Malta won €1.5 million when Valletta was declared as the European Culture City in 2018, Tourism Minister Mario de Marco has said.

But perhaps the pot of gold lies not in the financial perks but the fact that the prestigious title opened the doors to a new style of politics.

Instead of taking up arms and shooting down whatever was uttered by the other party, MPs from both sides of the House, representing their parties in the coordinating Parliamentary Group, worked hand in hand in a grand gesture of national commitment.

“This augurs well, seeing as this group will be witnessing two elections,” said Dr de Marco, referring to the 2013 and the 2018 polls.

Both Nationalist and Labour MPs gave an approving nod to the Valletta 2018 Foundation’s proposals to commemorate the title.

The main highlights will be the opening of a museum for contemporary art – with the old power station at Pinto Wharf cited as the location – converting the Mediterranean Conference Centre into a multi-performance space, renovating the old Valletta market and restoring the lighthouse at Fort St Elmo.

“We will focus on utilising the existing buildings and promoting the heritage we have,” V18 chairman David Felice said.

Cultural activities will not be limited to the capital city but will be held all over Malta and Gozo as an “extended region” of Valletta. About 7,000 artists in the creative industry will be receiving help “so culture can move ahead”.

The budget plans estimate an expense of nearly €50 million between 2013 and 2020.

It is made up of public funds, sponsorships, ticketing revenues and the Melina Mercouri €1.5 million winning prize, which will be passed on to Valletta at the end of 2017.

The bulk of the sum will be spent in 2016 – the year Valletta celebrates its 450th anniversary – and in 2018.

According to Mr Felice, a budget of €50 million compared well with budgets of smaller cities chosen as European Culture Capitals in the past.

“Of course, there are some cities which go over the top – Marseille spent €120 million, for example, and Istanbul two years ago splashed out with €530 million,” said Mr Felice.

When querying the expenditure, Labour culture spokesman Owen Bonnici clarified he had absolutely no intention of opposing the budget plans but rather “blessed every penny”.

“For once, this is a parliamentary group set up specifically to look at the future and not to dig up the past,” Dr Bonnici said.

The V-18 budget

Total budget: €49,565,000 over seven years (between 2013 and 2020).

Budget breakdown:

• €21,227,000 – relocation of current
funds from the public sector.
• €16,436,000 – new funds from the
public sector.
• €4,000,000 – sponsorship in cash.
• €3,000,000 – sponsorship in kind.
• €3,402,000 – revenue from
merchandising and ticketing.
• €1,500,000 – Melina Mercouri Prize.

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