Less than six months since the launch of Arts Council Malta’s five-year strategy for the cultural and creative sectors, 53 out of the 70 listed actions were already being implemented, Culture Minister Owen Bonnici said today.
Addressing a news conference together with the Arts Council Malta executive chairman Albert Marshall, the minister said the new law providing the council with a legal framework, approved a year ago had not only led to a restructured national agency for the cultural and creative sectors but also enabled better communication with creative practitioners and the public cultural organisations.
Mr Marshall announced a number of initiatives that Arts Council Malta is currently spearheading.
It is currently leading the cultural programme for the Maltese Presidency of the Council of the European Union – an extensive programme with over 50 activities to be presented around the world.
It is also working on a proposal that will simplify the process to grant temporary permits for outdoor music events. On the international front, the Council recently became a member of the EUNIC New York cluster to foster collaborations and programme cultural activities in the United States.
The Seventh World Summit for Culture and Arts was also being held in Malta in October.
The Council, Mr Marshall said, would also be announcing new partnerships with festivals and organisations for the next three years. As part of its research programme, it was working on a national survey on cultural participation together with the National Statistics Office and the Valletta 2018 Foundation.
Other long-term projects were also being designed. These include the setting up of a common online platform that would provide audiences with an eTicketing and Shared Calendar System for Cultural Events by public cultural organisations and other entities. Arts Education was also on the Council’s agenda with a pilot programme expected to be rolled out in 2017.
Some of the 53 actions that were currently being implemented include the restructuring of the Council’s funding programmes - which increased to 10, based on the council’s strategic priorities. Guidelines and procedures had also been revised to ensure further accountability and transparency.
The new funding portfolio would see the Council receiving around 400 applications a year. Of these, around 150 projects were funded annually, with allocations ranging from €,000 to €70,000.
As part of its developmental role the Council has also launched a networking and training programme - ACMlab – which in the first four months drew the participation of around 550 artists in new training opportunities or approached the Council for assistance.