Ninety per cent of theatre spaces are located outside Valletta, according to the first ever audit of theatre spaces in Malta and Gozo, which was officially launched recently.
Only 37 per cent of theatres in Malta and Gozo are public; the majority – 45 per cent – belong to the Church, while 18 per cent are privately owned.
These are some of the key findings published in Spazji Teatrali, A Catalogue of Theatres in Malta and Gozo, a catalogue of 78 theatre spaces, which was commissioned by Arts Council Malta and implemented by the Valletta 2018 Foundation. The book was co-authored by Vicki Ann Cremona, Ruben Paul Borg, Ing Keith Chetcuti and Sean Buhagiar.
The catalogue lists and describes the physical characteristics and technical equipment of many venues across the Maltese islands that can be used to host theatrical or musical productions. The result is a wide-ranging and comprehensive profile for most venues, running the gamut from well-known spaces to hidden gems.
This study aims to provide the culture sector with valuable informational resources about the spaces available in each locality, as well as the use of these same spaces in contemporary cultural activity.
A wide-ranging and comprehensive profile for most venues, running the gamut from well-known spaces to hidden gems
The launch of the catalogue is being followed by Tour Teatru Tazza Te, a series of tours organised by Teatru Malta, the newly-founded national theatre company, and Arts Council Malta, with the support of the Valletta 2018 Foundation. The tours will run between April and July.
The tours, which will further showcase and explore some of the lesser-known theatres included in the audit, are expected to be of interest to theatre producers and directors who will also have the opportunity to talk about theatre with Teatru Malta representatives. Those registering for the whole tour are being offered free transport.
Photo: Jonathan BorgThe catalogue is a result of the Theatres Audit project, which is one of the three core components of the Valletta 2018 Foundation Cultural Mapping Programme.
The project, commissioned by Arts Council Malta, forms part of the council’s research and community strategic actions as outlined in its Create 2020 strategy.
The launch of the catalogue was followed by a preview of Teatru Malta’s new brand, which can be seen on www.teatrumalta.org.mt.
The catalogue launch and event form part of Viva t-Teatru, a series of events celebrating World Theatre Day, organised by Teatru Malta and Arts Council Malta.
Spazji Teatrali is available for free download from www.valletta2018.org and from www.artscouncilmalta.org.