A total of €1 million has been awarded to help 77 different projects produced by organisations active in sectors related to Maltese feasts, including for instrumental music played during feasts as well as for health and safety in firework factories and for the preparation of artistic decorations to adorn the streets of Malta and Gozo.
The Artistic Heritage scheme is managed by Arts Council Malta within the Ministry for National Heritage, Lands and Local Government. Its aim is to provide support to voluntary organisations who carry out work throughout the entire year to prepare and improve activities related to local village and town feasts.
Il-fondi mogħtija permezz ta’ din l-iskema jappoġġjaw proġetti f’oqsma li huma marbuta mill-qrib mal-ħajja kulturali tal-komunitajiet. Dawn jinkludu programmi ta’ tagħlim u taħriġ mużikali, restawr ta’ opri u arkivji, investiment f’teknoloġija u sistemi amministrattivi, titjib fl-ambjenti tat-tagħlim u l-eżekuzzjoni mużikali, investiment fis-saħħa u s-sikurezza fil-kmamar tan-nar, restawr tal-infrastruttura eżistenti, u disinn, manifattura, taħriġ, u restawr ta’ armar artistiku semipermanenti.
Il-Ministru għall-Kultura, l-Artijiet, u Gvern Lokali Owen Bonnici qal li l-festa Maltija hija parti importanti mill-identità kulturali tal-pajjiż, u li dan l-investiment jagħraf il-ħidma kontinwa tal-għaqdiet volontarji li jżommu dawn it-tradizzjonijiet ħajjin fil-komunitajiet. “L-Iskema għall-Wirt Artistiku turi kif il-politika kulturali tagħna qed tissarraf f’appoġġ konkret għall-komunitajiet. Il-festi Maltin jiġbru fihom arti, mużika, sengħa, volontarjat, u parteċipazzjoni, u għalhekk jagħmlu parti mill-impenn tagħna li nsaħħu l-wirt kulturali bħala element ħaj fil-komunitajiet, kif inhu rifless fil-Viżjoni Malta 2050. Permezz ta’ din l-iskema, qed inkomplu nwettqu dan l-impenn b’mod konkret billi noffru appoġġ lil proġetti li jsaħħu l-wirt, l-aċċessibbiltà u l-parteċipazzjoni kulturali f’kull lokalità. B’hekk ukoll inkomplu nsaħħu dak li jagħti l-ħajja lil-lokalitajiet tagħna, u jżommhom magħqudin.”
Arts Council Malta’s CEO, Dr Luke Dalli said that Maltese feasts are one of the ways that our country vividly expresses its culture, and that this heritage is being kept alive thanks to the continued commitment of voluntary workers and organisations withing our communities. “When we talk about Maltese feasts’ artistic heritage we are not only referring to traditions. We are also talking about the communities and all the individuals who, year after year, put in their time, energy, skills and passion towards keeping alive that very element that makes us who we are. Maltese feasts are centred around voluntary work but this also requires a great amount of skill, discipline and dedication. Thanks to this scheme, Arts Council Malta acts as a helping hand to the organisations and communities which follow, preserve and keep developing this precious artistic heritage.”
Id-Direttur tal-Fondi fi ħdan il-Kunsill Malti għall-Arti, Rita Falzon, qalet li l-iskema tagħraf ix-xogħol serju li jsir minn għaqdiet kulturali u soċjali matul is-sena kollha, ħafna drabi b’mod volontarju u b’impenn kbir lejn il-komunità. “Din l-iskema nħolqot sabiex tagħti lill-għaqdiet spazju u riżorsi biex jinvestu b’mod aktar sostenibbli fil-ħidma tagħhom. Il-festa ma sseħħx biss fil-ġranet li naraw fit-toroq, iżda tinbena matul is-sena permezz ta’ taħriġ, preparazzjoni, restawr, amministrazzjoni, u xogħol tekniku li ħafna drabi ma jidhirx. Permezz ta’ dan il-fond, il-Kunsill Malti għall-Arti qed jappoġġja proġetti li jsaħħu l-kapaċità tal-għaqdiet, filwaqt li jtejbu l-kwalità tal-ħidma tagħhom u jħarsu prattiċi artistiċi u kulturali li joffru valur dirett lill-komunitajiet tagħna.”
Sejħa oħra ta’ din l-iskema se tkun qed toħroġ fit-tieni nofs ta’ din is-sena biex tagħti opportunità lil dawk l-għaqdiet volontarji li għal xi raġuni ma applikawx mal-ewwel sejħa, u jixtiequ japplikaw għat-tieni waħda. Aktar informazzjoni dwar ir-riżultati tal-Iskema għall-Wirt Artistiku tinsab hawn:https://artscouncilmalta.gov.mt/funding-and-grants/l-iskema-ghall-wirt-artistiku-2/.
