020.
- Anadolu KültürmajorInitiator of VAHA Hubs collaborative initiative.
- MitOstmajorVAHA Hubs initiative co-funded by Stiftung Mercator and European Cultural Foundation.
- La Fondazione Istituto di Alta Cultura Orestiadi (Italy)majorPartner in MON-ART project on public art and sustainable lifestyles (2025-2027).
- Slow Food (Bulgaria)majorPartner in MON-ART project on public art and sustainable lifestyles (2025-2027).
- La Fondacioni Gjirokastra (Albania)majorPartner in MON-ART project on public art and sustainable lifestyles (2025-2027).
- CYENS Centre of Excellence (Cyprus)majorPartner in MON-ART project on public art and sustainable lifestyles (2025-2027).
- Helden wider Willen (Germany)majorCollaboration on Artists in Residence 2021: Leipzig project.
- Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies (Jordan)majorCollaboration on Artist in Residence 2021 on intercultural dialogue.
- Forum for Development Culture and Dialogue (Lebanon)majorCollaboration on Artist in Residence 2021 on intercultural dialogue.
- Enalia Physis Environmental Research CentreminorCollaborative engagement through workshops for COAST LINE(S) WANING project.
- AKTI Project and Research CentreminorCollaborative engagement through workshops for COAST LINE(S) WANING project.
- MASDERminorCollaborative engagement through workshops for COAST LINE(S) WANING project.
- Cyprus Marine & Maritime Institute (CMMI)minorCollaborative engagement through workshops for COAST LINE(S) WANING project.
- phytorio - Visual Artists & Art Theorists AssociationminorCollaboration on 'Of Monumental' publication presentation.
- Kingston University UKminorDr. Dimitris Venizelos from Kingston University involved in 'Of Monumental' project.
- ITICA LabmajorCollaborated on Visual Voices AR App for digital graffiti and storytelling.
- Marina Hassapopoulou (NYU Tisch School of the Arts)majorAssistant Professor of Cinema Studies collaborated on Visual Voices AR App.
- Buffer Fringe Performing Arts FestivalminorMarina Neophytou co-curated 2023 festival.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
visual voices competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Anadolu Kültür: Istanbul-based cultural foundation supporting cross-cultural dialogue and minority cultural rights. Co-initiator of VAHA Hubs with Visual Voices; comparable mission around cultural diplomacy and inter-community exchange.
- Home for Cooperation: Nicosia-based bi-communal NGO operating in the UN buffer zone, focused on education, culture, and peacebuilding. Founded by Marina Neophytou's prior organization; directly comparable mission, geography, and target communities.
- PeacePlayers Cyprus: Bi-communal sports-based peacebuilding organization in Cyprus and a direct collaborator with Visual Voices on the 'Color the Court' series. Same geography, mission, and target youth segments, with arts being one of several engagement modalities.
- Buffer Fringe Performing Arts Festival: Bi-communal performing arts festival co-curated by Marina Neophytou (2023). Operates in the same Nicosia/UN buffer zone ecosystem, serving overlapping artist communities with shared peacebuilding framing.
- Agency of Artists in Exile (aa-e): Paris-based organization supporting artists in exile through residencies, production support, and advocacy. Direct partner in In Ex(ile) Lab; operates the same artist-in-exile model across the same European geographies.
- Alkantara: Lisbon-based performing arts foundation supporting international artists and socially engaged practice. Direct partner in In Ex(ile) Lab and Mon-Art; comparable artist-residency and project-based cultural funding model.
- MitOst: Berlin-based cultural network supporting artists and cultural practitioners in transition and conflict regions. Co-funded partner in VAHA Hubs; comparable artist mobility and cultural exchange programming across the same geographies.
Broad incumbents
- European Cultural Foundation: Pan-European grantmaker supporting cultural cooperation and solidarity across the continent. Direct funder of Visual Voices' VAHA Hubs; sets program priorities that shape the field in which Visual Voices competes for grants.
- British Council: Global cultural relations organization running artist residency and exchange programs across dozens of countries. Comparable in delivering arts-based cultural diplomacy, though at significantly greater scale and breadth.
- Pro Helvetia: Swiss Arts Council funding international cultural exchange and artist mobility. Operates a similar artist-residency and cultural diplomacy model but as a national agency with much larger budget and remit.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
visual voices social profiles
Digital presencevisual voices financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
visual voices leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
visual voices funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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visual voices M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about visual voices
What does visual voices do?
Visual Voices is a Nicosia-based non-profit organisation that delivers visual arts programs — including artist residencies, professional development workshops, community projects, and exhibitions — to support socially engaged art practices in Cyprus and internationally. Its programs bridge Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities through arts-based methodologies and partner with civil society organisations, educational institutions, and international bodies. It also operates the Visual Voices AR App, an augmented reality platform developed with ITICA Lab and NYU Tisch for digital storytelling and peace advocacy.
Is visual voices a public or private company?
visual voices is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was visual voices founded?
visual voices was founded in 2018. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is visual voices based?
visual voices is headquartered in Bogotá, Colombia, in the Latin America region.
Who are visual voices's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Anadolu Kültür, Home for Cooperation, PeacePlayers Cyprus, Buffer Fringe Performing Arts Festival, Agency of Artists in Exile (aa-e), Alkantara and MitOst. Broad incumbents are European Cultural Foundation, British Council and Pro Helvetia.
Does visual voices have an API?
No public API is recorded for visual voices.
What industry is visual voices in?
visual voices's product category is Arts and Cultural Programming. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAHAD, Cultural Centers & Community Cultural Organizations, with a secondary code of BPAGAHAJ, Media Arts & Film/Photography Nonprofits. Its NAICS code is 7111 and its SIC code is 7330.