All the culture structures in Malta will be amalgamated if a draft National Cultural Policy launched yesterday comes into force.

Culture Minister Dolores Cristina said the draft policy, which includes the audiovisual aspect, identifies the responsibility of all players in the field.

The policy focuses on developing cultural needs through improved cultural governance structures and international cultural cooperation.

Ms Cristina said the policy was not cast in stone. It was an outline based on guidelines that needed to evolve and mature.

Feedback from interested parties would ultimately shape the country's national culture policy.

A cross-section of Maltese art and culture practitioners turned up for the launch at St James Cavalier, Centre for Creativity.

Fr Peter Serracino Inglott called for the establishment of an artists' village - the realisation of which could only take place after the cultural policy was cemented.

Caldon Mercieca, a member of the cultural policy working group, stressed the draft was an experiment, a document which could inevitably change, albeit, he hoped, for the better.

Vicki Ann Cremona was the only panel member to mention the contemporary aspect of the proposed policy, saying it was important to have a vision for culture. She also mentioned the importance of intangible heritage, citing carnival as an example.

Clare Azzopardi stressed the importance of having structures which contribute towards the professionalism of artists, saying that Maltese artists could no longer remain mere volunteers in their domain.

She said the arts should not be regarded as extra-curricular activities but needed to be integrated into students' timetables.

For this to happen, she said, the government would need to invest in professional qualified teachers to cover the different disciplines. Ms Cristina said the government would soon release a series of initiatives to help art studies. Referring to the feasibility of a Carnival Village, Ms Cristina said a site had already been located and discussions were underway.

Following yesterday's launch, a number of workshops will be organised in the coming weeks, leading up to a national forum on June 1, after which the final amendments to the policy will take place.

The consultation process will be finalised by June 30.

Feedback, comments, suggestions and recommendations can be sent via e-mail on: culturepolicy.medc@gov.mt. or on the blog: http://maltaculturalpolicy.wordpress.com/ The draft policy in Maltese and English can be downloaded from www.education.gov.mt