This year’s edition of the Malta International Arts Festival will venture out of Valletta in an effort to break down perceptions of elitism and bring art closer to the people, according to the festival’s artistic director.

The annual festival, which will take place between July 8 and 18, will include an innovative street theatre project centred around an old, traditional Maltese bus, which will take a troupe of actors from village to village for a series of performances.

“One of the strongest statements throughout this festival is our creative and brave, no-boundaries ap-proach in terms of conceptual art across all the art forms we are representing,” artistic director Michelle Castelletti said at a press conference yesterday.

We are taking the risk of jumping into the unknown, as well as the idea of building new partnerships

“We are taking the risk of jumping into the unknown, as well as the idea of building new partnerships and creating some unique things through them.”

A major highlight of the festival will be the involvement of Grammy Award winner Arvo Pärt, one of the world’s most celebrated composers, who will be collaborating with a specifically-created choir for a special event.

Dr Castelletti said the festival would also provide a platform for local artists, with young artists in particular being given the opportunity to present their work.

Performers are invited to send submissions to perform in the Young Performers Platform, details of which will be announced in the coming days.

Among the free events and installations set up during the festival, Bandli, which will be set up at St George’s Square in Valletta, will consist of eight swings, each triggering sounds of different instruments assigned to them, allowing people to function like a musical ensemble through the interactive structure.

Details about more of the festival’s events will be published every Friday, with the complete programme un-veiled by May 4. Early bird tickets will be available between May 4 and June 7.