Heini Merkkiniemi
Heini Merkkiniemi (MuM) works at Pertin Valinta as an agent and serves as the executive director of the Outsider Art Festival. Additionally, Heini is an entrepreneur in the creative sector, a coach, and a supervisor. In 2024, she was awarded the title of Broker of the Year by AGMA ry. The award justification described her as a multidisciplinary professional whose work is creative, ethical, and boundary-crossing. “Heini promotes the social impact and equality of the creative industries and creates new opportunities, networks, and structures within the field. She has brought visibility and opportunities for Finnish outsider art at an unprecedented scale, organizing OAF showcase events in New York, London, Paris, and Berlin, and representing over 60 Finnish outsider artists globally.”