Stoa was inspired by our colleagues & friends across the art foundation sector, we chose to take a bold step.
Become a memberWhat began as a conversation about finding support, fresh ideas, and collaborative problem-solving quickly revealed a resounding need among arts leaders worldwide. Encouraged by a trusted colleague, Clare and Meagan chose to take a bold step and address a pressing gap in the sector.
We empower leaders of art foundations with exclusive tools, insights, and a trusted network to drive their missions forward.
To become the most trusted resource for private art foundations around the globe.
Art shapes how people understand themselves, each other and the world around them. We believe in what art makes possible.
The foundations we work with form a network bound by shared purpose, and we invest in the connections between them as much as the work itself.
Starting with our relationships, our processes, and our actions, we strive for the best in all we can do.
Every foundation we serve exists because of the artists at its center. Our responsibility to them shapes how and why we work.
Our members expect honesty from us, and we expect nothing less from ourselves. Our integrity is the basis of trust we earn in our partners, members and one another.
CEO, Yinka Shonibare Foundation
Contemporary Arts Professional
Arts and Culture Consultant
Director, A&L Berg Foundation
Director, Faro Santander
Financial Advisor, The Blue Rider Group at Morgan Stanley
Founder, Wendy Norris Communications
Founder, BRP Consulting
Architect and Independent Curator
Arts and Culture Expert
Nura Makki has over two decades of experience in fundraising, development, and partnership-building across the arts, health, and education sectors. Currently, as Head of Philanthropy at Prostate Cancer Research, she leads the organisation’s philanthropic strategy and high-value donor engagement. Her career reflects a sustained commitment to mission-driven organisations and a deep understanding of how effective development practice can underpin institutional ambition.
Claire Shea is an internationally experienced curator, director, and arts professional whose career spans over two decades. Her career includes roles at Peggy Guggenheim Museum, Para Site, Cass Sculpture Foundation, Fogo Island Arts and Ravines, a new itinerant exhibition initiative based in Toronto. Her career demonstrates a sustained commitment to international artistic exchange, to emerging and underrepresented practices, and to the relationship between art and broader social, ecological, and economic questions.
Amber Stahl is a practiced and versatile arts professional with over fifteen years’ experience across the private and corporate sectors, encompassing client services, business development, sales, and operations. As Collections manager of a significant private collection since 2019, her in-depth knowledge in the management, care, and development of art collections, combined with extensive experience of working with high-net-worth clients on confidential matters and navigating operational complexities.
With a background that reflects two distinct histories, one supporting the visual arts from the commercial sector and the second deeply rooted in non-profit development and management, Meagan found perfect union in the private art foundation. She appreciates strategic opportunity, thoughtful communications and effective operational systems, and promotes their service to the health and success of the art foundation community.
Since her entrance to the art world in 1999 at Sotheby’s London, Clare has worked in both the public and private sectors supporting collections-based and commissioning institutions while operating across a wide range of organisational models. Throughout her career, Clare has championed thoughtful leadership, sector-wide collaboration, and new ways of working to build resilience, relevance, and long-term impact across the arts.
As a Creative Director with over 30 years shaping brands in advertising and design, Hilary brings a lifelong obsession with storytelling, craft, and cultural impact to Stoa Foundation. Hilary is a results-driven Brand Creative Director and agency founder with experience building iconic brands, leading high-performing creative teams, and delivering integrated campaigns that drive measurable growth.
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