Born in São Paolo, Brazil, Sandra Hegedüs studied philosophy and cinema at the prestigious Fundação Armando Alvares Penteado (FAAP). As a militant artist of the Paulist scene, she realized several performances in the early 80’s before arriving in France in 1990, where she started an activity as a documentary film and reportage producer. Her passion for art led her to build a collection of contemporary art in 2005. Her desire to be more involved in supporting artistic creation naturally drew her to patronage. 

In 2009, she created SAM Art Projects, which aims to promote the work of foreign artists in France and French artists abroad through the awarding of a prize and residencies. In order to encourage exchange and dialogue, the supported projects bring together the Parisian art scene with countries beyond the usual circuits of the art world. 

A passionate woman, as spontaneous as she is determined, Sandra Hegedüs belongs to a generation of activist collectors who have made their mark on the French landscape in recent years, creating daring philanthropic projects, nurturing the talents of tomorrow, and sponsoring ambitious projects that transcend borders. Like her collection, the artistic creations she supports do not respond to a concern for the market, but to an acute attention to new visions of the world that artists bring. 

With her contagious energy and her ability to surround herself with faithful partners and experts, she manages to federate important financial and human resources to carry out artists’ projects, providing them with visibility and recognition. 

In 2018, her commitment was rewarded with the 27th Mont Blanc Prize for Culture Art Patronage. The philanthropist was thus recognized for her work in supporting international artistic exchanges, building bridges between Europe and non-Western countries. 

In 2020, she was named an Officer of the Legion of Honor by French Minister of Culture Franck Riester. 

Since November 2019, she holds the position of President of the Board of Directors of the Villa Arson, a national public institution under the authority of the Minister of Culture, combining an art center, an artist residence, an art school, and a specialized library.