Skadenza tal-Applikazzjoni: 11 ta’ Novembru 2025 f’nofsinhar
Klassifika – Fergħa 1
Beneficiary: Teatru Salesjan
Reference number: ICOM03-25-6754
Project Title: Strengthening the Core: Operations and Learning at Teatru Salesjan
Amount awarded: €20,000
Teatru Salesjan’s A Home for the Young (2026–2028) will sustain a single backbone post of the Operations & Facilities Manager, so our community-led theatre can reliably deliver across the pillars of creativity, learning and belonging. ICO Strand 1 funding will cover the salary of this existing post only. The role ensures the theatre is open, safe and ready: building and technical upkeep; health & safety and safeguarding compliance; preventive maintenance; accessibility and energy efficiency; supplier and contractor coordination; front-of-house and volunteer rostering; hires and client liaison; and fast café/event turnarounds. With this capacity secured, TS can platform emerging work, embed a schools pathway, and grow participation through a welcoming, dependable venue.
Beneficiary: Unfinished Foundation
Reference number: ICOM19-25-7105
Project Title: Unfinished Art Space: Consolidation and Professionalisation
Amount awarded: €20,000
Unfinished Foundation / Unfinished Art Space is dedicated to championing research-based, experimental contemporary art. Since its formalisation in 2019, UAS has scaled from producing ad hoc, self-funded projects to an experienced, respected and internationally networked platform with a prolific track record. Despite this significant artistic and financial growth, the organisation’s operational structure remains reliant on a project-by-project model, with its operations managed on a voluntary basis. Put simply, the organisation’s artistic and creative successes have outgrown its administrative capacity; the ICOM Strand 1 funding would allow for stability, robust financial governance, and the capacity for multi-year artistic and strategic programming. Over the funding period, Unfinished Art Space will establish a stable operational base by formalising dedicated roles, focusing on long-term artistic and strategic planning, engaging in rich collaboration, capacity-building and mentoring, and realising its potential as a sustainable, independent cultural leader.
Beneficiary: Norbert Francis Attard Foundation
Reference number: ICOM24-25-7136
Project Title: Building Sustainable Capacity for the Norbert Francis Attard Foundation
Amount awarded: €16,000
The Norbert Francis Attard Foundation (NFA Foundation) is the brainchild of founder Norbert Francis Attard, a practising artist, architect and artistic director. The Foundation was set up to run Valletta Contemporary (VC), Gozo Contemporary (GC), an artist-in-residence programme at GC, the Foundation’s archives and its publishing division. The proposed programme will support team growth, professional development and sustainability at Valletta Contemporary, which at its core, is an arts centre that champions the contemporary arts, through temporary exhibitions, talks, panel discussions, workshops and publications.
Beneficiary: Moveo Dance Foundation
Reference number: ICOM22-25-7129
Project Title: Working towards a sustainable future
Amount awarded: €17,910
Moveo has grown into one of Malta’s leading contemporary dance companies, employing seven full-time artists and an education officer. As the organisation expands, so do its administrative, spatial, and creative needs. This project aims to strengthen Moveo’s internal structure through three developments : the engagement of Antea Buro as Administrator/Office Manager to oversee scheduling, invoicing, festival applications, and day-to-day operations; the rental of an additional storage space to safely house costumes and props, relieving overcrowding in the studio and addressing health and safety concerns; and the promotion and training of company member Jonay Malvar Sierra as Creative Designer to develop in-house costume and prop creation skills. These measures will enhance Moveo’s efficiency, safety, and creative independence, allowing the directors to focus on artistic vision and growth while ensuring the organisation’s long-term sustainability within Malta’s cultural ecosystem.
Beneficiary: Magna Żmien Foundation
Reference number: ICOM11-25-6985
Project Title: Magna Żmien
Amount awarded: €20,000
Magna Żmien is a voluntary organisation that preserves and provides access to Malta’s audiovisual memory for research and creative applications. We work to make our valuable archive of home movies, audio recordings and images accessible to artists, researchers, and communities, guided by the belief that cultural heritage should be shared, explored, and collaboratively built upon. Over the next three years we plan to strengthen our archival systems, involve more community members in digitisation and cataloguing, and build stronger relationships with creative and institutional partners in Malta and the Maltese diaspora. We will continue to develop and facilitate exhibitions, events, and educational resources in collaboration with creative partners. A programme of activities in 2028 will mark a celebration of ten years of operating, reflecting on Malta’s collective memory and connections formed around the archive. Through this plan, Magna Żmien aims to grow as a sustainable, accessible, and internationally connected cultural organisation.
Beneficiary: Aphroconfuso
Reference number: ICOM23-25-7133
Project Title: Aphroconfuso – Organisational Development
Amount awarded: €20,000
This project will see Aphroconfuso going from a journal and publishing house run exclusively by its founders to an established organisation running independently of any one individual, and thus ensuring the long-term sustainability.
Klassifika – Fergħa 2
Beneficiary: Malta Entertainment Industry and Arts Association
Reference number: ICOM27-25-7108Project Title: Common Ground: MEIA’s Programme for Partnerships, Research and Outreach
Amount awarded: €30,000
MEIA’s 2026–2028 programme is a strategic plan to strengthen Malta’s cultural and creative sectors through sustainable, high-impact actions. Building on past experience, it prioritises meaningful dialogue, actionable research, and professional value, with a focus on sustainability, cross-sector collaboration, and international exchange.
In 2026, MEIA will partner with the Moleskine Foundation to promote creativity as a tool for social innovation through a workshop and public talk. The year also marks the pilot launch of a Ratecard certification system to ensure fair employment practices, supported by an introductory workshop.
In 2027, MEIA will expand the Culture at Work conference, addressing fair work, innovation, AI’s cultural impact, and youth engagement. Alongside this, the Visual Arts Research Report, developed with partners including Deloitte Art & Finance Luxembourg, will analyse Malta’s visual arts ecosystem to inform policy and funding.
Beneficiary: Opening Doors Association
Reference number: ICOM29-25-7114
Project Title: Opening Doors Association: Leading from Within – Inclusive Arts in Action (2026-2028)
Amount awarded: €30,000
This three-year project celebrates creativity, collaboration, and inclusion at the heart of Opening Doors’ artistic vision. Bringing together theatre, dance, and music, it deepens the organisation’s commitment to empowering adults with intellectual disabilities as artists, creators, and performers. Through weekly sessions and interdisciplinary creative labs, members, leaders and assistants will explore new ways of making and sharing art, while developing a Manual of Creative Practice to capture and sustain inclusive methodologies. The project will nurture leadership among members, encourage co-creation with each other and professional artists, and culminate in public performances that affirm diversity as a source of artistic vitality. In doing so, it reflects Arts Council Malta’s vision of broadening participation, fostering excellence through inclusion, and strengthening Malta’s cultural fabric through collaboration, innovation, and shared creative expression.
Beneficiary: L-Għanja tal-Poplu
Reference number: ICOM09-25-6994
Project Title: L-Għanja tal-Poplu
Amount awarded: €30,000
L-Għanja tal-Poplu saw its beginning in 1973 and has established itself as a voluntary organisation dedicated to promoting original Maltese songwriting. From 2026 to 2028, the Festival will sustain its model of fostering new works in Maltese, offering mentoring, selection phases, orchestral live performance and broadcast coverage. The project will strengthen audience engagement via digital platforms and enhance capacity by training emerging songwriters and producers. The project champions cultural creation in the Maltese language, supports career growth of local artists and ensures that new Maltese songs reach broad audiences both live and online.
Beneficiary: Friends of the Earth Malta
Reference number: ICOM21-25-7068
Project Title: ĊineAmbjent – Environmental Film Festival
Amount awarded: €28,385
The ĊineAmbjent Environental Justice Film Festival blends environmental activism, social justice, and creative expression through an annual film festival and film club. Over a four-month programme, audiences engage in screenings and discussions co-curated by artists, activists, and the public, exploring both the artistic form and the environmental themes presented. The initiative concludes with a film festival featuring international and local films, workshops, and community events held across multiple locations in Malta and Gozo, including special activities for children. Building on the success of previous editions since 2019, the 2026–2028 programme will strengthen partnerships, diversify venues, and expand participation to reach wider audiences. The project promotes film as a democratic tool for cultural exchange, environmental education, and creative empowerment, enriching Malta’s cultural landscape through accessible and participatory artistic practice.
Beneficiary: Dance Beyond Borders
Reference number: ICOM38-25-7131
Project Title: Refugee Week Malta 2026 till 2028
Amount awarded: €30,000
Refugee Week Malta (RWM), produced by Dance Beyond Borders (DBB), is Malta’s edition of the global arts and cultural festival that celebrates the creativity, courage, and contributions of people seeking safety. Having completed its fourth edition in June 2025, RWM has become a vibrant expression of hope: a testament to the possibility of embracing diversity and building a truly inclusive Malta. The festival creates welcoming spaces where people from all backgrounds can meet, share, and connect through art, culture, and collective storytelling. By highlighting the voices and talents of refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants, RWM fosters empathy, understanding, and a sense of belonging. Its rich programme of performances, exhibitions, and workshops explores themes of migration, identity, and social justice, empowering artists while strengthening collaboration among communities and institutions. Refugee Week Malta stands as a powerful reminder that creativity can bridge differences and nurture unity through shared humanity.
Beneficiary: Inizjamed
Reference number: ICOM02-25-6749
Project Title: Il-Festival Mediterranju tal-Letteratura ta’ Malta
Amount awarded: €24,338
The Malta Mediterranean Literature Festival, organised by Inizjamed, is a Festival that celebrates the written and spoken literary word through different genres. Rather than a fixed location, the Malta Mediterranean Literature Festival is a fluid space that consolidates tradition whilst looking at the latest advances in the field of literature and arts in general to open up to new possibilities. This symbiosis is coloured by the use of diverse languages, discourses and performances from different parts of the world.
Beneficiary: Għaqda Nazzjonali Każini tal-Banda
Reference number: ICOM28-25-7112
Project Title: Music to my ears
Amount awarded: €29,137
Music composed for wind bands by Maltese composers has been the Cinderella of the local artistic sector, shunned also by the local wind-bands in favour of contemporary foreign works. The initiative involves incentivising two wind-bands per annum to dig into their archives and stage a concert where all works performed will be works composed specifically for wind bands by Maltese composers.
The concerts will be preceded by workshops and master classes, organised by GħNKB, where the bandsmen taking part will have to attend. The workshops and master classes will be delivered by international professional tutors and will be held in centrally located band clubs.
These musical performances will be recorded and each piece will be uploaded on a freeware digital platform, thus contributing to the establishment of a digital archive of Maltese works for wind-bands.
Beneficiary: Għaqda Mużikali San Ġużepp Ħal Għaxaq
Reference number: ICOM04-25-6796
Project Title: Summerlust festival
Amount awarded: €30,000
The Summerlust Music Festival is a three-day event that showcases a dynamic mix of international and local artists. Now in its 25th edition, the festival has become a well-established and integral part of the Maltese cultural calendar.
Summerlust serves as an important platform for emerging talent, offering opportunities for new artists to perform alongside renowned acts and gain valuable exposure. In addition, the festival provides a valuable learning experience for volunteers, who benefit from hands-on involvement in event management and production within the music and entertainment sector.
Beneficiary: Malta Music & Performing Arts Complex
Reference number: ICOM08-25-6983
Project Title: Artistic Creation – Micro Grant
Amount awarded: €30,000
The proposed project aims to establish a micro-granting scheme under MMPAC that supports Malta-based performing artists in the early stages of developing work. This includes musicians, sound artists, composers, and interdisciplinary performers. This initiative responds to the growing need for accessible, early-stage funding in the local music and performance ecosystem. Many artists in Malta face structural barriers in accessing public or EU funds due to scale, administrative burden, or lack of formal backing. Our sub-funding scheme offers a flexible, community-driven alternative designed to be artist-friendly and impact-focused.
Beneficiary: Medina Foundation for Music
Reference number: ICOM37-25-7130
Project Title: Contrasting Concepts 2
Amount awarded: €30,000
Contrasting Concepts will feature three diverse concerts, these being an orchestral performance of film music by the St Paul Metropolitan Orchestra featuring the most popular pieces from films in collaboration with the Italian producer Giuseppe Lentini. The second event will be a concert of music from popular Japanese anime in collaboration with Ms Yui Kanan who is a profession cosplay artist and winner of various international awards and her cosplay agency, Onigiri Plus INC. This concert will feature orchestral music accompanied by choreographed displays of anime characters in costume. The third event will feature an original musical with orchestral score and music direction by Mro Mark Agius and Story Board and Artistic Direction by Louie Noir in collaboration with institutions catering for persons with disability. This musical will be set in the Victorian Era, circus and fun park, the plot focusing on unfolding relationships between the artistes.
Beneficiary: Soċjetà Mużikali San Ġużepp Ħal Kirkop A.D. 1886
Reference number: ICOM35-25-7125
Project Title: Kirkop Music Festival 2026; …2027; …2028; …
Amount awarded: €23,557
The Onstage Events team, a youth-led group, will organise an annual concert to promote the arts and support ALS Malta. The team will coordinate with local musicians, dancers, and an international artist to create a diverse and engaging line-up. They will handle all logistical aspects, including securing permits, conducting a risk assessment with a safety officer, and sourcing supplies cost-effectively. The marketing team will implement a comprehensive promotional campaign to maximise audience reach, while volunteers will be recruited to ensure smooth event operations. On the day of the concert, all logistics will be managed to provide a seamless experience for performers and attendees. After the event, the team will conduct a debrief with performing artists and volunteers to evaluate outcomes and identify improvements for future editions. This initiative will foster community engagement, artistic excellence, and charitable support through cultural participation
Beneficiary: Soċjetà Filarmonika Pinto Banda San Sebastjan
Reference number: ICOM13-25-7023
Project Title: Minn Triq għall-Oħra
Amount awarded: €23,557
Minn Triq għall-Oħra is an annual cultural initiative that transforms the streets of Ħal Qormi into vibrant open-air stages celebrating Malta’s artistic diversity. Over two consecutive days, eight streets (and more) come alive with simultaneous music performances across genres — from pop and rock to folk and contemporary Maltese sounds — alongside dance, art, crafts, and community activities.
Developed by a local NGO and in collaboration with various Maltese artists, the project aims to bring people together through shared creative experiences. Designed as a three-year programme, Minn Triq għall-Oħra seeks to strengthen community identity, foster intercultural dialogue, and establish Ħal Qormi as a model of sustainable urban regeneration through the arts.
Beneficiary: St Leonard Band Club
Reference number: ICOM30-25-7117
Project Title: Rock for Hope
Amount awarded: €23,557
Kirkop Summer Fest 2026 is scheduled to take place in July or August 2026. The event will be origanised in aid of the Inspire Foundation. We are currently in advanced discussions with original international and local artists with a band which never performed in Malta so far. This is a group of various re-known guitarists and musicians of well-known singers and artists joining together in a unique rock band. For this year’s event, we have decided to engage Mr Amabile Zammit as our Consultant for this event. The experience of Mr Zammit in this sector will definitely help us have a successful event.
Beneficiary: Senglean Organisation of Culture and Ecclesiastical Patrimony
Reference number: ICOM26-25-7103
Project Title Città Invicta Festival
Amount awarded: €23,557
The Città Invicta Festival is a one-day multidisciplinary celebration of Senglea’s heritage, faith, and maritime spirit. Organised by SOCEP, a voluntary organisation, the festival transforms Senglea’s main squares, streets, and historic sites into vibrant cultural spaces through music, art, and performance by Maltese creatives. The event highlights local craftsmanship, sacred art, and maritime traditions, promoting community participation and cultural pride. All activities are free of charge and designed to attract both residents and visitors, strengthening Senglea’s role as a cultural and tourism destination within the Grand Harbour. Emphasising sustainability and accessibility, the festival integrates simple eco-friendly practices and volunteer engagement. Supported by national cultural funding, the Città Invicta Festival aims to become a lasting platform for creative expression, cultural exchange, and civic regeneration in Malta’s Città Invicta, the Unconquered City.
