The upcoming year sees two major international participations that will further consolidate Malta’s position on the global cultural stage.

Throughout 2026, Malta is preparing for two especially major moments on the international art scene. Arts Council Malta has announced the country’s official participation in two of the world’s most influential cultural platforms: the Venice Art Biennale and the Gwangju Biennale 2026.

Malta returns to La Biennale di Venezia in 2026

Titled No Need to Sparkle, the Malta Pavilion at the Venice Biennale will run from May 9 to November 22. The project brings together artists Adrian Abela, Charlie Cauchi, and Raphael Vella under the curatorship of Margerita Pulè. Visitors are guided into a space shaped by shifting narratives and layered fictions, encouraging reflection on truth, belief systems, and the ways we construct meaning.

The proposal was selected following a competitive evaluation led by a panel made up of Dr Katya Micallef, Principal Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at MUŻA; Perit Adrian Mamo, Artistic Director of Teatru Manoel and President of the Malta Society of Arts; and Daniel Azzopardi, Artistic Director of Spazju Kreattiv. The process was moderated by Dr Romina Delia, Head of International Cultural Relations at Arts Council Malta.

Our debut at the Gwangju Biennale

The coming year also marks Malta’s first-ever participation at the Gwangju Biennale in South Korea, a milestone that extends the country’s cultural footprint beyond Europe. The project, BEJN / IN-BETWEEN, responds to the Biennale’s theme You Must Change Your Life and will be presented at the Horanggasy Art Polygon Gallery.

Here, artists Norbert Francis Attard, Sam Alekksandra, Julien Vinet, and Michael Quinton explore the idea of thresholds and transitions. Their collective installation traces connections between Malta and Korea, creating an immersive environment that mirrors the movement, tension, and creative energy found in both contexts.

As with the Venice project, the Gwangju pavilion was chosen by a formal selection board made up of Dusu Choi, Head of the Exhibition Department at the Gwangju Biennale Foundation; Sean Buhagiar, Artistic Director of Teatru Malta; and Rupert Cefai, CEO of Fondazzjoni Kreattività. The process was also moderated by Dr Delia.

A growing global presence

Malta’s participation in these two major Biennials marks another step in the country’s expanding cultural footprint. Both participations form part of the long-term direction outlined in government’s Vision 2050, the country’s unified roadmap for the coming decades, which places international reach, collaboration, and cultural mobility at the centre of Malta’s future. Both biannials offer a chance for Maltese creatives to engage with wider audiences and to build new connections, while showcasing work that reflects the country’s evolving artistic identity.