It will come as no surprise to many that when the original proposal for an open air theatre to replace the Royal Opera House was first made public, I was at the forefront of those objecting to the idea.

Some noted my objections and claimed I had a vested interest. After all, at the time I was running St James Cavalier.

The original idea called for St James Cavalier to be the first phase of an ambitious project that would have seen it sitting side by side to its larger sibling. This would host a large theatre as well as exhibition halls. In front of these two buildings, the space then known as ‘Freedom Square’ was to be redeveloped to host outdoor events.

Ultimately, this combination of a People’s Palace, an open creative space, and a creative laboratory would generate vitality and excitement at the entrance to Valletta, thereby giving the city its creative soul.

It was obvious that I was batting for my own little empire.

Observers maintained that once the city already had the Manoel Theatre and the Mediterranean Conference Centre it had no need for another theatrical space. And, besides, it would be unsustainable.

The reality was that, in artistic and economic terms as well as audience comfort, the Manoel Theatre had a lot of issues. As for the Mediterranean Conference Centre, this was never designed to be a theatre, lacking the intimacy and acoustics that would make it suitable for anything other than piped music or mic’d events.

Indeed, I remember that when some of the objectors, myself included, went to speak to then prime minister Lawrence Gonzi to explain our position, he recognised these issues and proposed the redevelopment of the Mediterranean Conference Centre, alongside the cruise liner terminal. (For some reason, Maltese politicians always associate culture with tourism and never as something necessary for the country’s well-being.)

Theatres are very strange animals which have both practical and symbolic elements. On the one hand, they are feats of engineering and imagination. So shoehorning a theatre into an important historical building, which is itself protected, creates huge limitations. However, theatres are also a symbol of a nation’s identity and aspirations. They stand apart as a building, as important as a country’s Parliament or Cathedral.

Is it any wonder then that the British built both a cathedral and a theatre as the two most significant edifices in the city and as a symbol of their arrival?

I have been questioning more and more whether Malta needs any new theatres­

Is it not therefore also ironic that 50 years after our Independence we have still not built a symbol to our national identity?

If that is the case, why am I suggesting we do not build a brand new theatre, at least for now?

Over the last few years, I have been questioning more and more whether Malta needs any new theatres. A few years back, the National Statistics Office came out with the surprising news that Malta and Gozo are blessed with no fewer than 70 theatres. I know that a number of eyebrows were raised, mine included. If there are so many theatres, why is it that so many companies and groups find no space in which to rehearse and perform?

The reality is that many of these theatres are inadequate, in an abandoned or quasi-abandoned state. Most of them are owned by Church organisations and those in use serve as meeting halls and will allow a very restricted number and type of performances.

The problem is that churches in Malta and Gozo seem to have a problem with culture on their premises. So, for example, they will not allow secular music.

This prompts the question: when is a piece of music sacred or profane? (Is Beethoven’s 9th symphony profane? Is Bach’s violin concerto sacred?) Similarly, they will look suspiciously at anything contemporary or controversial. Until very recently, even Ibsen was a no-go for Gozo’s church authorities.

More importantly, many of these theatres lack even basic amenities for both backstage and audience, making for an uncomfortable night out.

However there is still some good news.

The Valletta 2018 Foundation is in the process of carrying out a cultural mapping project. According to the Valletta 2018 website: “The cultural mapping project is a research project designed to generate information and analysis on cultural use and practice in public and publicly accessible spaces in Malta and Gozo”.

This could be a golden opportunity for all.

Once identified, the government should seek to strike an agreement with the owners of these spaces to upgrade them and mark them out as regional and local creativity spaces. Such an idea would probably cost as much as building a new theatre but could potentially have a much greater impact.

Creating a group of regional spaces would allow greater integration with the community but also create a group of spaces that could exchange their exhibitions and performances, as well as their knowledge and experiences, giving a vital push to the creative industry and providing Valletta 2018 with a long-term legacy.

And that is why I do not want to see a new theatre built... for the time being.

Chris Gatt is former director of St James Cavalier.