Nominations open for the Premju għall-Arti 2026

Nominations have opened for the 2026 edition of Premju għall-Arti, Arts Council Malta's national awards recognising achievements across Malta's cultural and creative sectors.

The awards recognise artworks, projects, productions, initiatives and other artistic achievements presented to the public between September 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026.

For the first time, nominations are being accepted without pre-established award categories. Instead, Arts Council Malta will review all eligible submissions before deciding which categories will form part of the awards programme.

Arts Minister Malcolm Paul Agius Galea said the awards provide national recognition for artists, organisations and projects contributing to Malta's cultural landscape.

"The nominations phase gives both the sector and the public the opportunity to propose works that have made an impact, opened up new discussions or enriched cultural life within our communities," he said.

Arts Council Malta executive chair Luke Dalli said opening the nominations process to the public would help showcase the diversity of artistic work being produced in Malta.

"We believe artistic excellence takes many different forms and we want this edition to authentically reflect the quality, diversity and creativity of the work being created in Malta," he said.

Maria Angela Vassallo, the council's communications director and awards manager, said removing fixed categories would allow the awards to better reflect current artistic practice.

Nominations may be submitted by members of the public, artists, producers, promoters, cultural organisations, public entities and private organisations. Self-nominations are also being accepted.

The guidelines and nomination form are available on the Arts Council Malta website. Nominations close at noon on September 1.