The 2025 Sovereign Portuguese Art Prize

Adelaide Ginga is an art historian, curator, and museologist, currently serving as Director of MACAM – Museu de Arte Contemporânea Armando Martins.

Graduated in Art History from the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences at Universidade Nova de Lisboa, she also holds a Master’s in Contemporary History from the same university, as well as a Master’s in Curatorship and Exhibition Organisation from the Faculty of Fine Arts at Universidade de Lisboa.

Her career began in 2001 as a specialist at the Portuguese Ministry of Culture’s Institute of Contemporary Art. Later, she coordinated the International Department of the Institute of the Arts and led several national representations at events such as the Venice Biennale and the São Paulo Biennial. In 2006, she was appointed Deputy Director of the Institute of the Arts. From 2008 to 2021, Ginga held the position of Senior Curator at MNAC – Museu Nacional de Arte Contemporânea in Lisbon (also
known as the “Chiado Museum”).

Adelaide Ginga is the author of numerous curatorial projects, books, catalogues, and essays on art history, and has delivered a range of lectures and talks on contemporary art, both nationally and internationally

Armando coleciona arte contemporânea há mais de 20 anos, tendo ganho o Prémio “A” Colecionismo Internacional atribuído pela Fundacion ARCO em 2019. É sócio fundador da Rialto6, um espaço sem fins lucrativos em Lisboa que organizou mais de vinte exposições deste 2019, várias das quais aclamadas pela crítica. É membro do Conselho de Administração da Fundação de Serralves desde Janeiro de 2023.

Foi Senior da Partner McKinsey&Company até 2022, firma líder global em consultoria em estratégia empresarial. Juntou-se em Lisboa em 1996 e foi membro da Comissão Executiva para África desde 2014.

É formado em Engenharia Eletrotécnica pela Universidade do Porto e tem mestrado em Investigação Operacional pela Universidade de Warwick.

Armando has been collecting contemporary art for over 20 years and won the “A” International Collectors Prize awarded by Fundacion ARCO in 2019. He is a founding partner of Rialto6, a non-profit space in Lisbon that has organized over 20 exhibitions since 2020, several of which have been critically acclaimed. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Serralves Foundation since January 2023.

Until 2022, he was a Senior Partner at McKinsey&Company, a leading global consulting firm in business strategy. He joined in Lisbon in 1996 was a member of the Executive Committee for Africa since 2014.

He holds a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Porto and a Masters in Operational Research from the University of Warwick.

David Elliott is a cultural and art historian, writer, curator and museum director primarily concerned with modern and contemporary art. Elliott was Director of the Museum of Modern Art in Oxford, England from 1976-96, Director of Moderna Museet in Stockholm, Sweden from 1996-2001, the founding Director of the Mori Art Museum in Tokyo, Japan from 2001-06, the first Director of Istanbul Modern, Turkey in 2007 and from 2016-2019, Vice-Director and Senior Curator of the Redtory Museum of Contemporary Art in Guangzhou. From 1998-2004, he was President of CIMAM (the International Committee of ICOM for Museums and Collections of Modern Art) and in 2008, the Rudolf Arnheim Guest Professor of Art History at Humboldt University, Berlin; from 2012 to 2017 he was a guest professor in curatorship at the Chinese University, Hong Kong. Since 2010. He has been the Artistic Director of biennales of contemporary art in Sydney, Kiev, Moscow and Belgrade and is currently working freelance as a writer and curator.

Francisco Trêpa (1995) is a Portuguese artist based in Lisbon. He studied ceramics at Escola Artística António Arroio (2013) and holds a BA in Sculpture (2017) and an MA in Multimedia Art (2022) from the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Lisbon. Since 2015, he has exhibited nationally and internationally in various galleries and institutions. His work is included in the António Cachola Collection (MACE), the PLMJ Foundation Collection, and several private collections. In 2024, he was a finalist for the EDP Foundation New Artists Award and won the Grand Prize of the Sovereign Art Prize.

Francisco Trêpa (1995) é um artista português que vive em Lisboa. Com formação em cerâmica pela Escola Artística António Arroio (2013), é licenciado em Escultura (2017) e Mestre em Arte Multimédia (2022) pela Faculdade de Belas Artes da ULisboa. Exibe, nacional e internacionalmente desde 2015, em diversas galerias e instituições. O seu trabalho está representado na coleção Antonio Cachola (MACE), na coleção da Fundação PLMJ e em varias colecções privadas. Em 2024, foi nomeado finalista do Prémio Novos Artistas da Fundação EDP. No mesmo ano, venceu o Grande Prémio do Sovereign Portuguese Art Prize.

João Paulo Queiroz holds a PhD in Fine Arts from the University of Lisbon, an MA in Communications from the University Institute of Lisbon, and a BA in Painting from the Escola Superior de Belas-Artes de Lisboa. He is a Professor at the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Lisbon, in the PhD courses in Art Education of the University of Porto, and PhD in Arts of the University of Seville, Spain. Queiroz acted as coordinator for the International Congress CSO annually from 2010 to 2022 and of the academic journals Studio, Gama, and Croma. From 2012 to 2022, he coordinated the Congress Raw Material, Practices of Visual Arts in Basic and Secondary Education annually. He currently serves as President of the Board of Sociedade Nacional de Belas Artes (SNBA, National Society of Fine Arts). He has held several solo exhibitions and was awarded the Gustavo Cordeiro Ramos Painting Prize by the National Academy of Fine Arts in 2004.

Maura Marvão has a law degree from Universidade Católica Portuguesa and a Master’s in Arts Administration from New York University. She has worked at the United Nations and the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York. For the last 17 years has been the representative in Portugal and Spain of the international auction house Phillips. Teaches Art Markets and Practices of Collecting on the Culture Studies Programme (Master’s and PHD’s) at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa in Lisbon.  Has organised numerous international conferences and seminars and has been involved in various culture-related projects. Was president of ADIAC (Associação de Difusão Internacional de Arte Contemporânea), a member of the Board of Directors of the Fundação da Juventude (culture department), founding president of the Portuguese branch of the National Museum for Women in the Arts in Washington and president of the Group of Friends of the Ricardo Espirito Santo Silva Foundation. 

Maura Marvão is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Bagos D’Ouro Association, which promotes the education and social integration of children and young people in the Douro region 

Philippe Vergne has been serving as director of Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art, Porto, since April 2019. He was director of The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA) from 2014 to 2018. Prior to his appointment at MOCA, Vergne served for five years as director of the Dia Art Foundation, New York. Before his tenure at the Dia Foundation, Vergne was Deputy Director and Chief Curator at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis. From 1994 to 1997, Vergne was Director of the MAC, Musée d’Art Contemporain de Marseille, France.

Tim Marlow is Chief Executive and Director of the Design Museum in London.

Formerly Artistic Director of the Royal Academy of Arts and Director of Exhibitions at White Cube, Marlow has been involved in the contemporary art world for the past thirty years as a curator, writer and broadcaster.  He has worked with many of the most important and influential artists of our time to deliver wide-ranging and popular programmes and brings a commitment to diverse and engaging exhibitions to his new role showcasing the transformational capability of design.

Marlow sits on the Board of Trustees for the Imperial War Museum, the Design Age Institute and Cultureshock Media. Marlow was awarded an OBE in 2019.

Alexandre Daletchine is an art advisor, creative coach and professional public speaker with over 20 years of experience in the contemporary art world. With a unique passion for cross-cultural discourse, he guides clients seeking to align with their values, taste and long-term goals. Passionate about meaningful dialogue, he leads conversations that spark bold thinking and authentic artistic exchange.

Anel Imanbay is an entrepreneur, community builder, and creative director based in Lisbon.

She is the organizer and license holder of TEDxMarvila, Lisbon’s English-speaking TEDx event, where she brings together diverse voices to share ideas and inspire dialogue.

With a background spanning corporate finance, startups, consultancy, and art curation, she has developed initiatives that bridge business, culture, and community.

Passionate about the role of art in shaping society, Anel works to create platforms where creativity and human connection can thrive.

She also hosts the podcast Voices of the World, engaging with inspiring individuals to share stories that broaden perspectives.

Her commitment to fostering cross-cultural exchange and supporting artistic talent aligns closely with the mission of the Sovereign Art Foundation, making her an advocate for initiatives that use art as a force for community, education, and positive change.

Anne Brightman is Founder and CEO of Brightman Group Real Estate Investments, a leading luxury and investment real estate firm in Portugal with offices in Estoril/Cascais, Lisbon, and Porto. With decades of experience navigating international and Portuguese markets, Anne specializes in guiding international buyers through the complexities of investing and living abroad.

Under her leadership, Brightman Group has grown into a team of over 30 multicultural agents and professionals, recognized for combining real estate best practices with in-depth local market knowledge.

Her vision is rooted in growth, constant learning, and building bridges between markets to deliver unmatched opportunities for her clients.

Suzana Barros de Brito is a Portuguese cultural entrepreneur whose work connects art, gastronomy and creative management. A mother of three, she brings creativity, balance and empathy to everything she does, both personally and professionally.

With a degree in Art Expertise and a Master’s in Strategic Marketing, she has built a career at the intersection of aesthetics and strategy. Her international experience includes studies at the Sotheby’s Institute of Art in London and internships at Sotheby’s, Christie’s and the Victoria and Albert Museum, where she gained a deep understanding of the global art market and curatorial practice.

Upon returning to Portugal, Suzana managed the art collection of Banco Millennium for eight years before taking on the direction of the iconic Restaurante Tágide in Lisbon. There, she continues to cultivate meaningful connections between art, culture and gastronomy, transforming the space into a platform for artistic expression.

She is also an accomplished ceramist and founder of terr.a.mar, a brand dedicated to handcrafted ceramics inspired by nature, the sea and Portuguese heritage. Her works have been exhibited across Portugal and are featured in boutique hotels, private collections and at Tágide itself.

Guided by creativity and a strong commitment to cultural heritage, Suzana continues to develop projects that blend artistry, entrepreneurship and preservation, from curating experiences to investing in architectural rehabilitation and heritage restoration.

Tara is an educator, program designer, and creative strategist with over 20 years of experience spanning nonprofits, healthcare, and the arts. She has led impactful initiatives with organizations in New York City like Mount Sinai Health System, BigBolder, New Leaders, and the Greater New York Hospital Association. Her work ranges from digital learning and curriculum development to brand storytelling.

Inspired by her move to Portugal, she founded BeKnown – Messages for Good, a lifestyle brand focused on bespoke cards that blend Portugal’s old-world artistry with New York’s edge. Her work is rooted in the power of words, human connection, and helping people feel seen.

She is excited to support the Sovereign Art’s Make It Better Programme in Portugal—as its mission perfectly aligns with her passion for curating meaningful experiences that bring together education, art, music, and culture.

Teresa Vitoria is an interior designer and entrepreneur whose practice extends beyond aesthetics into the preservation of cultural heritage. As founder of Alchemya, she developed a method of programming environments that harmonizes function, flow, and emotional resonance. Teresa views design not only as the creation of beautiful spaces, but as a means of safeguarding identity and nurturing human connection.

Drawing on both scientific insights and intentional design principles, she transforms interiors into purposeful environments that support mind, body, and spirit. Her work reflects a belief that the spaces we inhabit shape our collective experience and serve as vessels for memory, meaning, and cultural continuity.

Through her projects and advocacy, Teresa aspires to elevate the way we interact with our surroundings, fostering environments that enrich lives in enduring ways.

Yvette R. Simpson, Esq./MBA is a lawyer, professor and serial entrepreneur. Nicknamed the “Queen of Reinvention” she is a wine maker and wine educator, Realtor, author, and international speaker. She currently teaches leadership courses remotely at Case Western Reserve University Weatherhead School of Business and Consultant for UB Greensfelder law firm in the U.S. A former public official and national commentator for ABC News and NPR, Yvette has always been passionate about creating a better world and supporting young people.
She has won numerous awards and honors, including the YWCA Career Women of Achievement Award, Women Who Mean Business and Top 100 CEO in .
Yvette is married to cartoonist Joe Hoffecker and bonus mom of three daughters: Katie, Maggie, and Annie.
In Portugal, Yvette is excited to direct her advocacy and philanthropic expertise to the work of Sovereign Art Foundation and her wine knowledge to support Howard’s Folly.