The Art Explora Festival in collaboration with Art Explora and Spazju Kreattiv, held at the Xatt Pinto, Valletta Waterfront from March 21 to March 31, came to an end last Sunday. Over 10 days, the festival events attracted a diverse array of attendees with an estimated 21,000 visitors.

At the core of the festival’s allure stood the remarkable 47-metre-long and 55-metre-high catamaran, ingeniously transformed into the world’s first-ever museum boat with its maiden voyage to Malta. Each day, this magnificent vessel welcomed hundreds of visitors, providing an immersive experience that epitomised the fusion of art and culture, technology, and community engagement.

Throughout the festival duration, attendees embarked on the museum boat, immersing themselves in its captivating audio-visual journey through the history of the Mediterranean Seas.

With 30 initiatives and 55 activities, the festival comprised a curated programme tailored to a wide public spectrum. From dynamic music compositions to thought-provoking circus arts, film and dance, each performance served as a compelling vehicle for storytelling and social commentary. Over 95 artists from Malta and overseas converged to share their creative vision, shedding light on pertinent global issues and inspiring positive action.

A series of workshops for children was organised.

Central to the festival’s ethos, developed by Art Explora Foundation and Spazju Kreattiv, was its dedication to fostering democratic platforms for encounters and exchanges through the creative arts. A series of workshops for children and their families centred around the captivating catamaran experience offered a space for the exploration of themes such as cultural diversity, ecological preservation, and gender equality.

In essence, the Art Explora Festival not only celebrated creativity but also catalysed collective action toward a more equitable and sustainable future. By challenging conventional perspectives and prompting introspection, the festival encouraged attendees to expand their horizons and confront assumptions. Through the shared experience of artand culture, attendees were inspired to transcend barriers of language, culture, and ideology, fostering connections that endure beyond the festival days.

With hundreds of people involved in the various events and activities, the festival’s resonance extends far beyond its closing date, leaving an indelible mark of creative inspiration and social action.

A concert by Malta's band Brikkuni was one of the highlights.

The Art Explora Festival has left an enduring mark on Malta’s cultural landscape, inspiring and uniting communities through art’s transformative power. As participants reflect on this unforgettable experience, they carry with them memories of a festival that transcended boundaries. The enduring impact of the festival’s inaugural stopover will continue to ignite creativity and celebrate human connection at the other planned stopovers around the Mediterranean in the coming years.

Next stops for the Art Explora Festival in 2024:

17-22 April > Venice, Italy

6-18 June > Marseille, France

September > Tangier, Morocco

October > Rabat, Morocco

November > Malaga, Spain