Johanna Ruohonen appointed Development Director
In her new position, Johanna Ruohonen will be responsible for promoting the international activities of the Finnish Cultural Foundation. Ruohonen takes over as Development Director from her position as the Director of the Kirpilä Art Collection. The vacancy will open for applications in the first week of March.
Johanna Ruohonen, PhD, has been appointed Development Director of the Finnish Cultural Foundation from 1 April 2025. The Development Director is a member of the foundation’s management group.
In her new role, Ruohonen will be responsible for the development of the Finnish Cultural Foundation, with a focus on international issues. She will also be responsible for the foundation’s Science & Art (Tiede & Taide) activities as well as events aimed at strengthening the national visibility of science, research and art. Ruohonen will also continue to manage the foundation’s residency programme for artists.
“Foundations play an important role as advocates for science, research and the arts. We want to play our part in building a multi-voiced societal debate in Finland and internationally. Johanna Ruohonen’s solid experience is a good starting point for advancing our goals,” says Susanna Pettersson, CEO of the Finnish Cultural Foundation.
“In this day and age, it is extremely important to highlight the importance of art, research and science. Social polarisation, alternative truths, funding cuts and the decline of public debate are eroding the foundations of science and art, and this trend needs to be countered,” says Johanna Ruohonen.
Ruohonen joined the Finnish Cultural Foundation in 2015. She currently works as a Museum Director at the Kirpilä Art Collection and as a Senior Advisor for grants and projects. Over the past ten years, Ruohonen has renewed the Kirpilä Art Collection by introducing contemporary art exhibitions and queer-themed guided tours, among other things. The number of visitors to the Kirpilä Art Collection has tripled during her tenure. Ruohonen has also been responsible for developing the foundation’s international residency programme and many projects, including Museovisio, Selkopolku, Taide2 and a support programme for Finnish Romani language and culture.
“The Finnish Cultural Foundation provides a wide range of support for artists, researchers and scientists throughout the country, and also internationally through various mobility programmes, among other things. Art and science are highly international fields of activity, which is why our aim is to increase cross-border cooperation models,” says Ruohonen.
The Finnish Cultural Foundation will start recruiting a new Museum Director for the Kirpilä Art Collection at the beginning of March 2025.
