With the overwhelming majority of Malta’s events and live entertainment being cancelled or postponed, and galleries, theatres and museums closing their doors, Malta’s cultural provision has all but shut down due to the COVID-19 virus. As the fallout from the unprecedented disruption begins to be felt, Times of Malta invited artists and key figures within the creative and entertainment industries to give us an insider perspective on the impact of the near-total interruption to the cultural calendar.
Mario Azzopardi, film analyst
“The industry is in chaos and worse. With major Hollywood studios postponing all their main Easter films, there are no major films for exhibition. Besides cinemas, even films being shot in Malta will be affected. Audiences who want to see films will go for alternatives, most probably for streaming media, such as films on demand provided by local providers and international media providers such as Netflix.”
Mario Azzopardi, film analyst
Kate De Cesare, director of operations at Eden Leisure Group“Expectedly the situation has decimated the industry. We don’t know how long this situation will last, so we can’t say. If this drags on for a protracted period, then the government must step in to prevent mass loss of jobs and possible bankruptcies throughout the country.”
Kate De Cesare, director of operations at Eden Leisure Group
Wesley Ellul, co-founder and director at ticketline.com.mt and director at Big Ticket Events“This is going to hurt everyone in the business, but more so the independent practitioners who have built a financial model which takes them from funded project to funded project. These people are always on the go, and while this time may spur amazing creativity, it will also be financially very difficult, especially if projects they had planned have been completely cancelled or shows they were running under schemes stopped. We may lose a lot of great people to full-time jobs following this, as they may not be willing to face the struggles they are about to face being self-employed in the arts.”
Wesley Ellul, co-founder and director at ticketline.com.mt and director at Big Ticket Events
Jean Noël Attard, events and marketing, Malta Philharmonic Orchestra“We brought over 30 musicians to Malta to perform with the MPO for Mahler’s Sixth Symphony. However, in view of the directives issued and the travel bans, the concert was cancelled ‒ hence we needed to ensure the orchestra’s well-being and the extra musicians’ safe return home. Besides, the recent obligatory quarantine for non-Maltese residents visiting the country entails the cancelling of our upcoming concerts, in view of the guest conductors and musicians engaged to join the MPO.”
Jean Noël Attard, events and marketing, Malta Philharmonic Orchestra
Andreas Stadler, ambassador of Austria to Malta“The Mdina Biennial was supposed to be opened and I should have been there together with eight Austrian artists. We should support the arts by not cancelling our tickets to support artists who will not have an income for the next two or more months.”
Andreas Stadler, ambassador of Austria to Malta
Jo Caruana, performer and founder of PR agency Write Me Anything. Photo: Kris Micallef“It is going to be very significant. The recent boom in the arts has meant that most producers and performers set their calendar well in advance; often two years in advance (and the same goes for PR planning). I have no idea how this is going to affect things long term because it may mean some shows will have to be cancelled completely (because there will be no space to schedule them in), while others will now be vying for the same limited audience pot, but with more competition if other shows get postponed to that same period.”
Jo Caruana, performer and founder of PR agency Write Me Anything
Anthony Bezzina, creative director Masquerade Theatre Company“Postponing our show Matilda the Musical in the interest of the public, cast and crew is the first priority. Productions like Matilda the Musical do not start out as a business venture. A production of this magnitude is very costly and the only way to make ends meet is to have the full support of the public, while making sure that the public gets a full and professional show which it deserves. We can only hope and wait to minimise a loss of expenses already incurred.”
Anthony Bezzina, creative director at Masquerade Theatre Company
Kenneth Zammit Tabona, artistic director at the Manoel Theatre“I have been speaking with numerous creative directors in other countries, and they are all facing cancellations of events and disruptions to further programming as well. This is, of course, particularly problematic for the musicians and other artists involved, as due to their work being freelance, they do not have access to financial assistance to compensate them for the loss of earnings, whether state-run or otherwise. Leading organisations in countries such as the Netherlands and the US have, in fact, started encouraging ticket holders of cancelled events to consider donating the value of the ticket to the artists scheduled to perform, instead of receiving a refund. This is, of course, voluntary but is something I have been advocating to various stakeholders in Malta, as this could make a big difference to our artists and performers who contribute so much to the culture of this country.”
Kenneth Zammit Tabona, artistic director at the Manoel Theatre
Ġorġ Mallia, artist and associate professor and head of media and communications at the University of Malta“Art exhibitions, concerts... they are intended to be occasions for the socialisation of like-minded people (i.e. culture lovers) and social distancing ruins that entirely, turning events that should be warm and emotional into distantly-viewed detachments. Like putting the Mona Lisa behind glass (they did, and ruined the experience) or sticking an objet d’art, meant by the artist to be touched, inside a closed cabinet. A sad sad time for culture as well.”
Ġorġ Mallia, artist and associate professor and head of media and communications at the University of Malta
Tyrone Grima, theatre director and senior lecturer of performing arts at MCAST“A few years ago, I took a decision to focus on the educational sector in the performing arts and to work as a theatre practitioner as a freelancer on a part-time basis. Others took the opposite (and in my opinion bolder) decision to work full-time as a performer. In the current scenario even should matters prolong, so far it seems that my salary as a lecturer is guaranteed. Sadly, this is not the case for those in the community whose main, if not exclusive, source of income, is dependent on performances. In the light of this, I would like to explore whether a structure could be created whereby those members in the community who, like me, are in a more secure position, can be of support, even on a financial level, to those who have been more seriously affected by the latest developments, especially if the situation worsens. Any ideas of how such a structure can be implemented are more than welcome. I believe that, as a community, we need to support each other, especially in these difficult and challenging moments.”
Tyrone Grima, theatre director and senior lecturer of performing arts at MCAST
James Corby (left), lead guitarist with band Vintage Brew, here pictured with bandmate John Readman, and associate professor and head of department of English at the University of Malta“The various cancellations are disappointing but inevitable. It’s an extraordinary situation and we must err on the side of caution for the sake of the well-being of society as a whole. I think we have to try to find whatever positives we can. For artists and performers this might be an opportunity to reflect on their craft, to practise more, to read more, to write more and so on. I’d also like to think that the (hopefully) short-term absence of live arts and culture events will lead to a greater appreciation of them when they return – as Joni Mitchell famously sang, ‘you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone’. ”
James Corby, associate professor and head of department of English at the University of Malta and lead guitarist with band Vintage Brew.
Rafael Pascual Leone, communities and projects officer at the Valletta Design Cluster“In times of crisis (like in wartime), culture and the arts have been a powerful means to comfort, challenge and inspire people who feel confused, demoralised or alone. Culture can help raise morale, make people feel that they are not alone. Times of crisis exact a psychological stress and culture can help with that. We’re seeing some ingenious innovation. On YouTube I saw a video of an apartment building under quarantine, where the residents joined together in music, singing and playing instruments from their windows. Culture is about making meaning, and in absurd times, that’s part of what one needs.”
Rafael Pascual Leone, communities and projects officer at the Valletta Design Cluster