Cultural Director Susanna Tommila: The futures’ cultural services are built by curiosity, collaboration, responsibility, and putting the residents first

The year 2025 was an excellent year for culture in Espoo. I am especially pleased with how well the goals of our cultural services were achieved. Our operations developed, customers were satisfied with our services, and visitor records have once again been on the rise. We have invested in development work and reflected particularly on how we can best serve all Espoo residents.

The past year was also an election year and the first year of operation for the new combined Culture and Youth Committee. In the winter, our new Mayor took office, and under their guidance the Espoo Story – the city’s strategy for the next four years – was completed in the autumn. The title of the Espoo Story, The Capital of Children and Youth, directs our work even more strongly toward the future and toward promoting the wellbeing of children and young people. For the first time, culture is also visible in the city-level strategy.

Cultural services in all their forms are an important source of vitality for the city; they create jobs and enrich everyday life. Cultural services are about growth, learning, and curiosity. Culture forms the foundation for a good life and for community. Culture and art bring people together and strengthen resilience.

We have ambitious goals for the current council term. Not everything needs to be achieved immediately, but the work must begin now.

Our goals are:
• the customer experience is excellent across all our services.
• residents’ literacy improves.
• the agency and participation of children and young people are strengthened through culture and art.
• art, culture, and the creative industries are visible as key factors in the city’s attractiveness.
• cultural heritage is recognised as part of the city’s sustainable growth.

Together we build the cultural services of the future with curiosity, collaboration, responsibility, and with the best interests of our residents at heart – in line with the values of the Espoo Story.

Susanna Tommila
Cultural Director