Boosting contemporary art

Berth Cardona (Gozo Arts Museum, July 8) is very correct in expressing the need of a contemporary art museum in Gozo.

Recently in Parliament I stressed how shameful it is for our country not to have a contemporary art museum. I stated that we, as a nation, have a lot of artistic and creative talents and there is ample room for not only one contemporary art museum but two - one in Malta and one in Gozo.

The best site, even as told by the artists themselves, to house such a museum in Malta would definitely have been Biagio Steps, in Valletta. However, I've been told that the government thought it fitter to turn this space into a fortifications museum. Such a pity!

Similarly Gozo, the land of some of the best contemporary artists around, merits a second contemporary art museum.

I think that the Ċittadella has a wonderful potential to become a splendid patrimonial, creative, cultural and artistic "district".

Despite repeated promises on both issues, year in year out, we are left with nothing but hot air and a quasi-derelict Ċittadella.

It is high time that the government starts believing in culture and the arts and in the creative potential of our people.