Published on Friday 1 September 2017

First national awards to celebrate Malta's artistic achievements

Arts Council Malta launched a national awards programme to celebrate the achievements of Malta's cultural and creative sectors. Il-Premju għall-Arti will be Malta's most prestigious award that acknowledges excellence in artistic work premiered during the year. 

The award, a sculpture in glass and ceramic by Maltese artist Kane Cali, was unveiled by Minister for Justice, Culture and Local Government Owen Bonnici during a press launch at the Phoenicia Hotel. Minister Bonnici said that artists and art organisations are the driving force of Malta's creative ecology. Minister Bonnici explained how Il-Premju ghall-Arti, announced as a budgetary measure for 2017, is a unique opportunity to acknowledge and to celebrate the success of our artists on a national level. Minister Bonnici reiterated how this appreciation towards Maltese artists is happening at a time when culture and the arts are experiencing an unprecedented flourishment.

Albert Marshall, Executive Chairman of Arts Council Malta stated that the awards reflect the objectives of the Council's Create2020 strategy. The awards will bring to the fore the distinctive creative contributions made by artists and arts organisations and the impact of their work on the cultural sector, audiences and communities,” said Marshall.

Eleven awards will been lined up for the ceremony to be held in March 2018. Toni Attard, Director of Strategy at Arts Council Malta announced that the nomination process for eight of the awards will be based on an open call whereas the Lifetime Achievement award and the Ambassador for the Arts award will be recommended by Arts Council Malta. A jury composed of sectoral experts will have the difficult task of independently voting for the nominees leading to the eventual selection of the winners. The public will also have the opportunity to reward their preferred artistic production of the year through the Audience Choice award, concluded Attard.

The first edition of Il-Premju għall-Arti covers projects, productions or activities in the cultural and creative sectors which have been premiered or presented between the 1st of September 2016 and the 31st August 2017. 

Nomination forms for the following categories will be received until 7 November 2017: 

  1. Best work for young audiences
  2. Best project in the community
  3. Best artistic programme or season
  4. Production of the year
  5. Best creative enterprise
  6. Best international achievement
  7. Young artist of the year
  8. Artist of the year

Il-Premju għall-Arti is an initiative of Arts Council Malta through the National Fund for Artistic Excellence within the Ministry for Justice, Culture and Local Government. Il-Premju għall-Arti is proudly supported by Hotel Phoenicia.