Published on Wednesday 11 October 2017

Children whose families have been stricken by serious illness, survivors of domestic violence and persons receiving treatment at Mt Carmel Hospital will be among the beneficiaries of the 2017 edition of Il-Premju tal-President għall-Kreattività

Other projects include the creation of video clips by persons with intellectual and other disabilities, a project which brings together five grandmas and 10 youths to share experiences and stories and a collection of narratives through creative writing, as related by migrants.

A total of 11 projects will receive around €100,000 through the 2017 edition of Il-Premju tal-President għall-Kreattività, an arts fund with a strong social and community emphasis. The beneficiaries were announced during an awards ceremony held at San Anton Palace.

The potential of art and creativity in fostering social and cultural change and regeneration has been shown and proven in a number of contexts, including those characterised by social challenging environments, poverty and exclusion. This understanding is the basis for Il-Premju tal-President għall-Kreattività.

The Award provides recognition and support at the highest level of the State to organisations, especially those working with vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, to engage those groups in creativity and arts-driven projects and thereby increase their level of integration and engagement in society.

This year’s edition also featured a new strand of €45,000 in additional funds whereby beneficiaries of previous editions of the Award applied to receive support for the continuation of their community projects for a three-year period.  

Through this new strand, the Opening Doors Association, a voluntary non-governmental organisation that works for the promotion and involvement of persons with learning disabilities in the artistic and creative sector, will set up a new music group. Dar Kenn Għal Saħħtek, a centre for the treatment of eating disorders and obesity, will further support the healing process of their patients through engagement in dramatherapy while Ġan Franġisk Abela Junior College will present Ħolqa: European Theatre Festival for Students, a festival of dramatic performances over 3-5 days.

Il-Premju tal-President għall-Kreattività linked to the implementation of the Arts Council Malta’s goals outlined in the Council’s Create 2020 strategy, with a particular focus on providing more opportunities for people to engage in creativity.

Il-Premju tal-President għall-Kreattività is coordinated by Arts Council Malta under the Patronage of Her Excellency, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, President of Malta.

AWARDEES 2017

STRAND 1 – Premju tal-President għall-Kreattività Project Support

Umama Project
St Jeanne Antide Foundation
The St Jeanne Antide Foundation is a voluntary non-governmental organisation established to provide professional support services to vulnerable individuals and families sliding into poverty and feeling socially excluded. Umama Project involves two main activities with survivors of domestic violence. The activities are aimed at creating a safe space where the mother and her children can connect for therapeutic healing, strengthening of their bond, and exploration of one’s ability for self-expression through art and creativity. The survivors of domestic violence will connect with other members of the group and the public. The project will culminate in a closing exhibition.

Bringing Creativity to Life
Karl Vella Foundation
The Karl Vella Foundation is a voluntary non-governmental organisation established to provide educational and psychological support to children in families disrupted by illness. A short video clip will be produced by the children who are members of the Karl Vella Foundation. The participants will be guided throughout the whole process and backed up with sessions by trainers from The Media for Development Foundation, who will offer the children an opportunity to get their hands on professional equipment. The end production will then be showcased in an event open to children’s family members and supporters of the Foundation.

Grandma got STEAM
Foundation for Science and Technology
The project is aimed at empowering vulnerable youth and the elderly through the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering Arts and Mathematics (STEAM). Two youths will be paired with one Grandma in all the fields of STEAM, with a total of five grandmas and 10 youths – for a series of workshops that include sharing of experiences and stories which will be documented by a storyteller.

Hope in the journey of recovery
Mental Health Malta
A Maltese artist and a maximum of 10 participants from 10 different wards will work on 10 different paintings using different media. The paintings will then be exhibited at Mater Dei Hospital and Mount Carmel Hospital. The exhibition aims to promote awareness within the community towards persons who are receiving treatment at Mt Carmel Hospital.

Our Island II: Personal accounts of refugees in Malta
aditus foundation
aditus foundation is an active member of various NGO networks, members of the Fundamental Rights Platform within the EU Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA), and of the Consultative Council managed by the European Asylum Support Office (EASO). Our Island II: Personal Accounts of Refugees in Malta invites displaced people to share their narratives, through creative writing. The project aims to give a face to the term “migrant”, leaving a mark on Maltese society with the collection of narratives of the target group.

Xrar
Troupe 18:45
Troupe 18:45 is an independent organisation established to foster public understanding, enjoyment and discussion of theatre arts in Malta. Xrar is being produced in collaboration with the Ġ.F Abela Junior College. The project involves two main components : a showcasing element and a motivator element for students. The opening exhibition is planned to form part of the opening  celebrations of the European Capital of Culture in 2018, whereas the motivator element is scheduled for November 2018 as part of the closing events. A special focus of the project marketing is the immigrant population in Malta.


Another Brick in the Wall: Building hope and strengthening diversity
Sir Michelangelo Refalo Sixth Form
This project is aimed at increased integration of the school’s migrant students, through the arts. The migrant students will share their narratives in a focus group with the Gozitan Art students. The narratives will then be featured in the creation of a huge mural on the school’s campus.

Radio Valo Malta
Down Syndrome Association Malta
Down Syndrome Association Malta is a voluntary non-governmental organisation, with over 200 members with Down Syndrome. The Radio Valo Malta Team is a group within the Down Syndrome Association, which was founded in 2013. Through media training and the creation of short video clips, persons with intellectual and other disabilities will develop their creative expression and collaboration skills, increase their awareness on realities around them, and engage in self-advocacy.

STRAND 2 – Premju tal-President għall-Kreattività Multi-Annual Support

Creative Music Training for Adults with Intellectual Difficulties
Opening Doors Association
Opening Doors Association is a voluntary non-governmental organisation that works for the promotion and involvement of persons with learning disabilities in the artistic and creative sector. Through this project, a new music group will be established. The participants will consist of adults with learning difficulties and older students who need more time to grasp the basics of music.

Creatively Me : Recovering myself from my eating disorder through dramatherapy
Fondazzjoni Kenn għal Saħħtek
Dar Kenn Għal Saħħtek is a centre for the treatment of eating disorders and obesity. Through the project, Dar Kenn Għal Saħħtek aims to further support the healing process of their patients through engagement in dramatherapy. Groups and individual dramatherapy sessions will be set every week. An event will also be organised to increase public and professional awareness of the role of the arts therapies in the recovery process of people with eating disorders.

Ħolqa: European Theatre Festival for Students
Ġan Franġisk Abela Junior College
The project consists of a festival of dramatic performances over 3-5 working days. Youth participants from different European Schools (Malta included) will gather at the Junior College at the beginning of the festival week. Through cultural outings, social events, team building exercises, dramatic workshops, rehearsals and a dance performance programme, the participants will engage with the chosen theme with regard to V18 ‘No Borders’. A young group of African migrants will also participate in Ħolqa 18, promoting the values of unity, diversity and integration.