The Valletta 18 event is already having a positive impact on Valletta, a survey commissioned by the V18 Foundation has found.

Announcing the finding yesterday during a one-day seminar, Culture Minister Owen Bonnici said 81 per cent of respondents believe that Valletta was changing for the better and 82 per cent that Valletta 2018 was having a positive impact on its image.

Interest in Valletta 2018 was high, with 71 per cent stating they were likely to attend some of the events, Dr Bonnici said, adding that 85 per cent of respondents agreed that Valletta was a lively and active city and 81 per cent seeing it as a centre for creativity.

Emphasising the importance of comprehensive research within the cultural sector, Dr Bonnici said such findings showed the efforts were producing strong results. Valletta was changing for the better and the change was gradual but constant despite the fact that the European Capital of Culture year was two years away.

Adonia Sammut, who carried out research regarding careers in the cultural and creative industries on behalf of the Employment and Training Corporation, highlighted that total employment in the industries as at the end of June 2015 amounted to 10,991 people or 5.35 per cent of employment in the economy.

The seminar was opened by Valletta 2018 Foundation chairman Jason Micallef, who said investment in quantitative and qualitative research was a way to strengthen the participation of people in culture, through monitoring of the work done.