There was a time in Malta when Governments considered culture and the arts to be an afterthought or a political appendix to something else. There were many reasons for this lack of interest.
The country's economic situation at the time meant that money, or what was left of it, had to be allocated towards other areas, namely health and education - and even here, investment was meagre. But there was also a lack of genuine interest too by the authorities concerned. There were people who stood out at the time, fighting as hard as they could for the creative, but the bottom line was that culture and the arts were often considered to be the Cinderella of a government's legislative plan.
I remember, back in the Opposition days, when I was shadowing culture. People used to complain to me, for instance, that the National Philharmonic Orchestra did not have the necessary funds to acquire uniforms.
Or that Heritage Malta was not paying its share of the social security employees on its books. Such was the hardship the sector faced in terms of funding and opportunities.
When Labour took office, in 2013, the economy was in dire straits, but the first Joseph Muscat Cabinet took immediate action, and the situation changed dramatically within the first few years of that new Labour administration.
Foreign direct investment flowed. Local businesses, seeing that there was a government keen on helping businesses grow, started to invest enthusiastically. Wealth started to be created and enjoyed by all.
It was within this context that the economy permitted important areas, such as culture and the arts, to be given the importance that they deserve. And things within these sectors started to change for the better year in year out.
There was a time when young and creative people were discouraged from making a career in culture and the arts due to its limited financial potential. That too started to change today and the numbers speak for themselves.
Of course we have maintained the momentum to ensure that more and more creatives have better financial independence and an even greater amount of people make a rewarding career from these sectors.
We have come such a long way in the past generation, and I am so proud of each entity, each and every individual within this sector who has given and are giving their all to ensure that these sectors continue to flourish.
When late last year Prime Minister Robert Abela and I were inaugurating MICAS, the first international contemporary art museum in Malta, I couldn't help but appreciate the revolution we have carried out in the arts and culture sectors. Who would have thought that Malta would have a museum that is so unique and of such sizeable proportions? It was a dream come true for hundreds of local artists and creatives. Through MICAS, we gave them a platform to flourish, to further their careers, and to continue making Malta proud.
And there were so many other occasions, in recent years, when I realized how we have managed to make these sectors really and truly boom. In doing so, we have helped and are helping so many creatives and local NGOs to continue with their sterling work.
This week, for instance, I was invited to witness first-hand the extraordinary changes taking place at the well-known Salesian Theatre in Sliema. This is a unique theatre that has witnessed Malta change along the years, and it remained as strong as ever. In recent years, this theatre benefitted from a total of more than €500,000 of funds from Arts Council Malta, an entity within the Ministry for which I am responsible, enabling it to modernize and keep growing.
In a few months' time, Malta shall host what has now become known as one of the most spectacular Carnivals in our part of the world.
There was a time when investment in this traditional event was meagre. A Labour government, from 2013 onwards changed that completely. Carnival has grown along the years, and we are also hosting a Summer Carnival, which is deeply popular with Maltese and tourists alike.
Last year, I announced the start of the long-awaited Culture Hub in Marsa, which shall also include much needed space for our Carnival enthusiasts, including for Carnival float builders as well as other facilities.
And what an extraordinary job we have done in giving local creatives and artists a platform on the global stage!
In this regard, Arts Council Malta is doing a remarkable job. I have been to the Venice Art Biennale and the London Design Biennale in recent years to inaugurate the Malta Pavilions. These are two occasions that are known worldwide and which draw millions of people to appreciate the immense talent that they promote. Maltese artists are making an extraordinary name for themselves and for our country at these events.
Currently, the people at Arts Council Malta are busy preparing for this year's London Design Biennale, where Malta shall be represented by 'URNA' , an original project led by a team of Maltese artists. For the first time in Malta's history, we shall also have a Malta Pavilion at the Gwangju, South Korea Art Biennale.
What is also truly remarkable is how we have managed, over the span of a few years, to make Valletta, our magnificent capital city, a hive of cultural and artistic activity. Not only was Valletta the Capital City of Culture, but it continued to be a hive of activity with concerts, artistic performances, and art exhibitions all throughout the year.
This is the Malta that I am proud of. These are the local artists that are giving Malta an excellent reputation as a small country with an outstanding artistic and cultural community.
This year shall be yet another remarkable year for culture and the arts. We have an impressive number of events and initiatives across all these sectors, from small ones in towns and villages to bigger ones in Valletta and across the island to international ones in all four corners of the world.
This is an exciting time for culture and the arts. The future is bright.