The first music and arts centre for children and young adults with disability has reached full capacity, less than a year since its opening.
Marquis Di Villa Bianca Centre for Music and Arts opened its doors in November 2021 but expansion plans are already in hand as the waiting list grows.
The centre provides a safe space for children and young people to explore the power of music, which benefits them both creatively and therapeutically. It is a project by the Malta Trust Foundation and the premises in Birkirkara were donated by pianist Fransina Abela and her husband Maurice.
Villa Bianca enrolled 85 students and provided over 400 sessions over a four-day week last December.
According to the annual report, the centre is now running at full capacity, offering sessions to 120 children and young adults over a six-day week. There are another 104 applicants on the centre’s waiting list.
“When we started, I never imagined that we would see over 100 children apply for this centre so quickly,” President Emeritus Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca told Times of Malta.
The Malta Trust Foundation president, who has been the driving force behind the centre, described Villa Bianca as a “state-of-the-art” facility with big plans for the growth of its services, outreach and training.
“We need more space as we are full up and cannot take in any more students,” she added.
“We have targeted that, by March 2023, we will secure new premises so that, hopefully, by September we can be up and running and ready to take on another 100 children and more music practitioners.”
Apart from opening a new centre in Malta, Colerio Preca said another long-term plan is to also expand the services to Gozo.
“What is provided in Malta should also be provided on the sister island. We know this is a challenge but we are not afraid of challenges,” she said.
She said Villa Bianca is a celebration of love and respect and safeguarding children’s rights to education, equality and equity.
Colerio Preca said there are also plans for the centre to provide more training and courses for inspiring music practitioners.
Villa Bianca is collaborating with the University of West England (UWE), in Bristol, which provides accredited training for an MA in music therapeutic studies. Two of Villa Bianca’s creative music practitioners will be enrolling in September to receive a training programme jointly offered by the UWE and Villa Bianca.
Coleiro Preca said the centre is also in collaboration with the Malta School of Music to ensure that there is an educational pathway accessible to children and young people with disabilities.
She said there will be a bigger push to increase awareness of the centre, the work of the practitioners and the children and young people it represents.