At a time when Europe and the Arab world seem to be at odds with each other over beliefs and politics, Iggy Fenech talks to Valletta 2018 Foundation’s programme coordinator Margerita Pulè to find out how culture could turn out to be the missing link.
For as long as man’s been civilised art and culture have been present. They have been used to express hope, fear and desire, to tell stories and even as a tool for propaganda.
Art and culture are also two of the main factors that differentiate us from other species but which make people from all over the world similar.
After all, not all civilisations draw the same things, but all of them draw. Not all civilisations have the same customs, but they all have customs.
This idea of unity through art and culture is the basis of the Valletta 2018 Foundation’s Interdisciplinary Mobility Fund, which aims to aid the movement of artists, cultural operators and, more importantly, ideas between the Euro-Arab geographical region.
This, says Margerita Pulè, the Foundation’s programme coordinator: “Adds a deeper and broader dimension to work that may otherwise be limited in scope.” But, it’s not only artists who can benefit from this, as an exchange of concepts and cultures is the key for mutual development.
“Social, cultural and human links can be made through these collaborations,” says Pulè.
“Through the simple act of people sitting down and working together, friendships can be made and barriers can be brought down.
“Of course, the main focal point of this collaboration is that once the collaborative project is over, the links and networks built during the process will not disappear. After all, on a human level, people stay in touch. On a professional level, artists with similar interests continue to work together and on an economic level artists will continue to be commissioned to produce work.”
The Mobility Fund is in itself a collaboration with the Roberto Cimetta fund, a non-profit organisation that works directly with artists who wish to travel in order to develop artistic collaboration. And, as a project, it is working for and with the Valletta 2018 Foundation – the entity responsible for the programme of events when Valletta becomes the European Capital of Culture 2018.
“The vision of Valletta 2018 is to make Valletta a great and unique city in the world of art and culture,” says Pulè. “This is being done through our mission of enabling social, economic, cultural and environmental changes.
“Valletta 2018 is the catalyst to a long-term, culture-led regeneration that sees cultural and creative activity as the most dynamic facet of Malta’s socio-economic life. And that’s why one of the requirements of this call is that all projects have to be linked to one of Valletta 2018’s four themes: Generations, Routes, Cities and Islands.”
There is, however, something even more important happening here. Something that goes beyond the projects themselves or Valletta 2018’s role to get Valletta and its artistic and cultural scenes prepped for 2018.
This project has come at a time when Europe and the Arab World seem to have reignited the friction that has been there since time immemorial.
Culture can provide an opportunity for links to be made away from politics
And although singlehandedly, it will hardly make much of a difference.The concept of this Interdisciplinary Mobility Fund can be one of the most important and crucial stepping stones into healing these age-old rifts.
“Culture can provide an opportunity for links to be made away from politics,” says Pulè. “And, given the political tensions that have become more pronounced in recent weeks, culture can be a useful tool with which to build links between communities that may otherwise have very little in common.
“I believe Frank Gehry had said it best while talking about his asymmetrical design for the planned Guggenheim Museum in Abu Dhabi: ‘There’s a clarity in talking to each other through art, through classical music, through literature, rather than trying to politicise, one-upmanship... It seems that the art takes the threat out; it becomes more humanistic, it’s more questioning, it’s like who are we, why are we, why do we talk alike, why can we relate to each other, and why don’t we do more of it’.”
“I think this pinpoints what culture can do and how creativity and collaboration through art can bring people together on a human level and bypass complications of politics or economics.
“Of course, this is not saying that artists should collaborate on every single piece of work they create, however. Sometimes, it is important for an artist to have the space and freedom to work alone. But many works can benefit immensely from collaboration, and particularly from collaboration with artists from beyond our shores whose ideas and customs may be different to theirs.
“In fact, we hope that through these international collaborations, Maltese artists will be showing the world that Malta is a country full of talent and with a vibrant cultural sector, and one that could leave a mark on the international scene,” Pulè says.
The Interdisciplinary Mobility Fund is open to artists, writers, performers, creators, musicians, theatre practitioners, academics, researchers and cultural operators. The second run of calls runs between March 1 and 31 and between September 1 and 30. Applications are available online.
www.cimettafund.org