The Collection was started during the 1950s when the Espoo Primary School Board and the national “Art for Schools” project began to collect art, mainly prints, for schools. Today EMMA is responsible for the City of Espoo’s art purchases. Earlier this was the responsibility of the city’s art committee which was also responsible for managing the Collection.
The Collection currently comprises some 2 500 works, including works for city offices, institutions and outdoor areas. Works from the Collection are also on show in the art museum. The Collection consists primarily of post-war Finnish art and gives a diversified picture of Finnish art from various decades as well as an insight into international, more specifically Nordic art, from the same period. Purchases have not favoured works by local artists to any great extent. They are, however, well represented in the Collection. Works are either purchased or commissioned. Currently the focus is on Finnish contemporary art.Where older and more modern art is concerned the nature of the Collection is constantly growing.