Application deadline: 4th March 2025
Ranking Order Strand 1
Beneficiary: Angela Bettoni
Reference number: TDS129-25-5183
Project Title: ImPulsTanz – Vienna International Dance Festival: danceWEB Scholarship Programme for further training in contemporary dance and performance
Amount awarded: €2,000
This application has been put together by Angela Bettoni, a young performer, writer and advocate with Down Syndrome, with the help of her parents. Angela has been selected for the danceWEB Scholarship Programme 2025 offered by the ImPulsTanz — Vienna International Dance Festival. ImPulsTanz is Europe’s largest dance festival, and being selected for the danceWEB programme is a great honour for Angela as a performer with Down Syndrome. According to the acceptance email she received, Angela was among the 53 participants selected out of approximately 600 applicants from 64 countries. To date, about 1,600 young professional dancers and choreographers from 89 countries have taken part in this programme. From the DanceWEB alumni database, since the danceWEB programme started in 1996, Angela appears to be only the 2nd Malta-based artist to have received this opportunity.
Beneficiary: Matthias Camilleri
Reference number: TDS155-25-5335
Project Title: Circus and Clown Training in Canada – Professional Development of Matthias Camilleri
Amount awarded: €2,000
The project is centred around a visit to Canada. Matthias’s objective of the trip is to expand his skill set in the disciplines of clowning and circus (with particular focus on his current circus specialities: chinese pole, straps, handstands and acro-dance). He would be doing this through attending various workshops, individual private classes and intensives with various notable and renowned industry professionals within these spheres. A few amongst these individuals would include Chase Jeffels (actor, clown and comedian, offers training in Lecoq method), Paige Allerton (actor and director, clown, mask and human comedy specialist), Jorge Padilla (National Circus School of Canada chinese pole and acrobatics coach), Mathys G. Matte (chinese pole artist and coach) and William Bonnet (National Circus School of Canada straps coach).
Beneficiary: Alan Sciberras Narmaniya
Reference number: TDS113-25-5084
Project Title: Mastering the Bel Canto Technique
Amount awarded: €2,000
A 15-hour, intense, one-to-one, vocal singing masterclass with Mr. Sherman Lowe – one of the most sought-after experts of operatic singing in Europe – through the use of the Bel Canto technique handed down through both the Garcia-Marchesi and Lamperti traditions. This will help the participant understand how the physical and emotional states affect the singing voice and rectify any negative impact. This work is in preperation for an audition tour for casting agencies and international opera houses of the highest standard.
Beneficiary: Roberta Micallef
Reference number: TDS127-25-5173
Project Title: Learn with the Masters – Textile Traditions of Kutch
Amount awarded: €2,000
Roberta Micallef is a designer, seamstress, and educator behind KEEP – a textile project with sustainability and slow fashion as its guiding principles. KEEP is threefold: handmade, made-to-measure clothing; an alterations and repairs service; and textile workshops. The beneficiary will attend a 22-day traditional textile course in India at the Somaiya Kala Vidya Textiles Institute. Somaiya Kala Vidya, the first design school for artisans in Kutch, India, was founded by Judy Frater, former curator at The Textile Museum and author of Threads of Identity, an award-winning book studying the embroidery and adornment of the nomadic Rabaris from a historical and anthropological point of view.
Beneficiary: Matteo Caruana Bond
Reference number: TDS145-25-5307
Project Title: Summer intensive acting training at Acting Studio
Amount awarded: €2,000
I am applying for funding to attend the Film & Television Acting Intensive at the Art of Acting Studio in Los Angeles, a prestigious institution rooted in the teachings of Stella Adler, one of the most influential acting teachers of all time. Unlike other methods that rely heavily on personal emotion, Adler’s approach emphasizes imagination, text analysis, and intellectual engagement, a technique that shaped actors like Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro. Her book The Art of Acting was monumental in the development of my acting approach and helped me massively as an actor. With this fact in mind, it is easy to understand how this training program specifically would be of great benefit to me.
Beneficiary: Francesca Bartolo
Reference number: TDS152-25-5326
Project Title: Opera Caledonia – Vocal Studio Course
Amount awarded: €2,000
Opera Caledonia’s Vocal Studio Course offers a comprehensive and supportive environment dedicated to the personal and artistic development of each participant. The course is designed for singers at various stages of their careers, providing them with tailored opportunities to improve and refine their vocal technique, expand their repertoire, and prepare for professional auditions or performances. Through this intensive program, each singer will work closely with a faculty of distinguished vocal coaches, répétiteurs, conductors, and industry professionals to achieve their artistic goals.
Beneficiary: Lea Ellul Sullivan
Reference number: TDS150-25-5321
Project Title: International Ballet Masterclasses in Prague
Amount awarded: €2,000
Lea Ellul Sullivan is an 18-year-old ballet dancer currently training full time at Elmhurst Ballet School in association with the Birmingham Royal Ballet. As she prepares for a professional dance career, she seeks training opportunities, such as the International Ballet Masterclasses in Prague, led by renowned instructors like Daria Klimentova, Christopher Powney and Ernst Meisner. This intensive will help improve her technique and artistry, whilst also providing vital exposure to industry professionals. Supported by Malta Arts Council, Lea is committed to representing Malta on international stages, contributing to the country’s cultural landscape as a ballet dancer.
Beneficiary: Angela Cassar
Reference number: TDS116-25-5091
Project Title: Laia Abril Workshop
Amount awarded: €2,000
The Laia Abril Workshop offers a unique opportunity for creatives to advance their visual storytelling and narrative development skills under the mentorship of internationally acclaimed artist and educator Laia Abril. The programme focuses on exploring socially relevant themes through a combination of research-driven methodologies and interdisciplinary approaches. Participants will engage in collaborative exercises, receive personalised feedback, and develop strategies for transforming investigative and archival materials into impactful visual projects.
Beneficiary: Elena Gatt
Reference number: TDS123-25-5149
Project Title: Masterclasses Course for Trumpet
Amount awarded: €1,000
This masterclass course is part of the IMMF Festival, which takes place every year in Chiaramonte Gulfi, Sicily. The masterclass course includes 6 sessions with 2 renowned trumpet professors being Professor Reinhold Friedrich and Professor Kristian Steenstrup, with the special collaboration of the international acclaimed piano player Ms. Eriko Takezawa. The aim of this course is to improve my trumpet skills and technique and develop my musicianship as a whole.
Ranking Order Strand 2
Beneficiary: Michela Caruana
Reference number: TDS210-25-5122
Project Title: Musical Theatre Training Course
Amount awarded: €835
The project will allow the young Maltese based artist to expand their artistry in Musical Theatre at the West End in London. The 7 days training will be led by West End professionals and will consist of training in drama, singing and dance. Daily masterclasses by professionals are also part of the week-long course. At the end of the course the student will perform her Musical Theatre debut showcase at ‘His Majesty’s Theatre’ in the West End with the rest of the group. The student will use the teaching methods and skills acquired from this international Musical Theatre training for her personal growth as a musical theatre artist but also to the benefit of her performing arts summer school students in 2026. The young artist will also document the experience on a daily basis in the form of a reflective journal which will then be submitted to the Arts Council for their perusal.
Beneficiary: Gabrijel Cordina
Reference number: TDS226-25-5315
Project Title: Austrian Master Classes
Amount awarded: €2,000
This project involves participation in the Austrian Masterclasses (AMC) at Zell an der Pram Castle, Austria, where musicians can enhance their skills through a comprehensive, individualized programme. Over the course of a week, students will stay at the castle, dedicating their days to lessons and practice. Tutored by professors from the Mozarteum University in Salzburg, participants receive daily individual lessons in solo classes, and ensemble lessons tailored to their instruments in chamber music classes. The programme also includes stage training, piano coaching, and ensemble lessons. All classes are open for observation, and participants have free access to pianos and practice rooms. Additionally, rhythm training and sight-reading sessions for pianists are provided. The masterclasses culminate in internal workshop concerts, with a final concert featuring selected participants, providing a platform to showcase their progress and talent. Students will also have the opportunity to interact and collaborate during breaks, fostering a sense of community and shared learning.
Beneficiary: Kellyann Spiteri
Reference number: TDS219-25-5286
Project Title: The 28th International Piano Festival in Poland – Summer Course and Competition
Amount awarded: € 1,800
The 28th International Piano Festival “Summer in Chopin’s Homeland” will take place between the 21st July and 1st August 2025. The festival comprises lessons, masterclasses, as well as a competition. Participants will also perform in concerts, including a concerto performance with the Festival Chamber Orchestra. These events are based in Nałęczów, Malachowski Palace and Kazimierz Dolny, Poland.
Beneficiary: Emma Kate Mifsud
Reference number: TDS233-25-5346
Project Title: Vienna International Pianists Academy Masterclass
Amount awarded: € 1,700
The Vienna International Pianists Academy Masterclasses are a week-long project for young pianists to gain a unique performance experience. They work on a prepared program and also learn new pieces and techniques to enhance their levels. These Masterclasses offer a comprehensive program for young pianists to develop their imagination, grow individually, and learn together with other pianists from around the world.
Beneficiary: Noa Ng
Reference number: TDS201-25-5024
Project Title: Summer School Intensive
Amount awarded: € 1,665
In participating in this initiative, the beneficiary will have the opportunity to be coached by the world-renowned names of the Dutch National Ballet. The course provides training in classical ballet, pas de deux, solos and repertoires that specifically align with the company and the principal dancers. Besides physical lessons there will also be several one to one mentoring sessions on what to expect from being a company member and conversely, what is expected of the beneficiary by the company.
