Michaela Leitz

Every commission begins with one question.

Who needs to be in the room?

Cultural commissions.
Contemporary salons.
Ongoing cultural partnerships.

Cultural Curator and Salonnière commissioned by brands, hospitality and cultural institutions.

• Selected Work
• About Michaela
• Begin a Conversation

SELECTED WORK

CHECKMATE

A Contemporary Salon Installation

House Farrago by ArtAffect Sofia ·
Sofia, BG · May 2026

Chess became a way of thinking about power, intimacy and social conditioning.
Twelve invited guests gathered around questions of dreams, identity, cultural longing and the way we gather now.

• View Selected Work

THE ARTIST & THE MUSE

A Contemporary Women’s Art Salon

In collaboration with Pamela Pini | Frankfurt, Germany | September 2026

An intimate art salon celebrating the relationship between artist and muse, conceived and curated by Michaela Leitz in collaboration with Frankfurt-based painter Pamela Pini.Marking the first presentation of Aphrodite 01, the evening brought together a carefully selected circle of women from art, business and finance within the artist’s studio.Inspired by the tradition of women’s salons, the gathering offered guests a personal encounter with the artist and her work, encouraging conversations, new relationships and a growing community of art enthusiasts and potential collectors.The salon marked the beginning of an ongoing collaboration between Pamela Pini and Michaela Leitz, exploring the relationship between artist and muse while cultivating a community around contemporary art.

Belonging has become more valuable than reach.

The strongest brands create worlds people want to belong to.

The most valuable relationships need a room.

A carefully curated room creates trust, conversation and cultural proximity between people who may otherwise never meet.

Access has become a luxury.

A seat at the table recognises existing patrons and creates aspiration for those who hope to enter the room.

Products need culture around them.

Collections, fragrances, objects and places gain a cultural life through conversation, ritual and shared experience.

THE NEXT ROOM

Every salon begins with a conversation.The organisation, the people it wants to bring together and the ideas it wants to place into the room shape the commission.

• Begin a Conversation

ABOUT MICHAELA

Cultural Curator & SalonnièreI believe the most interesting things happen when the right people find themselves in the same room.For more than a decade, I have worked across fashion, art, media and community building, connecting people, shaping narratives and developing cultural projects across Europe and the United States. My work has been featured by CNN, Forbes, InStyle and MIT Technology Review.Today, I bring this experience into my practice as a Cultural Curator & Salonnière, conceiving intimate cultural experiences that connect artists, brands and institutions with the people they want to reach.Inspired by the historic tradition of salons, I reinterpret these gatherings for contemporary audiences. Each salon begins with a distinct cultural idea, bringing together carefully selected guests, artistic expression and an atmosphere that encourages conversation.For galleries and artists, I create opportunities to introduce work to new audiences, cultivate collectors and strengthen relationships with existing patrons.For luxury and contemporary brands, I develop cultural experiences that express their identity, introduce them to new communities and deepen relationships with existing clients.For cultural institutions, I create intimate gatherings that encourage dialogue, introduce new perspectives and connect audiences more closely with their programmes and collections.My involvement spans the initial concept and cultural direction, guest curation, artistic collaborations and the atmosphere of each gathering. I work closely with my clients to ensure every salon reflects their identity and serves a clear purpose.In 2026, I conceived CHECKMATE, an intimate cultural salon in Sofia in collaboration with ARTAFFECT SOFIA, bringing together twelve personalities from art, design, science and culture.Later that year, I began THE ARTIST & THE MUSE, an ongoing artistic collaboration and women’s salon series with Frankfurt-based painter Pamela Pini. Our first gathering celebrated the presentation of Aphrodite 01, the first painting from an evolving body of work exploring the relationship between artist and muse.I work closely with artists, galleries and brands to develop salons that reflect their identity, introduce their work to the right people and turn an evening into the beginning of a lasting relationship.

I wanted people to feel what I could see.

SELECTED RECOGNITION

CNN · Forbes · InStyle ·
MIT Technology Review ·
The King’s Foundation

SELECTED COLLABORATIONS

FARFETCH · Viva Voce ·
Messe Frankfurt · Kornit Digital

LOCATION

Based in Germany ·
Working internationally

CHECKMATE

A Contemporary Salon Installation

House Farrago by ArtAffect Sofia ·
Sofia, BG · May 2026

CHECKMATE used chess as a way of thinking about power, intimacy and social conditioning.
Twelve invited guests gathered around questions of dreams, identity, intimacy, cultural longing and the way we gather now.

Artists, designers, professors, musicians, gallery founders and cultural figures became part of a
room held through conversation, sculptural food, tea, scent, live violin and a strict black-and-white language.

Guests later enquired about salon commissions for their own companies, clients and spaces.
Conversations during the evening developed into ideas for new artworks, exhibitions and
collaborations.

• VIEW FULL PROJECT

BEGIN A CONVERSATION

Every commission starts with the organisation, the people it wants to bring together and the ideas it wants to put into the room.The format, scale and collaborators are developed from there.

SALON COMMISSION

SINGLE AUTHORED COMMISSION

An intimate cultural and artistic commission created around one organisation, one group of people and one idea worth gathering around. The work may include concept development, guest curation, creative direction, atmosphere and ritual, conversation design and hosting.

CULTURAL COMMISSION

3 TO 6 MONTHS

A focused period of immersion and development around one cultural chapter. The work may include research, leadership conversations, cultural direction, commissioned experiences and the development of one realised chapter.

ONGOING CULTURAL AUTHORSHIP

12 MONTHS OR CONTINUING

A longer relationship for organisations building several cultural chapters over time. Michaela works closely with leadership and selected teams across salons, cultural programming, private gatherings, artistic collaborations and ongoing cultural direction.

SPEAKING & CONVERSATIONS

SELECTED ENGAGEMENTS

Keynotes, interviews, moderated conversations and private leadership discussions around culture, belonging, private clients, community, aesthetic perception, contemporary rituals and the rooms organisations create.

INQUIRE WHEN YOUR ROOM IS READY

Available for a limited number of salon commissions, cultural commissions, ongoing authorship relationships and speaking engagements.

[email protected] ·
Available for commissions internationally.