The Maltese-Australian Cultural Week starts today 26 January (Australia Day) and runs until 2 February.
MACCC Cultural Weeks feature social and cultural events for the entertainment and appreciation of all those interested in Malta-Australia connections in all fields.
The programme starts with activities for the children of the St James Young Cavaliers Club to give them a taste of Australian culture.
From Monday 28 January in the Terrace Hall at St James Cavalier there will be an exhibition of the photography of Marie Micallef, a Maltese photographer now living and studying in Australia.
Her images of a picnic race meeting at the country town Ardlethan in New South Wales amusingly capture the spirit of a dying tradition. Thanks to the generous sponsorship of Emirates, Ms Micallef will be in Malta during the exhibition, which runs until 24 February.
At 7pm on Wednesday 30 January, Ms Berenice Axisa, Wine Development Manager of Wands Ltd, will give a presentation on Australian wines in the Music Room at St James. This will be followed by a wine-tasting in the Atrium. Wands Ltd has been a generous supporter of the MACCC and a major contributor to the success of past Cultural Weeks.
Cultural Week 2008 will conclude with a dinner dance at the Bellavista Hotel, Qawra on Saturday 2 February. The evening will feature a three-course buffet meal, Australian wines from Wands Ltd and songs and banter from one of Malta’s finest animators, Johnnie Gee.
Mr Holland acknowledged the continuing support of the Bank of Valletta, Emirates, Wands Ltd, St James Cavalier, Josephine and Harry Zammit Cordina and the members of the MACCC Committee.
About Marie Micallef
Marie Micallef was born in Malta and was educated at the Convent of the Sacred Heart. She obtained her Pharmacy degree from the University of Malta and worked for pharmaceutical companies for a number of years before moving to Australia in 2006 to pursue photography.
She has visited Australia on a regular basis since 2001, travelling extensively throughout the country. She is passionate about portraying Australian life as seen through her eye, one of an “outside observer”. While living in Australia she has completed several courses in photography at the Australian Centre for Photography. Her ambition is to work on photo documentaries.
She has worked in hotel and real estate photography in Malta, Sydney and Cyprus. She has two ongoing solo exhibitions: Viewing Valletta, a series of black & white digital prints at Café Valletta in Sydney and 10,000 Waves a series of gelatin black & white prints at Voi Café in North Sydney. She is currently working on two photodocumentaries, Maltese Migrants in Australia and Daceyville.
Planned for April 2008 are solo exhibitions at the Australian Centre for Photography, Sydney, and at Daguerre’s Cafe Gallery, Melbourne.