The Council manages a funding portfolio for the cultural and creative sectors through its national funding programmes.

Arts Council Malta’s Strategy 2025, titled “Care, Create, Flourish”, has been a forward-looking framework that placed cultural rights at its core. Rooted in Malta’s National Cultural Policy 2021 and aligned with international frameworks such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals and UNESCO’s recommendations on the Status of the Artist, the strategy envisions a future where the arts are central to Malta’s development. The vision is for “the arts to be at the heart of Malta’s future,” while the mission is to invest in artistic and cultural expression, support the sector’s sustainability, and ensure that everyone has the right to participate in cultural life. Key instruments to achieve the aims of strategy consisted of the Charter for the Status of the Artist and the Rights to Culture campaign.

The strategy is built around six strategic areas: (1) Public Investment, (2) Diversity and Communities, (3) Education and Development, (4) Internationalisation, (5) Creative Entrepreneurship, and (6) Research and Evaluation. Each area is supported by specific objectives and a set of actions designed to foster a thriving cultural ecosystem. These areas reflect a holistic approach to cultural policy, addressing both the needs of artists and the wider community.

Under Public Investment, the Council aims to ensure that funding mechanisms are transparent, inclusive and aligned with sectoral needs. The objective is to empower artists and cultural operators through sustainable financial support. Diversity and Communities focuses on increasing access to the arts, particularly for underrepresented groups and promoting cultural participation across all regions and demographics. The goal is to foster inclusion and social cohesion through community-led initiatives.

The Education and Development area emphasises the importance of lifelong learning and skills development in the arts. Objectives include strengthening arts education in schools, supporting professional development and encouraging collaboration between educational institutions and cultural organisations. Internationalisation seeks to enhance Malta’s cultural presence globally by supporting mobility, international collaborations and cultural diplomacy. This area aims to position Malta as an active player in the global cultural landscape.

The fifth area, Creative Entrepreneurship, is dedicated to improving working conditions, promoting innovation and supporting the professionalisation of the sector. Objectives include addressing the status of the artist, encouraging entrepreneurship and fostering cross-sectoral collaboration. Finally, Research and Evaluation focuses on evidence-based policymaking, improved data collection and the effective communication of evaluatory processes. This area supports the strategy’s implementation through robust monitoring and analytical mechanisms.

The strategy outlines numerous actions. They are designed to be participatory, inclusive and responsive to the evolving needs of the sector. The Council emphasises collaboration with stakeholders, including public cultural organisations, independent practitioners and the general public, to ensure that the strategy remains relevant and impactful.

In essence, Strategy 2025 has acted as a dynamic roadmap that builds on past achievements while addressing contemporary and foreseeble challenges. Chief among the challenges addressed were the social restrictions and economic limitations, as well as digital openings, raised by the COVID-19 pandemic and the various responses to it. It has aimed to create a resilient, inclusive and internationally connected cultural sector that has contributed meaningfully to Malta’s social, economic, and cultural well-being.

Its span of 2020 – 2025 is followed Strategy 2030. The new strategy builds on Strategy 2025 with an aim to further nurture positive action within renewed vision and vigour.