Valletta dared to dream yesterday morning as it presented its final bid to become European Capital of Culture (ECoC)in 2018.
Titled Imagine 18, the bid aims to achieve long-term, culture-led regeneration of the capital.
It was prepared by the Valletta 2018 Foundation and presented to the Culture and Tourism Ministry, the managing authority for the bid.
Valletta 2018 chairman David Felice said the final bid was only the beginning of a long journey that would hopefully take Valletta far beyond the year itself.
“Valletta’s bid is inspired by a call to imagine a future that is better than the present,” Prof. Felice said.
A promotional video showcasing Valletta as a dynamic city of ancient artistic traditions and cutting-edge technology and design was shown at the presentation.
Directed by Paul Parker, the film featured real-life artists, designers and craftsmen, who carried the final bid book into the presentation at the Culture and Tourism Ministry in Valletta.
An outline cultural programme has now been developed following a series of public events, workshops and conferences that has brought together some 250 individuals and organisations since the first draft of the bid was presented in January.
For the final bid, the Valletta 2018 artistic team – led by artistic director Wayne Marshall and seven artistic programme directors – developed ideas sent in by many organisations and individuals structured around four themes: generations, routes, cities and islands.
Artistic programme director Paul Portelli said the bid was about celebrating Valletta’s rich heritage but also bridging the gap between generations and injecting new lifeblood into the city.
“We want people to realise that the whole city, the whole island is a stage,” Mr Portelli said.
After thanking the Valletta 2018 Foundation, Culture and Tourism Minister Mario de Marco said the bid celebrated “what makes us Maltese” by championing not just conventional art forms, such as theatre and music, but also community events like village feasts and regattas.
“Malta should aim to organise a successful project with benefits beyond 2018,” Dr de Marco added.
The presentation was the last step before the final selection meeting on October 12, when an international panel of cultural experts will decide whether Valletta will be awarded the ECoC distinction.
Two cities hold the ECoC title each year. In 2018, they are expected to be in Malta and The Netherlands.
Valletta is running unopposed to be Malta’s ECoC but it must still prove to the judging panel that it is fully deserving of the title.