Ella Louvaine Spira MBE

Ella is a London & New York based Grammy-nominated composer, painter and theatre producer. Spira is a third generation Holocaust survivor who was born and raised in Gloucester, England and has dedicated her life to cross-cultural, multi-disciplinary, global collaborations spotlighting and celebrating different cultures through the arts which has seen her work and those cultures be celebrated by millions all over the world.  


In 2009 she co-founded Sisters Grimm, with former Royal Ballet ballerina Pietra Mello Pittman MBE, with the mission to produce work that is relevant, driven by social impact, cultural exchange, collaboration, equality, diversity, inclusion & environmental awareness.  In 2021 both Spira and Mello-Pittman were honoured with an MBE (Member of the British Empire, by her majesty the Queen) for their services to the Creative Industry and International Trade.


Recognised as an internationalist, Spira believes the impact that the arts can have on society should never be undervalued and we mustn't lose sight of how the arts have the ability to join people together.  "Art allows people to make sense of their emotions in a space they often don't give themselves.”

Spira comes from a long line of artistic heritage, including her grandfather, Emile Spira, a pianist and composer and both her parents who are fine artists; her mother a landscape painter whose work has been exhibited in the Royal West of England Academy.



The UAE series titled ‘50 for 50’ commemorating 50 years of the UAE’s formation, was presented at Dubai Opera as a spectacular immersive Sisters Grimm production called ‘Daughters of the Wind Overture’. The show featured music, live singing and dance as their productions are known for, incorporating the Royal Ballet heritage inherent in the company’s make up. 

Following in the footsteps of Edward Lear, Spira fell in love with the natural landscapes of Albania. 

In October 2021, Spira’s painting, “Shala River”, created in situ in the Albanian Alps, was gifted by the new British Ambassador of Albania Alastair King-Smith to Prime Minister Edi Rama, marking 100 years of UK-Albania friendship.

The gesture of friendship is especially poignant to Spira, who having been in Albania learnt of Besa, Albania’s code of honour, compassion, loving-kindness, hospitality and desire to help those in need, and the role Albania played in saving thousands of Jews during Nazi Invasion and the holocaust.
Spira is also honoured for the artwork to be included in the next publication of the encyclopaedia, ‘Albanians in World Art’ by foremost Art Historian Prof. Ferid Hudhri who is also the head of the "Edward Lear's friends" Association and a contributor to the Butrint Foundation archive.

Sisters Grimm
Established in 2009, Sisters Grimm is a dynamic, creative arts company co-founded by Pietra Mello-Pittman MBE and Ella Spira MBE. Producing solely original works they have conceived, produced & toured 7 (2 award-winning INALA and Voices of The Amazon) culturally themed productions, weaving together stories, cultures, music & dance to a global audience of 200million+. All their work includes parallel youth engagement programmes & over 7,000 children have experienced free shows, participated in workshops & received career advice since they started.

They have toured internationally to both mainstream success & critical acclaim, as well as achieving a Grammy nomination in the US & the Brazilian International Press Award for Best Show. Alongside their MBE’s awarded at Windsor Castle for services to the Creative Industry and International Trade, Pietra & Ella were nominated for the Women of the Future Awards for Arts & Culture & were invited by World Fellow Nizam Uddin to give a talk at Yale University on “The Power of Creative Theatre to Humanise: In Conversation with Sisters Grimm”.  Sisters Grimm are Export Champions for the UK Government supporting the GREAT Campaign representing the best of British Creativity to the rest of the world.