The first edition of maltabiennale.art, which will be held in the coming year, aims to be the cultural event of 2024.
With 80 artists hailing from 23 nations, 24 of whom are Maltese, including two from the Maltese diaspora, as well as over 20 national and thematic pavilions spread throughout Malta and Gozo in 21 historic sites, 17 of which are under Heritage Malta’s care, this international contemporary art festival offers Malta as the centre of artistic creativity between March and May for locals and visitors alike.
The biennale, the first of its kind for Malta, is a Heritage Malta initiative, with Arts Council Malta as its main partner, as well as the Malta Tourism Authority, Malta Libraries, the Valletta Cultural Agency, MCAST, Festivals Malta, and Spazju Kreattiv, supported by the Ministries for Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Gozo, through the Culture Directorate.
This first Maltese biennale will also feature a public programme which will include participants such as Naples’ L’Orientale and Milan’s IULM Universities, Florence’s Academy of Arts, New York’s Image Threads, two other biennales – Larnaca’s and Mulhouse’s Biennale de la photographie, as well as UNESCO’s International Centre for the Interpretation and Presentation of World Heritage Sites.
Malta’s own Heritage Malta, MCAST, Magna Żmien, ŻfinMalta, KorMalta, Manoel Theatre, the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, the Valletta Cultural Agency, and Festivals Malta will also be participating.
The biennale aims to serve to enhance dialogue between Maltese art and that which lies beyond its shores, strengthening an already thriving sector and diversifying it
This biennale stands out from other similar events in that it melds national heritage and contemporary art. This proved a challenge but also a source of inspiration for participating artists, including notable names such as Cuba’s Tania Bruguera, Mexico’s Andrea Ferrero, Austria’s Barbra Kapusta, South Korea’s Dew Kim, Angola’s Edson Chagas, the USA’s Amy Bravo, Swtizerland’s Anna Anderegg, and Italy’s Post Disaster Collective and Agnes Questionmark, among others.
Minister for the National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government Owen Bonnici speaking at the launch.Maltese artists Austin Camilleri, Norbert Attard, Trevor Borg, Romeo Roxman Gatt and Martina Farrugia will also be among the artists featuring in maltabiennale.art.
The biennale aims to serve to enhance dialogue between Maltese art and that which lies beyond its shores, strengthening an already thriving sector and diversifying it.
The event will also certainly place Malta on the international cultural calendar, an aspiration which one could say has already been reached, when considering that the biennale has already attracted over 2,500 artistic proposals from over 100 nations.
maltabiennale.art is a Heritage Malta initiative through MUŻA, the Malta National Community Art Museum, in partnership with Arts Council Malta under the Patronage of the President of Malta and UNESCO. The biennale is also presented in cooperation with the Ministries for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade, National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government, and Gozo, as well as with Visit Malta, Malta Libraries, MCAST, Festivals Malta and the Valletta Cultural Agency. Visit maltabiennale.art for more information.