Help MAAS grow in 2026 and beyond by donating to our Sprinkler Installation Project. Your contribution will support plumbing permits, sprinkler hardware, installation and contractors’ fees, as well as the costs incurred by structural renovation work. Anything you can give will be so appreciated.

MAAS Presents is a 501c-3 and your donation will be fully tax-deducible.

OTHER WAYS TO DONATE

VIA VENMO: @MAASPRESENTS>

VIA CHECK: MAAS PRESENTS mailto: 1320 N5TH STREET, PHILDELPHIA PA 19122

WHY WE’RE ASKING FOR HELP:

Over 17 years the MAAS Building has been growing to become a well-known cultural hub in Philadelphia: hosting musical shows, dance performances, theater showcases and mixed-use artist residencies. We are here to welcome, support and uplift our community of artists and patrons - who are as diverse as the city of Philadelphia.

READ MORE ABOUT WHO WE’VE WORKED WITH >

As we’ve evolved, the size and scope of what we do at MAAS has expanded beyond anything we could have ever imagined. We’ve even outgrown our original zoning use designation, and are now at a big milestone at which major upgrades are necessary so that we can continue to grow and serve our community far into the future. We need a new permit, one which will allow for MAAS to do more of what we love: hosting performances, artist residencies, community events, and special life moments. As part of that process we are required to install a fire sprinkler system in much of the building - which is a huge expense. 

One of our most important values at MAAS is to keep our rates affordable: both for the artists that use the space, and for the audiences who attend performances. Limited resources in the arts community often means we make a loss on these types of events, which we offset by running private events wherever possible. Even so, the reality is that we operate on an extremely slim budget and a big renovation project puts us under great strain. 

So, we are asking our community to help support us through this renovation, which is estimated to cost $75,000. 

Any amount you can contribute will help.

OUR COMMUNITY

Across the years, MAAS has worked with and supported a huge swathe of the local Philadelphia arts community, and played host to nationally and internationally-known creatives of all kinds.

The Cannonball Festival, now one of Philadelphia’s most successful theater events, got its start in collaboration with MAAS. We are proud to have partnered with other notable Philadelphia arts organizations such as the Pig Iron Theatre, The Painted Bride, Lightning Rod Special, Ars Nova Workshop, Fire Museum Presents and Intercultural Journeys - all of whom have presented many incredible and enriching artistic events with us.

We have a rich legacy of working with musicians from around the world, including: the legendary folk duo ALASDAIR FRASER + NATALIE HAAS, Montreal-based international folk supergroup GENTRICORUM, Cape Verdean singer MIROCA PARIS, Chilean pop artist GEPE and premier Tango violinist GUILLERMO RUBINO, to name just a few. We also nurture and make special space for new and emerging artists: innumerable up-and-coming playwrights, directors, musicians and performers have come through MAAS, making the building into a defacto creative incubator. Lastly, every January - March MAAS runs a series of month-long artist residencies, providing the space at no cost to an artist or arts organization to develop and produce a new project. Many of these projects go on to receive huge acclaim at theater festivals across the country.