Breathing fresh air

The Malta Arts Festival - Summer 2006 is approaching its final days. This festival presented a rich programme of events, injected life into the capital city during the evening and provided a platform for Maltese artists and performers. It also transformed the Royal Opera House site and Freedom Square into performing spaces.

The programme attracted a wide audience. From the exquisite Ballet d'Europe to the evocative Flamenco offering an adaptation of Bizet's Carmen, from the contemplative literary evening to the lively Golden Oldies music, from the popular Orchestra Goes Pop to the intimate Beckett evening, from Carmine's hypnotic concentration to the Ship of Fools' merry making, this festival offered an incredible mix.

It managed to breathe life into the city. Other initiatives such as BOV Streets Alive and Strada came into being as welcome offshoots. A comment that I repeatedly heard while enjoying the bubbling atmosphere of our city on a Friday evening was "Why can't Valletta be like this all year round?"

Perhaps the patrons who were enjoying the exhibitions and performances or sipping wine at tables on the streets of Valletta know little about the hard work that went into organising events. Having been involved from the inception phase I know how much effort and dedication underpins this festival. I wish to again thank Davinia, Mario and all those who believed in and worked for its success. Valletta is alive again, thanks to you. A word of gratitude is due to the media which supported us, to the Valletta Local Council and to sponsors who extended their support.

Last Saturday the Prime Minister came over to attend the flamenco performance of Carmen. He extended his own most welcome words of appreciation and encouragement to all those who have made this festival possible. His very presence provided these people with the highest tribute that they do deserve.

The festival served as a platform for Maltese artists and performers to put on displays that made me feel proud to be Maltese. It is impossible to mention all the talented artists who took part. Their product strengthened my resolve to work for improved facilities in favour of the arts. Over the past year my Ministry together with the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts started working on different initiatives in this regard. I look forward to seeing these projects develop from concept to realisation. One new initiative is to organise for the first time ever our own equivalent of La Notte Bianca - keeping our capital city alive through culture and the arts all through the night. It will happen on October 14, after the Military Tattoo.

The Royal Opera House site and Freedom Square provided an incredible experience. Critics commented on the emotional aspect of entering the site through an entrance that evokes the old opera house. The festival has scored a number of highs. It has set a high standard that must be maintained. There will always be things that can be done better or differently. I welcome comments in this regard. So would the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts.

This festival has shown how much can be achieved when we pool our resources. This was a classic case where the public and private sectors worked hand in hand. Let us build on this success. Let us keep this momentum going. What we did was not only of cultural and artistic value but also generated economic value.

It is my resolve that the Arts' Festival will keep growing in stature from year to year and that the site now chosen for it will become its natural home. It is also my aim that the site will host on a regular and continuous basis more events relating to culture and the arts.

My Ministry invested in this initiative and intends to invest further for its future growth. It is an investment that is already yielding tangible results. Malta as a whole and Valletta in particular have become more event oriented than ever before.

Breathing more of culture and the arts is forever similar to breathing fresh air.

Dr Zammit Dimech is the Minister for Tourism and Culture.