About Ella Fontanals Cisneros
A visionary entrepreneur, philanthropist, art collector, and cultural advocate whose legacy spans continents and disciplines.
Born in Cuba and raised in Venezuela, she has spent her life building bridges between art, design, social progress, and business innovation.
Ella’s journey began with a deep appreciation for contemporary art, which evolved into a world-renowned collection of more than 2,700 works. Since the 1970s, she has championed Latin American artists and expanded her holdings to include pivotal figures from around the globe—among them Marina Abramović, Ai Weiwei, Jenny Holzer, Carmen Herrera, Gego, and Ana Mendieta. Her collection has been exhibited at institutions such as Tate Modern (London), Museo Reina Sofía (Madrid), The Met (New York), the Museum of Fine Arts (Boston and Houston), and the Pérez Art Museum Miami, among many others.
In 2002, Ella founded the Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundation (CIFO) to support contemporary Latin American artists through grants, exhibitions, and cultural exchange. She also founded Miami Art Central (MAC) in 2003, which helped bring major international art exhibitions to Miami, solidifying the city’s place on the global art map.
Alongside her contributions to art and philanthropy, Ella has also been a pioneer in humanitarian and environmental efforts. Through the Together Foundation, she promoted the use of technology to address global challenges, notably working with the United Nations and NGOs to create a platform for environmental best practices.
Ella is also a writer.
Her most personal and recent creative endeavor is Ella Soy Yo, a novel based on her life, which she wrote during the pandemic. Through this intimate project, she shares her story in her own voice—interweaving themes of identity, reinvention, and strength—with the same boldness and clarity that have marked her path as a cultural leader.
Yet beyond her cultural and social impact.
Ella has cultivated a profound passion for architecture and design—a passion that today drives her entrepreneurial vision. With a refined aesthetic sensibility and a meticulous eye for quality, she has personally led the transformation of residential and commercial spaces into timeless environments that reflect both functionality and beauty.
This passion is now embodied through her group of companies
EFC Properties
Focuses on real estate development, including property acquisition, project coordination, and end-to-end support in the development and transformation of land and buildings.
EFC Studio
Is the creative heart of the group, specializing in architectural design, interior design, and the sourcing of top-tier materials for custom finishes. Each project is approached with artistic vision and design precision.
EFC Solutions
Currently in development, will expand this ecosystem by offering a curated selection of interior finish materials at scale—serving clients in hospitality, commercial, and luxury residential sectors.
Find out more on our homepage
Through these companies, Ella brings her personal ethos into the business world—where art meets architecture, and where passion becomes purpose. Her commitment to excellence, originality, and human-centered design is reflected in every space her team creates.
Ella divides her time between the United States, Spain, Mexico, and Venezuela. She continues to inspire as a global leader in creativity, innovation, and cultural dialogue, sharing her pursuits with her three daughters—Marisa, Mariela, and Claudia—who, like their mother, carry forward a legacy rooted in vision, transformation, and elegance.
Art Boards
Ms. Fontanals-Cisneros previous and current art board memberships throughout her career.
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Spanish Institute of NYC
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Art Basel Foundation
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Miami Art Museum
Awards
These are just some of the many awards that have been presented to Mrs. Ella Cisneros as recognition for her vigorous and extensive work in her life that touches her career and philanthropic side.
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World of Dreamers Award 2006 IFB Group.
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Art Lima Reconocimiento Trayectoria 2018.
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Premio Pond’s en Arte y Cultura.
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Latin American Experience, Honoree, MFA The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 2017.
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Asociación Civil Hogar Santa Maria de la Caridad por Fundación.
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Together Venezuela.
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Junior League of Miami, 2007 Honoree.
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Museo Cubano de Arte y Cultura, Grande Benefactores, Miami, FL 1981.
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Cervera Real Estate Miami Ambassador Award, 2004. Red Cross Sara Hopkins
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The Bronx Museum of the Arts, 2016.