Arts festival aims to reflect country's artistic maturity

The artistic directors of the Malta Arts Festival, which starts on Friday and goes on until August 20, are offering a hands-on approach and adding their personal touches to this year's three-week cultural event.

Davinia Galea and Mario Frendo, arts executives at the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts, are two of four new recruits, who are filling in the lack of a "concept-making" middle section in its structure. This is where the arts executives - artists with a difference because they also have a management and bureaucratic background - have fitted in.

"Our role is vast and not too clear-cut - in a positive sense - which is very good," say the musicians. Ms Galea is a pianist and Mr Frendo a string player and composer, with backgrounds in history of art and theatre respectively.

They have both been involved in the organisation of a variety of events; plus, being artistes, they feel they have the all-important sensitivity to deal with other artistes and understand their particular needs.

"We think it is quite innovative for the government to employ us, rather than just another administrator, with no artistic background," they say, stressing their belief in employing people in the arts in this area.

"More of us should be involved and employed to help and support the arts and artists. We are just a drop in the ocean. How many people in Malta actually live off their art? Many have to do other completely unrelated jobs, and this is not only Malta's problem. It would be good if there were more openings in the art world, where it is usually quite hard to land a job.

"Management is extremely important. However, it is more difficult to create an artist and easier to create a manager. To manage the arts, you need someone who comes from the artistic scene but has a good management background. Artistes are very sensitive and they are not interested in bureaucracy. We have to bridge the two," say the arts executives on their role.

While stressing that they are merely building on what was already there, they are also, of course, throwing their own touches into the mix. The arts festival has been around, under different names, and the new arts executives are trying to revamp it by, for example, changing it from a long season of three months to a more condensed three-week festival of daily events.

One of the main reasons for this is to be able to market it overseas next year to attract tourists to Malta. "We have done this in line with the government's drive to promote cultural tourism. When people attend the Edinburgh Festival, for example, they know it is in August and they remain for the whole duration, the events are of such high quality."

Malta's heritage has also entered the picture and is being used as a backdrop for the performances, the main stage being the Old Opera House in Freedom Square, Valletta, which is considered to be an added selling point.

Its original entrance up the stairs from Republic Street is being reused, and a replica of the façade has been drawn and will be installed so that the audience has the feeling of entering the intact old theatre, Ms Galea said. Even the stage is being set up in its original position.

Flagpoles with colourful, eight-foot banners, based on the idea of the bandalori, are being positioned round the site and other venues for a festa atmosphere, they said. "People entering City Gate should immediately feel the atmosphere of the setting."

The arts executives have also laid strong emphasis on the branding of the festival and the consistency of its image. "The idea is that when you see the design, you recognise the festival immediately," they said.

The programme has been divided into music, dance, theatre, visual arts and literature: two exhibitions - photography and sculpture at St James and Freedom Square respectively - are open throughout and free of charge; chamber music recitals are being held at the Mediterranean Conference Centre; and then there are the "big" music shows, such as the National Orchestra Goes Pop, Golden Oldies and Nafra, together with a versatile brass ensemble and a Portuguese harmonica orchestra.

"We are focusing a lot of importance on the contemporary aspect of the arts. In fact, the Dance Council with Ballet d'Europe is also presenting a contemporary piece, with state-of-the-art lighting.

"Putting up contemporary performances shows what our culture is today and what we are living. We have to push what is now and not always reflect on the past. We have to promote and support our contemporary artistes to leave a legacy in the future of what we are now."

As for the literary evenings, "the Maltese language as part of our culture just had to feature in the festival. We believe in its artistic quality and we are also showcasing contemporary Maltese literature".

The mix between the foreign and local was also fundamental, the artistic directors said. "Art is born of collaboration, and is even better when this is between different cultures. We wanted the festival to be a platform of this."

Mr Frendo strongly believes that "you have to give the public everything, and organisers cannot be condescending and assume that people would not appreciate, or understand certain things. We cannot think people are stupid and assume that research theatre (of which there are performances at the festival), for example, only appeals to a select few.

"We want the festival to reflect the artistic maturity of the country. Offer the public something and they will go for it!"

The Malta Arts Festival is competing with others around Europe costing hundreds of millions of euros. Funded by the government, it is supported by the private sector, even though there were problems with sponsors this year, primarily due to the time constraints.

"As a country, we must believe more in our culture and the arts because this is what makes us who we are," the artistic directors said. "If we want to create an identity, even now that we are in Europe, it is through the arts, so we should invest in them."

A lot is happening on the local cultural scene, particularly given the size of the country, they maintained. Audiences are spoilt for choice, compared to 10 years ago, with the positive overlapping of events.

"As a council, we believe it is now quality that we have to give importance to in order to make that leap. In the arts, you cannot play around; there are no half measures. The secret lies in the quality."

While some events are free, the idea is to keep prices as low as possible for the others so that everyone can afford to attend the Malta Arts Festival.