Rations and art classes in a Delhi slum.
Niyaz — Jamia Millia Islamia BFA, 90% disability — distributes rations and runs free online art classes for slum children through the pandemic.
How Maqaam came to be
Pandemic outreach that grew into a nationwide movement.
Registered · first exhibition twelve days later.
On 5 July 2022, Maqaam Foundation is registered as a national NGO in New Delhi. The first show follows at Arpana Art Gallery on 17 July — 76 artists.
24 exhibitions · 6 states · 500+ artists.
From Arpana in Delhi to Nehru Centre in Mumbai, State Gallery of Art in Hyderabad, and beyond. 60+ institutional partners. Every venue wheelchair-accessible.
What we do
Four programmes, one mission.
Exhibitions get the spotlight. Workshops, advocacy and mentorship do the year-round work behind them.
Accessibility, not a checkbox
Four ways in — Touch, Hearing, Sight, Mobility.
Standard across every Maqaam Foundation exhibition. Every venue. Every year.
Touch
Braille wall labels beside artwork tombstones and tactile reproductions blind and low-vision visitors can read with their hands.
Hearing
Panel discussions, book readings and cultural performances interpreted live in Indian Sign Language for Deaf and hard-of-hearing visitors.
Sight
Every painting on the wall gets a recorded description in Hindi and English — playable on a headset or read aloud by a guide.
Mobility
We only book venues with wheelchair access, and where the venue can't provide a ramp, we bring a portable one.
Where Maqaam works
Five Cities, and counting.
New DelhiHyderabadBengaluruMumbaiBijnor
Who Maqaam works with
60+ institutions, chosen for what they bring.
We choose partners for the specific capability they add — a gallery, a research programme, a disability-focused product, an audience.
GoonjSponsorship
IIT HyderabadPartnership
State Gallery of ArtHyderabad · Venue
Nehru CentreCollaborations & Partnerships
Arpana Art GallerySponsorship
Samarth by HyundaiNational Museum · 2026
Karnataka Chitrakala ParishathBengaluru · Venue
Gandhi DarshanSponsorship
Atypical AdvantagePartnership
SpecialSaathiCollaboration
Thinkerbell LabsSponsorships
FORE School of ManagementCSR research 2023
Vivekananda InstituteWorkshop 2023
Access for AllSponsorship
+ 55 moreNGOs & institutions
On show
Exhibitions that give the work its stage.
Every show is fully accessible — Braille, sign language, audio description — and held in a public gallery, not a side room.
To make sure no disabled artist in India is invisible — through galleries, workshops, education, and the daily work of showing up.
— The Maqaam mission, in one sentence.
Recommendations for Niyaz
Written in his own hand, endorsed in theirs.
Institutional letters of support for Niyaz Hussain, from partners across India's inclusion, disability rights, and arts sectors.
Ekta Khanna Mahendra & Vivek Mahendra
· Artists
Maqaam Foundation has given artists like us a meaningful platform to showcase our work and gain wider exposure. Their commitment to nurturing emerging artists is truly inspiring. We wish Maqaam Foundation continued success in empowering the artistic community.
Ravindra Kumar Tanwar
HOD, Fine Arts · Delhi Police Public School
Maqaam Foundation is doing exceptional work in promoting inclusive arts and empowering artists with disabilities. Their vision, dedication, and commitment to creative education make them a truly inspiring organization.
Col. (Veteran) Anil Alagh
Veteran, Indian Army · Educationist & Mentor
Maqaam Foundation is a shining example of "Art with a Heart." By creating opportunities for artists with disabilities and supporting communities through art, the foundation continues to transform lives and inspire many.
Chandan Savio Gomes
Filmmaker & Visual Artist
Maqaam Foundation's commitment to empowering artists with disabilities is genuine and impactful. Their professionalism, accessibility, and inclusive approach make them an organization I highly recommend.
S. Nadeemuddin
Former International Hockey Player · CEO & MD, Nadeem's Health Vault Pvt. Ltd.
Maqaam Foundation is doing remarkable work in empowering artists with disabilities through creativity and inclusion. Their professionalism, vision, and dedication make them an outstanding organization to work with.
Shanthi Vinjamuri
Contemporary Artist, Hyderabad
Working with Maqaam Foundation has been an inspiring experience. Their commitment to accessibility, inclusion, and empowering artists through creativity makes a lasting impact on the artistic community.