The third edition of designMT is underway in Valletta, bringing together Maltese and international designers for six days of exhibitions, discussions and creative exchange.
Organised by the Malta Crafts Foundation, this year's edition is the most international to date, with participants from across Europe and North Africa, as well as China, Japan, Singapore and the United States.
Running until Saturday, 3 October, designMT takes over four distinctive spaces: Auberge d'Aragon, Fortress Builders, Madonna tal-Pilar Chapel and Valletta Design Cluster.
Across the four exhibitions, visitors can encounter contemporary design spanning fashion, jewellery, furniture, lighting, ceramics, textiles and experimental objects. Established practitioners feature alongside emerging designers and students, exploring different approaches to materials, craftsmanship, technology and functionality.
Heritage and innovation are recurring threads throughout the exhibitions, with several projects reinterpreting traditional skills, materials and cultural references through contemporary design.
Among them is Il-Maduma Nru 15 being exhibited by Alison Agius at the sacristy of the Madonna tal-Pilar Chapel, an installation that transforms restored antique Maltese tiles through portraiture. Agius brings material heritage and human expression together while reflecting on the gradual loss of elements of Malta's architectural identity.
At Valletta Design Cluster, Reflections through Time brings together Inese Refalo, Zeltīte Upeniece and Francesca Puglisi in a collaborative installation spanning painting, printing, mixed media and experimental processes. Reflective surfaces, natural techniques and upcycled materials explore sustainability, craftsmanship and how traditional knowledge can generate new ideas.
Beyond the exhibitions, designMT also features four thematic events bringing together designers, practitioners, academics and industry voices. Spatial Design explores urban life and the city; Made by Design focuses on craft, materials and innovation; Flavour by Design looks at creativity in food and drink; while Fashion Design explores the ideas and processes behind Maltese fashion.
Together, the exhibitions and discussions highlight design as more than an aesthetic exercise - connecting creativity with function, innovation, materials and the way we experience the world around us.
designMT 2026 runs until Saturday, 3 October. Exhibitions are open from 10:00 to 20:00, with extended opening until 23:00 on Saturday during Notte Bianca. Entrance is free.
Further information is available at www.designmt.org.