Science in the City Festival 2021 will once again be undergoing a complete overhaul, bringing an action-packed hybrid festival on September 24 and 25. 

The festival that graced the streets of Valletta on an annual basis is moving into theatres around the city while retaining the virtual presence it established in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The hybrid festival hopes to reach both old and new audiences with an innovative programme celebrating science and arts. 

In the run-up to this year’s festival, there will be a thrilling series of pre-festival events, with the programme launched on September 2, celebrating science and arts.

The festival aims to engage people of all walks of life with science, research and innovation through the arts. 

The official Science in the City 2021 poster.

Sowing Seeds, the theme for this year’s festival, is born of a strong desire to live in a country that respects its natural heritage. 

It focuses on empowering audiences with opportunities to think critically, while inspiring creativity and the desire to take action, no matter how small, to improve the world we live in. 

This was announced at the University of Malta, by the organisers during the press conference that launched the pre-festival and official programme of the 2021 festival. 

The 2021 Pre-Festival programme boasts events for the whole family to enjoy. 

Last year’s successful escape room is back, only better.

Created by GreenHouse and the research centre BiOrbic, the audience will need to help researchers unravel the clues and puzzles to save the world from the devastating effects of climate change. 

ĊineXjenza will host three local and international movies followed by discussions with directors and researchers. 

Moreover, Trust Stamp Malta has launched a challenge for teens to “hack'' their facial recognition system; the masks created by these teens with the help of artist Liliana Fleri Soler will be exhibited at the festival. 

On the last weekend in September, the festival team will host the physical and digital events simultaneously. 

The science-inspired programme, supported by researchers from a large selection of fields, includes The Time Travellers’ Dilemma installation by Glen Calleja’s Solid Eye, and a music performance by award-winning British comedy-science-singer-songwriter John Hinton in collaboration with Nature Trust Malta whose selection of songs will resonate with the festival’s theme of Sowing Seeds. 

Actors Jeremy Grech and Sean Briffa present The Adventures of the Ammoknights: Moving Megaliths, a creative performance-tour around Malta’s cultural heritage. 

Environment and Resource Authority’s collaboration with More or less Theatre brings a fascinating puppet show, Ċlikki’s wild adventure: The Long Flutter Home, which follows butterfly’s adventure through the countryside highlighting the importance of Malta’s biodiversity along the way. 

While a new festival addition called the Game of Talents will show off Malta’s researchers, such as food scientist Dr Sholeem Griffin and neuroscientist Dr Claude Bajada, participants will have to guess their profession with very few clues to go on.  

Artist Glen Calleja presenting his artistic project for Science in the City called 'The Time Travellers’ Dilemma'.

The interactive, online festival will offer a platform from which the audience can watch and participate in experiments, games, quizzes, plays, puppet shows, discussions with Malta’s researchers and students. 

The digital version of Science in the City will bring viewers in direct contact with the latest in science, technology, research and innovation, from the comfort of their homes.  

The festival has been carefully planned to ensure visitors, staff and volunteers can experience the event in a safe manner. 

Real-world events will be seated affairs, with all the health and safety measures implemented at all times. 

For this reason, audience numbers will be restricted so do book early to ensure you do not miss out on this unique experience. Follow the updates on the Science in the City website and social media. 

For regular updates, follow the festival’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ScienceInTheCityMalta