L-aħħar data għall-applikazzjoni: 27 ta’ Jannar 2026
Klassifika
Beneficiary: Soċjetà Dun Filippu Borgia
Reference number: RFS24-26-7333
Project Title: Restawr tal-kwadru tal-Madonna taċ-Ċintura, Kolleġġjata Bażilika Sant’Elena Birkirkara
Amount awarded: €14,986
Il-Kolleġġjata Bażilika ta’ Sant’Elena f’Birkirkara hi mizgħuda b’opri artistiċi li jsebbħu lil dan it-tempju. Il-kwadru dedikat lill-Madonna taċ-Ċintura li fih jidhru wkoll Santu Wistin, Santa Monika u San Filippu Neri hu wieħed minnhom. Mhux magħruf min hu l-awtur ta’ dan il-kwadru u t-tema tal-kwadru hi waħda interessanti minħabba li fil-Parroċċa qatt ma kien hemm il-preżenza tal-Patrijiet Agostinjani jew it-twaqqif ta’ xi Fratellanza tal-Madonna taċ-Ċintura. Ir-rapport imħejji mir-restawratur jixħet dawl fuq il-ħsarat li għandu dan il-kwadru li hu għandu ħtiega imminenti ta’ restawr u konservazzjoni.
Beneficiary: Parroċċa Attard
Reference number: RFS07-26-7244
Project Title: Restoration of Our Lady of Sorrows painting at Attard Parish Church
Amount awarded: €15,000
The aim of this project is to conserve and restore the artwork Our Lady of Sorrows , a painting attributed to Francesco Zahra housed in the Parish Church of Saint Mary, Attard. The painting is in a very bad state of conservation. The major issue with this painting is the lifting, cupping and flaking of the paint layer. The paint layer is literally peeling off the canvas of the painting. It is likely that is an issue that has been tackled in the past due to some retouchings that were applied to the painting to cover up the losses that were incurred. The painting can be said to have been totally overpainted due to the many interventions that were carried out over the years. The exception is with the face of Christ, the Virgin’s hand and part of her face. The remaining original parts of the paint layer are probably by the hands of Franesco Zahra and are of much higher quality. This restoration will ensure the long-term preservation of the painting, allowing future generations to fully appreciate its artistic and cultural value. The conservation treatment will be undertaken by Prevarti Co. Ltd. This project has been made possible through the support of Arts Council Malta, whose dedication to the safeguarding of cultural heritage has enabled this essential restoration. We are deeply grateful for their invaluable contribution to this important work.
Beneficiary: Żabbar Parish Church
Reference number: RFS16-26-7297
Project Title: Restoration of the altar painting of Our Lady of Mount Carmel by Francesco Zahra
Amount awarded: €12,508
This project will entail the restoration of the altar painting by Francesco Żahra depicting Our Lady of Mount Carmel. This painting has long adorned the side altar in question. In the pastoral visit of 1758, there is a record of a Fratellanza of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Żabbar. In fact, by 1759 the said altar had passed to this Fratellanza and hence this altar painting was commissioned. However, over the years this painting has suffered considerable damage as can be seen from the conservator’s report. Urgent intervention is required to prevent the irreparable loss of this work of art.
Beneficiary: Soċjetà Mużikali Santa Katarina V.M. Żurrieq
Reference number: RFS41-26-7424
Project Title: Restawr tal-pittura ta’ Santa Katarina VM tiddisputa mad-Dutturi ta Francesco Zahra
Amount awarded: €13,983
The goal of this project is to restore the artwork “St.Catherine Disputing”, a painting created by Francesco Zahra and found in the Parish Church of St.Catherine in Żurrieq, to its original condition while preserving its historical and artistic integrity. The painting is in a dire need of conservation, the artist’s palette is greatly muted and concealed by thick layers of grime and foreign deposits, throughout the years the painting has suffered from deformations and markings in the canvas support, and this restoration will ensure that it can be preserved for future generations to appreciate. The successful restoration of this painting will result in a piece that retains its artistic value while correcting any physical damage, allowing for its continued display and preservation in optimal condition. The restoration process will be carried out by by Amy Sciberras Conservators Centre Ltd, a team of experienced conservators ensuring the highest standards of preservation. This project would not have been possible without the support of Arts Council Malta, their commitment to the preservation of cultural heritage has made this vital restoration a reality, and we are deeply grateful for their contribution to this important work.
Beneficiary: Manikata Parish
Reference number: RFS21-26-7316
Project Title: Conservation and Restoration of the Via Sacra by Richard England at the Parish Church of Saint Joseph the Worker, Manikata
Amount awarded: €10,100
This project proposes the urgent conservation and restoration of the Via Sacra designed by Richard England at the Parish Church of Saint Joseph the Worker in Manikata, a Grade 1 scheduled monument and a masterwork of Maltese Modernism. The Via Sacra is far more than a liturgical accessory; it is a fundamental pillar of the church’s architectural and artistic conception, functioning as a sculptural extension of the building’s own fabric. Currently, the wooden stations exhibit severe deterioration caused by past termite damage, which has resulted in significant material loss and structural weakening. The primary objective is to arrest this decay and preserve the original material through established, world-class conservation practices. All works will be meticulously executed in line with the technical method statement prepared by Atelier del Restauro, focusing on scientific treatment, deep consolidation, and surgical restoration. By prioritizing material integrity and England’s original artistic intent, this project seeks to safeguard a nationally significant treasure within one of Malta’s most iconic architectural landmarks.
Beneficiary: Għaqda Dilettanti Knisja ta’ Lapsi, San Ġiljan
Reference number: RFS23-26-7331
Project Title: In the Shadow of a Master: Conservation of Two Companion Paintings after Mattia Preti
Amount awarded: €15,000
This project proposes the restoration and conservation of two companion paintings from the bottega of Mattia Preti: ‘Saints Peter and Paul Led to Martyrdom’ and ‘The Liberation of Saint Peter’. Executed in oil on canvas and identically sized, these works constitute important testimonies to the diffusion of Preti’s visual language and its lasting influence on Maltese devotional art. Closely modelled on Preti’s celebrated compositions for the Jesuits’ Church in Valletta, the paintings reflect both the master’s stylistic authority and the interpretative character of his workshop. Currently displayed in the choir of the Old Parish Church of St Julian, both paintings are in a compromised condition due to past invasive restoration interventions. Extensive overpainting, heavy retouching, and earlier linings have obscured original paint layers, altered modelling and colour relationships, and diminished their expressive power. It is estimated that only approximately 35% of the original surface remains visible. The proposed intervention will focus on the meticulous removal of overpainting, stabilisation of original materials, and the recovery of visual coherence and legibility, while ensuring the long-term preservation of the works. Through this process, the project seeks not only to safeguard these culturally significant paintings but also to reinstate their rightful place within Malta’s artistic, historical, and devotional heritage.
Beneficiary: Parroċċa Ħal Għaxaq
Reference number: RFS48-26-7455
Project Title: Restore Buhagiar
Amount awarded: €15,000
Through Restore Buhagiar the parish of Ħal Għaxaq will continue the restoration and conservation of masterpieces within the Church by Maltese artist Rocco Buhagiar. The paintings in question is the paintings of the alterpiece by Buhagiar of the Immaculate Conception and the sottoquadro on the same altar by an unknown artist.
Beneficiary: Kumitat Festi San Duminku,Il-Birgu
Reference number: RFS50-26-7469
Project Title: Restoration of Emvin Cremona’s Our Lady of the Rosary
Amount awarded: €10,890
The painting is the focal point of the right side as one enters the Church dedicated to the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary in Vittoriosa. Preliminary investigations were carried out in situ on the painting Our Lady of the Rosary by Emvin Cremona, executed in 1960. The painting was found to be in a generally good and stable state of conservation. However, examination revealed that a previously applied varnish layer has altered over time, resulting in an uneven and inhomogeneous surface appearance, with certain passages presenting a matte finish while others appear noticeably glossy. A cleaning intervention is therefore proposed to reduce and homogenise the varnish layer, as well as to remove accumulated surface dust and ingrained grime, with the aim of recovering the intended chromatic balance and legibility of the artist’s original palette. Due to the painting’s integrated installation within the architectural setting, it cannot be dismantled or removed from its location. Consequently, all conservation treatments will need to be carried out in situ. The surrounding stone surface framing the painting also presents deposits of dirt and deterioration and will require careful cleaning and appropriate treatment to ensure both aesthetic coherence and the long-term preservation of the immediate environment.
Beneficiary: Parish Marsaskala
Reference number: RFS45-26-7434
Project Title: Restoration and conservation of St. Anne’s Parish Marsaskala Titular statue
Amount awarded: €15,000
This polychrome wooden processional statue carved by Fernando Stuflesser in Ortisei, Bolzano. The devotional statue shows St Anne with her left hand embracing her daughter Mary as a child whilst pointing with her right hand to the heavens above. The statue is attached with metal bolts to a wooden gilt pedestal. Various parts of the statue are showing embedded grime and humidity stains all around parts of the statue. The primary phases aim to re-establish the statue’s structural stability with the least invading methods and materials. Preliminary tests will make sure that the conservation materials and treatments used are stable and effective, compatible with the original materials and ethically respectful to the original artwork. The latter phase will concern the statue’s presentation and will aim at re-establishing its former aesthetic integrity whilst respecting its authenticity and keeping in mind the
devotional and socio-cultural image.
Beneficiary: Parrocca Santa Marija Ħad-Dingli
Reference number: RFS29-26-7374
Project Title: Restawr u konservazzjoni tal-artal titulari tal-Knisja Arċipretali ta’ Ħad-Dingli
Amount awarded: €15,000
Il-proġett propost jaħseb għar-restawr u l-konservazzjoni tal-artal titulari tal-Knisja Arċipretali ta’ Ħad-Dingli bid-dekor artistiku fil-ġebla li hemm fuqu u madwaru kif ukoll it-tliet pitturi li huma parti integrali mill-istess artal. L-iskultura fil-ġebla fuq l-artal saret mal-bini tal-Knisja li tlestiet fl-1908. Il-kwadru titulari sar fl-1910 u ż-żewġ kwadri laterali huma tal-istess epoka u twaħħlu fl-ispazju li nħoloq għalihom hawnhekk.
Beneficiary: Wirt iż-Żejtun
Reference number: RFS05-25-7233
Project Title: Restoration of St Joseph Altarpiece – St Catherine Parish Museum, Żejtun
Amount awarded: €7,250
The project involves the conservation and restoration of the 18th-century oil painting Saint Joseph by Gian Nicola Buhagiar, an important example of Maltese Baroque devotional art housed at Saint Catherine’s Parish Church, Żejtun. The painting shows significant structural and aesthetic deterioration, including an unstable auxiliary support, deformed canvas, paint losses, overpainting, and heavily discoloured varnish that obscures the original composition. Proposed interventions focus on stabilising the artwork, removing non-original materials, repairing structural damage, and restoring visual clarity. All treatments will follow modern conservation ethics, ensuring minimal, reversible intervention and long-term preservation of this culturally significant work. The work will be carried out by a warranted paintings conservator.
Beneficiary: St Leonard Band Club
Reference number: RFS27-26-7349
Project Title: Restawr
Amount awarded: €15,000
A comprehensive conservation intervention of the side chapel dedicated to the Virgin of the Holy Rosary in order to prepare all surfaces onto which painted canvases will be adhered to. This in view of the installation of a new marouflage painting scheme for the dome, lantern, and vault of the north transept of the Parish Church of Kirkop. All works shall be spearheaded by Anthony Spagnol both as a highly experienced conservator and a foremost contemporary artist.
Beneficiary: Qrendi Parish
Reference number: RFS52-26-7481
Project Title: RESTORATION OF PRESBYTERY MARBLE
Amount awarded: €15,000
This project concerns the restoration and conservation of the presbytery and main altar of the Parish Church of Qrendi, a fixed ecclesiastical structure of significant historical, artistic, and liturgical value. As the principal altar of the church and one of nine historic altars within the building, it constitutes the central focal point of worship and an essential element of the church’s architectural and spiritual identity.
Executed in the Baroque idiom and constructed from imported coloured marble, the altar has suffered progressive deterioration due to environmental factors such as humidity, temperature fluctuations, rising damp, and light exposure, as well as mechanical wear resulting from continuous liturgical use. Previous non-professional repair interventions using inappropriate materials have further compromised the altar’s material stability and visual coherence.
The proposed intervention, to be carried out under the supervision of a warranted conservator-restorer, aims to conserve the altar’s original fabric while restoring its structural integrity and aesthetic legibility. Conservation works will include careful surface cleaning using non-ionic detergents and compatibility testing; stabilisation and reattachment of loose marble elements using conservation-grade adhesives; consolidation of cracks and unstable components; selective mechanical and chemical cleaning to address ingrained deposits and discolouration; and the filling of open joints with fine conservation-grade mortar. Areas of marble loss will be sensitively reinstated by a skilled stone mason to ensure material and visual compatibility.
A final protective treatment and minimal chromatic integration will be applied where necessary.
Beneficiary: Fleur de Lys Parish
Reference number: RFS33-26-7399
Project Title: Restoration of Titular Painting of Fleur de Lys Parish Church
Amount awarded: €13,275
The project involves the restoration and conservation of the titular painting of Fleur de Lys parish church, which is an early 20th century painting by the artist Anthony Caruana. This depicts a significant moment in Catholic tradition, illustrating the scene of Our Lady of Mount Carmel presenting the brown scapular to St. Simon Stock. The scapular’s origins are linked to a vision of the Virgin Mary to St. Simon Stock in 1251, where she promised special protection to those who wear the scapular.
