Minna Karvonen appointed Director General of the National Gallery

The Government has appointed Minna Karvonen as Director General of the Finnish National Gallery. She has served as Director of the Division for Art and Cultural Heritage at the Ministry of Education and Culture since 2018. The term in the new position will commence on 1 November 2026 and continue until 31 October 2031.

Karvonen has worked at the Ministry of Education and Culture since 2007, for example as Senior Ministerial Adviser for Cultural Affairs and, since 2018, as Director of the Division for Art and Cultural Heritage. Prior to joining the Ministry, she held several expert and management positions at the Finnish Heritage Agency and participated in the development of the National Digital Library.

The Director General is primarily responsible for leading and developing the activities of the Finnish National Gallery and ensuring that it carries out its purpose and tasks effectively. A total of 12 candidates applied for the position.

The Finnish National Gallery is an independent foundation governed by public law and operating under the auspices of the Ministry of Education and Culture. The Gallery maintains and expands the Finnish National Gallery’s collection, which is owned by the State. The Gallery stages exhibitions, provides other art museum-related activities, and contributes expert input to the development of the museum sector. Museums belonging to the Finnish National Gallery include the Ateneum Art Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma and Sinebrychoff Art Museum. The Finnish National Gallery employs approximately 280 people.

Inquiries: Juha Niemi, Director General, tel. +358 295 330 164, Ministry of Education and Culture