We’re structured horizontally as a collective. Each of us have broad areas of interest and take responsibility for advancing that area within the collective. All our members are free, even encouraged, to debate and disagree with others, but ultimately, we try and work towards consensus on key decisions.
Our work is not strictly linear, nor is it entirely project-based or donor-dependent. Instead, our work has developed based on the political, economic and cultural ecology in which we situate ourselves. This is why our work is eclectic and this quality allows us to work across and between diverse fields or disciplines.
Cultures and histories, politics and economics are often downplayed and instead the oppressed are held responsible for their own situation. We remain attentive to, and highlight the various ways in which oppression continues. At the same time, we are sensitive to people’s creativity in resisting their oppression.
Every year in October, Maraa curates a public space and arts festival in Bangalore, that is open to the public free of cost. This festival is intimately related to urban life and draws participation from a diverse range of artists across India. Apart from this, Maraa regularly invites and hosts artists, film makers, musicians etc. to showcase their work in Bangalore and/or Delhi.
Maraa has been involved in training and setting up some of the first community radio stations in India. We have trained community radio stations in the areas of policy and regulation, programming, editing, management and research. Apart from these, Maraa has special competence and experience in facilitating participatory learning programmes around community health, especially relevant to women and youth.
Maraa has experience in producing and making documentary films and radio documentaries on a whole range of issues – from migrant labour to sexuality of young people. Our documentary films have won international acclaim and have traveled to film festivals and art exhibitions across the world. We also ocassionally undertake documentation for other civil society institutions depending on the subject and process involved.
Maraa undertakes research on media and communications related issues. We have experience and competence to undertake and deploy aa mix of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies that are especially suited for media and communication initiatives. These range from simple questionnaires to semiotics and ethnography. We also undertake baseline, end-line, monitoring and evaluation and other kinds of research for civil society institutions and/or media initiatives.
We are interested in working on anything that pertains to creative practice or use of arts, urban experience, public spaces, community media, public service media and media (for) development. We are interested in long term collaborations and partnerships. This is because we are a process oriented organisation with a strong culture of dialogue and mutual sharing of knowledge with all those we work with.
Over the years, we continue to retain active working relationships with almost all our partners. Maraa prefers to work with like minded organisations in a spirit of open collaboration. We strongly believe in putting our work in the public domain and for public consumption. While we are a small team, we have a large network of experts and consultants who work with us on specific activities or projects.
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