OPENFRAME
We operate the legal, financial, and technical infrastructure required for a small number of artists in the Middle East and North Africa to operate in Western markets.
Merchant of Record. Payments. Fulfillment. Education.
Openframe operates the systems artists cannot reasonably hold themselves.
Why Openframe exists
Access to Western art markets requires more than talent. It requires payment systems, legal structures, platform compliance, fulfillment infrastructure, and an understanding of Western pricing and buyer expectations.
For many artists in the MENA region these systems are difficult or impossible to access directly.
Artists focus on their work.
Openframe operates the systems around it.
What Openframe provides
Openframe functions as an operator rather than a marketplace.
For participating artists, Openframe provides:
Merchant of Record coverage for print sales
Payment processing and currency handling compatible with Western buyers
Print-on-demand fulfillment through Western production partners
Website infrastructure operated under a unified platform
Ongoing education on Western markets, pricing norms, and submission standards
Artists retain ownership of their work at all times.
Openframe operates the surrounding systems.
Curation and selection
Openframe does not accept open artist applications.
Artists are identified, vetted, and invited through a curator-led process based in Zamalek, Cairo. Selection is relationship-driven, ongoing, and intentionally limited in scale.
This approach allows Openframe to provide real support, maintain quality, and operate sustainably without becoming a volume-driven platform.
Intentional scale
Openframe is designed to support approximately 20 to 25 artists at any given time.
This limit is a structural decision. It allows for consistency, stability, and long-term operation rather than rapid expansion.
Beyond access
Access alone is not sufficient.
Artists working within Openframe are also educated on Western market structures, pricing expectations, portfolio presentation, and buyer behavior. The goal is understanding, not dependency.
Openframe is designed to create informed participation, not permanent reliance.
How Openframe is funded
Openframe does not charge upfront fees or monthly fees to participating MENA-based artists.
Operational costs are covered through a revenue share on print sales. Openframe retains twenty percent of net print revenue to fund infrastructure, fulfillment, administration, and expansion.
Additional revenue is generated through supporting offerings, including portfolio systems and submission resources for Western creatives. These offerings exist to sustain the core mission.
Artist sites
Each participating artist operates on an individual site under the Openframe umbrella. These sites function as:
Public galleries
Print stores for Western buyers
Curated portfolios suitable for submissions and professional review
Narrative spaces providing context through behind-the-work material
Artist sites are accessed individually and are not presented as a centralized marketplace.