Annika Räim appointed as Head of Collections at EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art

As Head of Collections, Annika Räim will lead EMMA’s collections team and be responsible for shaping the museum’s long-term collection vision. Her role includes overseeing collection management, developing collection policies and processes, leading acquisitions, and guiding collection-related projects. The collections team is also responsible for public art in Espoo, which will fall under Räim’s leadership. She will serve on EMMA’s executive team and steering group.

“We are looking forward to welcoming Annika to EMMA’s team during this period of transition, in which we are deepening our commitment to artists from the Baltic region. Annika’s expertise in the region, especially Estonia, will help EMMA broaden its scope and vision,” says EMMA’s director Krist Gruijthuijsen.

Räim brings to EMMA extensive expertise in collection leadership, contemporary art, and the preservation of media art. She previously spent 15 years as Head of the Contemporary Art Collection at Art Museum of Estonia Kumu Art Museum in Tallinn, Estonia, where she contributed to shaping acquisition strategies, strengthening collection management, and fostering sustainable collection practices. She holds an MA in Heritage Studies from the University of Amsterdam and an MA in Art History from the University of Tartu. 

“EMMA's commitment to artists and its ambitious approach to collections are inspiring, and I feel privileged to become part of the team. I look forward to developing EMMA's collection with care and curiosity and deepening the dialogue between Finnish and Baltic contexts,” says Räim.

As one of Finland’s largest art museums, EMMA offers a uniquely broad and dynamic environment for collection work, encompassing Finnish and international modernism, contemporary art and design. In addition to the EMMA Collection, the museum manages significant long-term deposition collections, including the Saastamoinen Foundation Art Collection, Tapio Wirkkala Rut Bryk Foundation Collection, and Collection Kakkonen. EMMA is also responsible for providing expertise in public art projects commissioned by the City of Espoo.