With the international competitions organised by the Foundation of the Arts and Artists, and the museum´s connections with artists from all over the world, the main highlight of the MEAM is its collection of works by living artists. Not only does the MEAM constantly build on and expand this collection, most importantly it maintains a strong personal relationship with its artists, so that the musuem feels like their home and that they all feel represented here. 

Faithful to its principles, it includes paintings and sculptural works made from different types of materials and techniques. In painting, these works are made from acrylic paints, oil paints, watercolours and pastels on canvas, board or other painting substrates. In sculpture, these materials include marble, bronze, paper, cardboard, wood, polyester resins and terracota, amongst others. 

There are nearly 1000 works from 300 artists across the five continents, in a collection that is constantly growing with each MEAM competition. It is undoubtedly one of the most prestigious collections of figurative art in the world today, both for the quality of the work it presents as for the diversity of its artists. All the exhibited works are by living practising artists, making it a vigorously contemporary collection that represents  the most genuine aristic productions of our time. 

A large sample of this collection is exhibited in alternation with temporary exhibitions, so that at least half of the year you can find this exhibition on display in the museum, with artists and visitors that come from all over the world to admire and examine the works of the most prominent and discussed artists in the media today.