Bank of Valletta is backing the Malta Arts Festival – summer 2006, a cultural extravaganza that is being organised by the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts for the three weeks between 28 July and 20 August.

This year, the Malta Arts Festival is providing a package of cultural events including light orchestral music, chamber music, dance, theatre, visual arts, multi-media performances and literary evenings along with street entertainment in Valletta, which will provide a backdrop for the festival.

The main events will, in fact, be centred on the site of the Old Opera House and the nearby Freedom Square, both of which will be transformed for the occasion. Other venues will include the Mediterra-nean Conference Centre, the MITP theatre and the St James Cavalier Centre for Creativity.

Speaking about BOV’s participation in the forthcoming events, BOV head of PR, communications and corporate branding Michael Galea remarked: “We are delighted that, for the first time this year, we have the opportunity of being a main sponsor of the Malta Arts Festival. We are confident that BOV’s support will contribute towards the success of the festival and we are positive that the innovative format being adopted this year will help in this regard.”

Apart from being a main sponsor of the Malta Arts Festival, this summer Bank of Valletta will also be taking an active role in supporting a number of cultural and artistic events taking place on the fringes of the festival itself.

Mr Galea added: “The BOV Streets Alive initiative, that is being organised by the Valletta Alive Foundation with the full backing of Bank of Valletta, should prove to be an innovative element of this summer’s cultural calendar.”

He added that a full programme of events and more details about the BOV Streets Alive concept would be announced over the coming days, while the bank will also be extending its support to this year’s Summer University of Performing Arts.

Bank of Valletta is supporting these initiatives under the Arts and Culture pillar of its Community Programme. “As the leading patron of the arts and culture in Malta, we are delighted to play an important role in reviving Valletta in its role as a cultural and artistic centre while also supporting the promotion of Maltese talent,” Mr Galea added.