We launched RETOLD - an unprecedented initiative which brings back to Malta leading international art and design projects, by Maltese artists and creatives, which made Malta proud abroad. 

This is an intrinsic part of my Ministry's and the government's strategy to promote local artists abroad, but also here in Malta, and to ensure that their work is appreciated by the local audience. RETOLD is all about bringing culture and the arts closer to the people.

Venice and London

Malta takes part in the Venice Art Biennale and the London Design Biennale. These events take place every two years, and a winning local team, selected by an expert jury under the auspices of Arts Council Malta, gets to represent Malta in Venice and London, respectively. 

This is done through a Maltese pavilion, commissioned by Arts Council Malta under the auspices of the Ministry for the Arts, Lands, and Local Government. 

Both events have a huge following in the global art and design world. Venice and London are attended by hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world, and the countries' pavilions get extraordinary media attention in the world's leading art and design magazines and the main international media outlets.  

Malta is always amongst the top pavilions, and Maltese artists and creatives in Venice and London make Malta proud. I have had the privilege of attending the Maltese pavilions in Venice and London, and it is always an extraordinary experience.

Next year, Malta shall be in Venice once again and for the first time, in Gwangju, South Korea, for the Contemporary Art Biennale - the leading art biennale in Asia. Malta will have a pavilion at Gwangju and a team of Maltese artists and creatives. 

Champions

This year, URNA, the Maltese project at the London Design Biennale, placed first. It was a huge and unprecedented moment for Malta. Placing first at such an intensely competitive event is no mean feat. I was there. It was an extraordinary privilege and a moment of immense pride to witness Maltese creatives make history in London.

RETOLD 

Thanks to Arts Council Malta, led by the hardworking Dr Luke Dalli, the Maltese pavilions that featured in Venice and London in the past years are now being brought back to Malta, in an abridged version, to be appreciated by the Maltese.

The projects shall be placed across Malta's towns and villages of historical and cultural importance. Bringing culture and the arts closer to the people is an intrinsic part of my Ministry's and the government's strategy. 

The projects 

The projects to be exhibited are: Urban Fabric; The Ship (unseen); Home Melitensis; Revisiting Maleth, and URNA.

10 years

This event is happening on the 10th anniversary of the beginning of Arts Council Malta. This Council has punched above its weight in the last 10 years, and its achievements for Malta's artistic sector are astounding. I am truly proud of the Council and its hard-working employees.

A word of gratitude goes to the former head Albert Marshall who delivered so much for the sector. 

Embracing the future 

Earlier this week, 11 children were welcomed at Castille by Prime Minister Robert Abela to put forward proposals towards the Malta Vision 2050. The Prime Minister said that the main aim of the Malta Vision 2050 is for our children to have a sustainable future and for generations to come.

At this event, the Prime Minister was presented with a publication of 'Isimgħuna', which groups the proposals from last year's conference, which proposals have also been presented at the United Nations. These children give us hope for a brighter future. We embrace the future together.

Muzika, Muzika

Applications for the annual 'Mużika Mużika' festival in 2026 are now open and can be submitted electronically on the website muzikamuzika.mt until 19 September or at the Festivals Malta offices in Floriana in the last two days before the closing date.

The next festival will take place between 19 and 21 March. Muzika, Muzika is an extraordinary success providing an excellent platform to local artists to strengthen their career, dream bigger, and achieve further.

An existential problem 

Since 2013, at the very least, the top brass at the Nationalist Party has been trying to answer an existential question for the party: What does the PN stand for?

The answer to that question, many years later, remains elusive. The PN has an existential problem and there is an increasing widespread agreement that the PN's deep problems shall not be solved by change in leader - truth be told, people who know how the PN works admit that this change in leadership might make things worse for the PN, coming towards the end of the legislature and after the abrupt resignation of the party leader who felt constantly undermined by Roberta Metsola who after all confirmed that she prefers Brussels over Malta and the PN.

Left or right

Dr. Mario de Marco believes that the PN should adopt a center-left agenda.

Clyde Puli, on the other hand, believes that PN is increasingly abandoning its center-right agenda.

The PN cannot decide which direction to take. The chaos that has engulfed this political party is extraordinary, and the future looks increasingly bleak.

No debates

As if the current confusion within the PN wasn't enough, it was decided that there shall be no debates between its two leadership contenders.

It is unheard of for a political leadership race not to include a debate between the contestants. The PN's decision has been heavily criticized by the independent media and the Institute of Maltese Journalists (IGM).  

One of the two contestants, Adrian Delia, insisted that the debates between him and Alex Borg, the other leadership contender, are a must.  

Of course Dr Delia was ignored. What 's worse the PN tweaked a bit the rules (in the sense that each candidate can now at least mention one another) but no direct debates would happen.