Chimere Cissé and Greta Scarpa

Canvas: How did you meet and what prompted the founding of STELLA Alliance?

Greta Scarpa: We met in Dubai through a mutual friend. Every time I visited, we hung out and formed a friendship. After a few years, we started speaking about what we could do together, how to engage with art and ideas we had in mind. Finally, we joined forces for the STELLA Alliance.

Chimere Cissé: Yes, we both came from different angles in the art world. I was on the collector side and had set up a consultancy looking at ways to bring in more funding to the art world, whereas Greta comes from the academic and dealership perspective. It was fantastic coming together and discussing our mutual observations of the industry, and it was through these conversations that we touched on the men-to-women ratio in the art market. We started doing more research into the statistics and realised that this was a bigger issue than even our anecdotal evidence had shown us. We wanted to do something about it, and decided to create an alliance that would empower women collectors and start to alter the discrepancy between the sexes.

What is the STELLA Alliance? How does one become involved and what does it offer its members?

GS: It’s an international alliance and a platform to accelerate the presence and the progress of women collectors in the art industry. We want to support women in becoming impactful leaders, collectors and patrons in the arts, and to help them build fantastic art collections. This is a very unique moment in history, as women are not just involved in the art industry, as directors and leaders of galleries and institutions, but also have the possibility to enter this industry as buyers, something that brings new perspectives and approaches. We want to support this momentum. The Alliance is based on a membership, by invitation at the moment. We meet with these women and we try to consider what they want to achieve, not just as individuals, but also in terms of their goals to create an impact collectively.

CC: It wasn’t until we began our outreach that we truly saw just how relevant STELLA Alliance is. The response from some very prominent women collectors has been incredibly encouraging—they’ve been enthusiastic about lending their support to this movement. We’ve also received positive feedback from some major galleries and auction houses, who have also noted the same disparity between the number of male and female collectors. They’re also eager to foster greater involvement by women to collect.

GS: Once we’ve completed our founding membership of established women collectors, we will begin inviting applications from women who may be early or mid-level collectors seeking deeper access to the art world or guidance in navigating the market.

CC: The STELLA Alliance is a proactive, dynamic group—this is not a “ladies who lunch” community. We value active participation. Our founding members are already making an impact by building significant art collections, supporting artists, galleries, or running their own foundations.

GS: We are also working on establishing unique partnerships and funding opportunities with key players in the art market. These collaborations will allow us to host exclusive moments, educational discussions, and curated private experiences, further bringing value to the STELLA community.

How have women’s roles in the art industry changed and what are the hopes for the future with STELLA Alliance?

CC: Women entered the working market relatively late, so are catching up now, finally, in terms of owning capital. We are taking up more board seats and corporate positions. This is a great time for women to be entering into the art market and to be building art collections in their own names, and really standing behind their collections.

GS: For instance, one thing that we often see is a couple, a husband and a wife, with an art collection. He might be putting in the capital, but she makes the decisions regarding the collection, which might be in either both their names or his name. What happens if that couple then gets divorced, what then happens to that collection? She could lose everything she put into building that collection.

CC: We think it’s important that women stand behind their collections and feel proud and confident to do so. We hope that through STELLA Alliance we will be able to empower more women to build prominent collections and that we can help shape certain industry norms and agendas, using our knowledge and solidarity to champion different causes.

GS: We will also be able to support certain artists and institutions, even financially, as a collective. So we see a lot of power and potential in this group as a change maker within the industry.

From your locations in Milan and Dubai, how do you see the connections between Europe and the Middle East?

GS: Right now, it’s an exciting time in the Gulf region. There is a lot of room to build and grow. The Alliance also acts as a bridge, from the Gulf to Europe. I spend a lot of time in Italy attending the European art fairs, so it’s important to offer different perspectives.

CC: We’re really excited to be between the Middle East and Europe, and as Greta said, to have that foothold in European culture but also see the growth of the art market and tremendous potential in the Middle East. We want people to make informed and educated decisions, and I think that is something that STELLA can provide by giving access, especially for new collectors and for those who are looking for information on how to grow their collections. The ministries in the UAE are also doing so much to support the arts and it’s really wonderful to see that enthusiasm at a governmental level. There are also so many incredible institutions and events opening, such as the Guggenheim next year in Abu Dhabi and the Sharjah Biennial, which is always superb and garners a high level of international recognition. It’s really important that we’re doing as much locally as internationally, and helping to strengthen the cultural exchange as well as the dialogue between collectors.

What advice would you offer women who want to make their own space as collectors in the art industry?

GS: It’s very important to not only take part in discussions about art, but also to study on your own. It’s the first step. Try to look at as much art as you can, go to your local galleries, see museum shows and biennales. It’s very important to train the eye and to develop your own taste. We often see people invest money on artworks and artists that are overpriced and adding nothing to the dialogue. It’s not just a waste of money, but also the loss of an opportunity to support the galleries and the artists that need it. Of course, it is helpful if you can have an advisor who you trust and who can invest the time required to help you take your first steps. But you can also collect, study, visit artist studios, fairs and exhibitions and do a lot yourself.

CC: It’s a really personal choice. Everybody comes into the collecting process differently and there is no right or wrong lane. But, as Greta said, you don’t have to take on all of the elements yourself. You can partner with a gallery or hire an advisor.

GS: What we want to do with STELLA is to provide the tools to these women. At the end of the day, it’s about building a personal knowledge and commitment to art.

How have your own backgrounds informed your approach?

GS: Honestly, I knew that I wanted to be in the art world when I was 13. I cannot explain why or how that was possible at such a young age, but it’s always been my thing. From then until now my life has been characterised by art. I studied art in high school and university, and it’s a never-ending kind of a job. It takes all your your energy, 24 hours a day, it’s fantastic.

CC: Likewise. I grew up in a family immersed in the arts. My aunt was a painter and my mother was an antique collector. I grew up going to museums and art classes, so art was always part of my life and my upbringing. However, it wasn’t until later on that I was introduced to contemporary art through a curator, and that’s when my perspective really opened up. I was fascinated and started collecting early on, with the view that I wanted to be able to donate my collection back to a museum or a foundation at some point later in life. Through STELLA, I hope to show other women how they can also collect and overcome some of the barriers that are out there. I initially found it very daunting, for example, buying at auction or going into blue chip galleries. I think not only are we going to be able to give more women the access and confidence to start collecting, but also give our founding members, who are prime examples of some of the biggest women-owned collections, the opportunity to share their experiences and to help form a new solidarity.