Updated at 10.30am

Heritage Malta advertised Fort St Angelo's historic bastions as "unique advertising space" on Monday evening, only to quickly take down the Facebook post after criticism from the Culture Minister. 

The agency on Monday posted a post on Facebook promoting the fort's bastions as ideal for advertising.

Its post featured a screen grab of a projection used to promote the Malta International Contemporary Art Space, which is expected to open in 2021, and invited prospective advertisers to send in an email for more information. 

The post immediately drew sharp criticism, with many people asking incredulously whether the post was a joke. 

Post deleted after minister's criticism

On Tuesday morning, Culture Minister Owen Bonnici wrote that he was unhappy with the idea and had let Heritage Malta know about it. 

Minutes later, the agency's post advertising Fort St Angelo's "unique advertising space" was deleted. 

Dr Bonnici said that he had no problem with projections which brought out the fort's beauty for national or cultural events.

However, he did not agree that the Fort should be reduced to a ‘billboard’ where those who could pay could advertise. 

'Our post was misleading'

Contacted on Tuesday morning, MP and Heritage Malta chairman Anton Refalo distanced himself from the Facebook post uploaded by the agency he chairs.

“I am a non-executive chairman. I know nothing about this. Send me an e-mail please and I will get back to you once I find out," he said. 

Heritage Malta subsequently told Times of Malta that its post had been badly communicated and "misleading". 

"There was never the intention to use Fort St Angelo as billboard space," the agency said. 

"All projections which are shown in this space are limited to national events and to activities of a historical, cultural and artistic nature. Content is always vetted accordingly and subject to approval". 

The agency said that "action has been taken" to ensure there was no repeat of the miscommunication.