All-night arts bonanza in Valletta next month

Rest well on October 13, so that you can stay up and enjoy an entire night of arts and culture in their multi-faceted forms in Valletta between October 14 and 15.

Notte Bianca - Lejl Imdawwal aims to bring the streets of the capital alive throughout the evening until the early hours.

It is being organised in Malta for the first time, following in the footsteps of its success in a number of other European capital cities.

Mary Ann Cauchi, arts executive at the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts, which is presenting the event, explained that Nuit Blanche originated in Paris and has spread to several cities, including Rome, Riga, Madrid, Toronto and Helsinki in the last five years.

Around 50 events, featuring over 400 artists within the space of 12 hours are participating and promoting the arts in a people-friendly way, Ms Cauchi said.

The event kicks off at 5 p.m. with a concert at St James Cavalier as part of the Mozartfest, and ends with jazz, the City Dawn Concert, at the Royal Opera House ruins.

In between is a varied programme of exhibitions, parades, performances, installations, re-enactments and tours in a wide range of locations, including streets, squares, gardens, museums, theatres and cultural centers. These are the venues for a variety of genres - from music to art, theatre, dance, literature, film, sport, folklore, crafts, history, photography, sculpture and fashion, as well as animated tours and children's educational fun and interaction.

The public is invited to join in the unique, festive experience and rediscover the treasures of the capital city, but with a difference - by night, Ms Cauchi said.

The National Museum of Archaeology, the Palace Armoury, State Rooms at the Grand Master's Palace, Casa Rocca Piccola, the Toy Museum and the Great Siege Exhibition in Republic Square are to remain open for viewing between 6 p.m. and midnight, and some of these venues are also hosting light entertainment.

The Malta Experience and Knight Hospitallers at the Mediterranean Conference Centre are also remaining open until late, while the Manoel Theatre, St James Cavalier Centre for Creativity, the National Library, St John's Co-Cathedral and other chapels and churches in Valletta are to open for tours, viewing and live activities.

Restaurants and cafés are also remaining open, with larger outdoor spaces for their patrons to enjoy the festive atmosphere throughout the night.

The main public transport routes would also be running throughout the night, with a shuttle service in Valletta for the elderly and persons with disability. Sea transport services from Vittoriosa to Valletta and back are also being organised, while the Gozo Channel ferry is operating return trips on its usual schedule from Cirkewwa to Mgarr throughout the night.

Notte Bianca - Lejl Imdawwal, which was launched at Caffe Cordina yesterday, is being held under the auspices of the Tourism and Culture Ministry, and supported by the National Lotteries for Good Causes Fund, within the Ministry of Finance, which is contributing Lm700 to the event.

The government aimed to use the fund for cultural projects, the Parliamentary Secretary in the Finance Ministry Tonio Fenech said, adding that, of the Lm500,000 that have been distributed so far, it has already contributed Lm100,000 to cultural initiatives.

Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said the event was following hot on the heels of the success of the Arts Festival, which was also organised by the council during the summer.

Notte Bianca is also being supported by the Valletta local council, the MTA, the Westin Dragonara Resort Malta and the radio station Capital 88.7.

Enquiries can be made on hotline 9999 0145, or info@nottebiancamalta.com www.nottebiancamalta.com