Strategic communications for work that resists easy summary – NGOs, scale-ups, artists, and art institutions.
My background brings intellectual depth to marketing savvy, allowing me to understand clients across sectors and make their work resonate with the audience they want to reach.
From NGOs and tech to artists and art galleries, my clients share a common problem: the complexity of their work makes it hard to reach internal clarity and an external audience. Here's a catalogue of ways I've helped.
Ongoing collaboration on narrative strategy, copy, and design of funder presentation decks at one of Europe's leading climate foundations, built for boards and major donors.
Keynote deck and speech for Berlin's People and Culture Festival, turning a social enterprise's approach to job coaching into a compelling case for funders and the general public alike.
Pitch deck and web taglines for an AI data platform, translating a complex product into investor-ready language that helped secure another round of funding.
Messaging and positioning advisory for a contemporary art gallery in Berlin, translating a sophisticated curatorial vision into clear, audience-ready language across web, press, and social.
Exhibition text for a solo photography show during the 2025 European Month of Photography, articulating something essential the artist hadn't yet named and bringing it to a wide audience.
Moderated talk with Angolan artist Yonamine at Michael Janssen Galerie, framing the artist's practice for a live audience with precision, accessibility, and relevance.
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My approach, in three parts.
The deeper the work, the more it relies on insider language. Outsiders can't see in, and the team loses sight of what it actually does, too.
Lack of clarity is more than a comms problem. How an organisation understands itself shapes culture, hiring, and product as much as it shapes every funder pitch, gallery text, and public talk. External communication is internal cohesion.
Most comms focus on the audience. For complex work, that's not enough. I offer an external eye that strips the jargon to clarify what you really mean, the basis for both clear identity and audience-tailored messaging.
Available on a project basis, as a monthly retainer, or in a fractional senior comms role — whichever fits the work.
Matteo has a remarkable ability to quickly grasp complex organisational structures and translate them into clear, compelling, and highly effective communications materials.
I would recommend him without hesitation to any organisation looking to bring clarity, rigour, and strategic sharpness to complex, high-stakes communications work.
Matteo has a unique ability to frame complex ideas, and was able to capture not only the technical aspects but also the philosophical questions in my work.
He approached my topics with dedicated curiosity and created a space for open dialogue, fostering an engaged and enriching conversation.
My collaboration with Matteo Calla has been very important for my gallery, JERGON, in Berlin and for my work as a curator.
He made a decisive contribution in defining my positioning within the Berlin contemporary arts scene and in creating a coherent communications strategy across social media, LinkedIn, and other platforms I use.
I can wholeheartedly recommend Matteo's work. He is quick to respond and super talented with words.
Matteo helped me crystallise the core message, create the presentation, and not only prepare but feel confident about my speech.
Matteo Calla's text for the exhibition captured its essence with rare sensitivity and depth.
His thoughtful and intuitive questions led to a nuanced exploration that made me feel deeply understood as an artist. His writing resonates beyond description — like a quiet echo of the work itself.
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I start by learning what you do: in conversation with you, and by reading my way through your decks, drafts, transcripts, and the way you actually talk about the work.
We analyse and synthesise what you actually do until its core comes into view, and find the language you don't yet have to name it.
Then we shape the message for its audience, format, and goal: funder, founder, gallery wall, or stage.