30 band clubs will be benefiting from €150,000 through a fund managed by Għaqda Każini tal-Banda and Arts Council Malta within the Ministry for Justice, Culture and Local Government.
This fund, which is in its second year running, is aimed to strengthen the work done by band clubs, which have an important part within our communities as well as serve as cultural centres of activities.
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister for Justice, Culture and Local Government Owen Bonnici highlighted the importance of such initiatives.
“Band clubs play an intrinsic role of being vibrant cultural hubs within our localities. They organise ongoing cultural activities throughout the year, and they keep upholding local traditions, which form an inherent part of our country’s social and cultural fabric.”
“Apart from all of this, they also play an important community role, serving as a gateway to culture and the arts. We are fully committed to keep on supporting such initiatives as they serve as a platform to keep on strengthening our traditions as well as our culture sector, whilst making it more accessible to our communities,” he stated.
This fund was open to all Band clubs in Malta and Gozo, which were registered as voluntary organisations and were compliant with the Voluntary Organisations Act by the closing date of applications.
Arts Council Malta’s Executive Chairman Albert Marshall said, “true to its aggressive inclusion programme and democratization of the outreach policy in the way public funds are disbursed, Arts Council Malta reaches out to local communities, band clubs and voluntary organisations to participate actively in funding procedures for the implementation of the cultural project.”
The main aim of this project is the launch of a funding scheme that provides the respective Band clubs with support for their initiatives and proposals.
These included the restoration of objects/works of art within the band club premises such as musical archives and old instruments and strengthening music teaching within the organisation by assisting musical conductors and teachers through music-learning and training programmes in renowned tertiary level education institutions.
Band clubs could also restore and renovate infrastructure by transforming a music-learning environment into a more professional one, strengthen the internal administrative systems principally related to musicians and implement innovative projects through which Band clubs could expand their music activity in Malta and beyond.
Each band club could apply for a project costing €5,000 or €10,000; grants covered 85 per cent or 75 per cent of the project expenses respectively. Profit-making projects were not eligible.
List of Beneficiaries:
Soċjetà La Stella Levantina, Banda Santa Marija, Ħ’Attard
Għaqda Banda Żejtun, Żejtun
Għaqda Karmelitana Banda Queen Victoria, Żurrieq
Għaqda Mużikali Santa Marija, Ħal Għaxaq
Soċjetà Filarmonika, L-Unjoni, Ħal Luqa
Soċjetà Mużikali Beland, Żejtun
Soċjetà Santa Marija u Banda Re Ġorġ V, Mqabba
Għaqda Mużikali Sant Elena, Birkirkara
Għaqda Mużikali Imperial, Mellieħa
Għaqda Mużikali Banda San Filep, Ħaż-Żebbuġ
Soċjetà San Pawl Banda Konti Ruġġieru, Rabat, Malta
Soċjetà Filarmonika La Vittoria, Mellieħa
Soċjetà Filarmonika Stella Maris, Tas-Sliema
Soċjetà Filarmonika, Santa Marija, Żebbuġ, Għawdex
Soċjetà Filarmonika San Pietru Banda Birżebbuġa , Birżebbuġa
Għaqda Filarmonika Prince of Wales Own, Birgu
Peace Band Club, Naxxar
Soċjetà Mużikali San Ġużepp, Ħal Kirkop
Għaqda Mużikali San Leonardu, Ħal Kirkop
Ċirkolo San Giuseppe Filarmonika Sagra Famiglia, Kalkara
Soċjetà Mużikali Madonna tal-Ġilju, Mqabba
Soċjetà Filarmonika Nicolo Isouard, Mosta
Għaqda Mużikali San Ġużepp, Ħal Għaxaq
Soċjetà Mużikali Santa Katarina, Żurrieq
Għaqda Mużikali u Soċjali Madonna tal-Karmnu Fgura, Fgura
Għaqda Mużikali Marija Bambina, Banda Vittorja, Naxxar
Għaqda Mużikali San Ġorġ Martri, Ħal Qormi
Każin Banda San Pawl, Ħal Safi
Għaqda Mużikali Sant’Anna, Marsascala
Għaqda Mużikali San Ġiljan, San Ġiljan