NGO Mavena was established in 2006. in Split with an aim of upgrading, encouraging and promoting cultural and artistic activities in the city of Split, Croatia, Europe and the world, with the special emphasis in contemporary artistic production of young authors and intercultural cooperation. The name Mavena-36 njezinih čuda came up because it was a working title of a surrealistic poem by Croatian poet Radovan Ivšić that compares with “surrealistic” aspirations of Mavena members to creatively disturb contemporary artistic scene in Croatia and abroad and provoke and encourage others, especially young people, for deliberation, action and participation in artistic and cultural developments. Regarding our knowledge and skills, education, aims and wishes, our main activities are:

• Gathering of young artists and assisting them produce and present their artistic works;
• Preparing, producing and staging contemporary art projects: theatre plays, performances, installations, interventions, exhibitions, new media art such as videos, animations, environment art, internet art, multimedia projects ect.;
• Encouragement and promotion of intercultural cooperation between members of Mavena and other contemporary artists from Croatia and Europe in order to communicate, interact and exchange knowledge and experiences;
• Support of trans-national mobility of people working in the cultural sector, encouragement of  trans-national circulation of artistic and cultural works and products by organizing tours in Croatia and abroad;
• Education about contemporary and new media art (workshops, art colonies, publishing of theoretic, art articles, magazines and books).

The reason for establishing Mavena organization in 2006. was growing number of cultural and art projects and collaborations with other public and private institutions and organizations, that needed an organizational capacity and administration support.