After two years of building a community around creativity, craftsmanship and collaboration, Selfmade Malta has officially been established as a partnership, marking an exciting new chapter for the initiative dedicated to supporting Malta's artisan community through market opportunities.

Founded by Nicole Borg, Elenia Borg, Johann Agius and Jessica Magro, Selfmade Malta was born from a shared passion for handmade products and a belief that local creatives deserve platforms where they can truly thrive. What began with its first artisan market at Fort St Elmo has since grown into a recognised name within Malta's creative community, with five successful markets organised over the past two years.

Throughout its journey, Selfmade Malta has remained committed to creating opportunities that put artisans first. Recognising that every market comes with its own challenges and that attendance and sales can vary from one event to another, the team has worked hard to keep participation fees affordable, ensuring that emerging and established creatives alike can showcase their work without facing prohibitive costs.

"From the very beginning, our vision was never simply to organise markets," said Nicole, Partner at Selfmade Malta and Co-Founder of Lincole Handmade. "We wanted to build a community where artisans feel valued and where creativity is celebrated. Our markets offer a platform to people who pour their heart into making things by hand, genuinely putting them at the centre. Seeing that vision grow over the past two years has been incredibly rewarding, and becoming an official partnership gives us an even stronger foundation for what comes next."

For fellow Partner Elenia, the idea for Selfmade Malta stemmed from a gap that many local artisans had long experienced.

"We knew first-hand what it felt like to search for opportunities that truly understood the realities of being a maker," she said. "There was room for markets that were organised by creatives, for creatives; spaces where artisans weren't simply filling stalls but were part of something bigger. Selfmade Malta was created to answer that need, and every decision we make continues to be guided by that purpose."

The newly established partnership also coincides with the organisers' biggest milestone to date. From 17 to 19 July, Selfmade Malta will curate the artisan market at the Sliema Arts Festival, bringing together around 40 local creatives across three days of art, culture, and community.

"This is undoubtedly our biggest project yet," said Johann. "When we were approached to organise the market area for the Sliema Arts Festival, we immediately recognised the opportunity to showcase the incredible talent that exists within Malta's creative community. Being part of one of the country's leading artistic festivals is both an honour and an exciting challenge, and we can't wait to see so many talented makers sharing the space with the festival's artists."

While the organisation continues to grow, the team says its focus remains firmly on the people behind the products.

"Our artisans will always be at the heart of everything we do," added Jessica. "Over the past two years we've watched our community grow, we've welcomed new makers, and we've built genuine relationships with the people who continue to trust us with their businesses. Their success is our success, and we remain committed to creating markets that are accessible, supportive, and worthwhile for every participant."

The upcoming Sliema Arts Festival market is an ideal next step in Selfmade Malta's journey as it continues to create meaningful opportunities for Malta's growing community of artisans while staying true to the values on which it was founded.