Some €13 million has been dedicated to building a comprehensive new crafts village in Ta' Qali.

The ‘village’, which has long been on the cards, will house around 70 artisanal workshops and other operators who have entered into agreements with the authorities to co-finance the building of a new establishments.

Karl Azzopardi, chief executive of Malta Industrial Parks, told Times of Malta that operators had been offered up to €70,000 to build new facilities in the village.

These would have to be finalised by 2020 and follow design guidelines drafted as part of the EU funding application.

He said that a new foundation had also been set up, among operators, to breath new life into the village and to administer a calendar of events. They would also be responsible for upkeep.

Minister Chris Cardona

Meanwhile, the authorities have just penned an agreement with the Education Ministry to incorporate the village into school activities and other educational campaigns.

Addressing a press conference at the village, EU Funds Parliamentary Secretary Aaron Farrugia said the European Regional Development Fund had been tapped to finance this project, as well as the Xewkija industrial park in Gozo.

Other funds were also being utilised to help keep these crafts and skills alive.

Economy Minister Chris Cardona said the project would have spaces to entice and entertain visitors, adding that the crafts village was going to be “an experience”.

Reminiscing over the long road this project had taken, Dr Cardona said he remembered how, back in 2013, when he had first been tasked with seeing the project through, he had been taken aback at how long it had been left on the back burner.

“There were many plans, but no one had ever asked for the funds to actually make this village a reality,” he said.

One of the long standing Ta Qali artisans told Times of Malta that the past few months of construction - which had seen new roads laid over subterranean service culverts - had seen business grind to a halt.

“Now we are looking to the future, and hope this project will revitalise this area and make the crafts village a destination for Maltese and tourists alike,” he said.

A look at the newly revamped crafts village. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli