I still remember sitting at the kitchen table as a young girl, sketching endlessly on scraps of paper, convinced that one day I would grow up to be an artist. It wasn't just a pastime; it was a way of thinking, a way of translating the world into lines, shapes, and possibilities. I would dream while listening on repeat to The Beatles' Here Comes the Sun and John Lennon's Imagine, songs that seemed to open up space for imagination and gently carry those early dreams forward. Through drawing, I made sense of things that words could not yet hold. It was how I processed emotion, observation, and imagination all at once. It was an early form of inquiry as a child.

But like many children with creative ambitions, reality arrived early and firmly. Back then, I was told you can't live off art. "Bl-arti ma taqlax x'tiekol".  It is a phrase that was both practical and heavy, passed down with care but also with constraint. This is not to suggest that there weren't full-time professionals within the arts, but they were few and mostly men. This reflects how for decades artists worked part-time, with a full-time career to financially back them.

So, like many before me, I adjusted the dream. Not by abandoning creativity, but by rerouting it. I found another path where curiosity, interpretation, and a fascination with people could still live - Sociology. In many ways, the questions remained the same at their core; How do we understand the world, and how do we make sense of ourselves within it? Only the medium had changed.

But here's the thing no one tells you: creativity doesn't disappear just because you sideline it. It waits. Mine resurfaced in the way I studied society, in the questions I asked, and eventually in what I chose to specialise in, the Sociology of the Arts. I didn't abandon art; I just found another way back to it. And along the way, I started to realise something important. The problem was that we didn't give it enough space to exist, to grow and to flourish.

That is why the Arts Council Malta Strategy 2030, officially launched last week, feels different, and honestly quite exciting. It does not read as an abstract strategy document, but as living frameworks that attempt to hold space for imagination, structure, and possibility all at once. I feel privileged to have contributed to this process as a co-author, working together with the Executive Chairman Dr Luke Dalli and the Director of Strategy, Daniel Azzopardi. My involvement reflects not only my sociological perspective, but also a long-standing personal commitment to the arts and a deep passion for the cultural sector as a whole.

At the heart of Strategy 2030 lies a powerful commitment: Valorising passion while also strengthening profession. Its mission is to maximise the potential of Malta's cultural and creative sectors by nurturing creativity, supporting sustainable artistic and cultural careers, and affirming the essential role of arts and culture in both individual and collective wellbeing. It builds on the last few years on the significant rise in full-time professions within the cultural and creative sectors. Rooted in Malta's cultural realities yet shaped by an outward-looking international perspective, the Strategy seeks to foster continuous skills development, meaningful exchange, and a resilient, inclusive creative ecosystem. One that not only supports those working within the sector, but also actively widens participation and ensures equitable access to arts and culture for all.

Instead of treating the arts as an afterthought, Strategy 2030 framework puts them right at the centre of Malta's future. It's an action plan. Backed with sociological research, its approach was based on looking at the real lives of artists, creatives, and cultural workers and ask: what do they actually need to thrive?

This was backed through conversations with people across the sector, artists, organisations, and policymakers. It reflected something we don't always see in these kinds of plans: lived experiences. It acknowledges the struggles, the gaps, the untapped potential, but also the incredible resilience and talent already present.

And it doesn't stop at talk. It sets out clear priorities on professional development, cultural rights, and internationalisation, with concrete actions. Fifty-five of them, to be exact. Not vague promises, but measurable steps, with ongoing feedback built into the process. In other words, it's meant to evolve, just like the creative world it supports.

What I find most refreshing is its honesty about the future. It recognises that creativity today isn't happening in a vacuum. Artificial intelligence, precarious working conditions, digital platforms, cybersecurity, these aren't abstract concepts. They're shaping how artists create, share, and protect their work. Strategy 2030 doesn't shy away from that. It leans into it.

But beyond the technical side, there's something deeper at its core: a shift in mindset. It speaks about fairness. About sustainability. About valuing artistic passion. It pushes for a culture that is inclusive, collaborative, and connected, not just locally, but internationally. It invites everyone, artists, institutions, educators, to take part, not as spectators, but as contributors.

And maybe that's the point that resonates most with me. Because I think back to that younger version of myself, sketching at the kitchen table, absorbing the idea that art wasn't enough. I wonder how many young people are still hearing the same thing today. And more importantly, what happens if we start telling them something different? What happens if, we build frameworks that open them and strengthening the professional foundations?

Strategy 2030 isn't just about supporting artists. It's about giving space to dream, to create, to take risks, and to be taken seriously while doing so.

And if we get that right, maybe the next generation won't have to choose between passion and practicality. They'll finally be allowed to have both. So, this isn't just a strategy document. It's an invitation. An invitation to rethink, to participate, and to be part of the drive that places arts and culture at the heart of social wellbeing, sustainable economic growth, international exchange, and meaningful change. I encourage you to read Strategy 2030 through the link: https://artscouncilmalta.gov.mt/en/strategy/

Prof. Valerie Visanich is an Associate Professor in Sociology