Published on Thursday 16 June 2022

This year’s winners of the annual Premju għall-Arti organised by Arts Council Malta, have been announced during an awards night at Fort St Angelo, Birgu on Wednesday 15 June.

This is the fifth edition of the Arts Awards and follows 2 years of virtual awards due to the pandemic. For this year’s edition Arts Council Malta has received over 100 nominations. For each category the nominations were short-listed to 3 finalists out of which a winner will be announced during the awards night.

This edition of Premju għall-Arti consisted of 14 awards out of which 10 are competitive, 3 are honorary and one special award at the discretion of Arts Council Malta for extraordinary contribution towards arts and culture during the year, an award which will be awarded for the first time during this edition of the Premju għall-Arti.

During his speech, Minister for the National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government Owen Bonnici remarked that, “it was essential that something of the likes of Premju għall-Arti was still held, especially during the pandemic. This showed how much the sector continued to work harder within its different and diverse strata. Each year, il-Premju għall-Arti continues to evolve. We’re now in its fifth year, and I’m looking forward to see the outcomes brough along with such an initiative, within the sector. Through all of this, we continued to regenerate and grow, in order to have a sustainable, accessible sector, catering for the continued strengthening od professionalisation.”

Albert Marshall, Executive Chairman of Arts Council Malta stated that,  “as Arts Council, we be the aim and target to continue working towards the strengthening of the platform of artists, cultural practitioners and the culture and creative sectors, and the Premju għall-Arti is an essential link in the Council’s chain of initiatives, projects and opportunities, which give us the opportunity to do so. Thanks to this initiative, we can continue to award the various forms of art and different genres , whilst also building upon our continuous community outreach as a Council.”

Premju għall-Arti is Arts Council Malta’s celebration of the main achievements of the Maltese cultural and creative industries. As highlighted in the National Cultural Policy 2021 this is a high-profile national event awarding excellence in the field of culture and the arts, while encouraging more professionalism and distinction within the sector. This aligns with ACM’s first guiding principle as stipulated in its Strategy 2025 which is to champion the advancement of the status of the artists, and cultural and creative practitioners.

The winners of each category are:


Best work for young audiences

The Secret Garden Valletta Cultural Agency and Lignin Stories. Written and produced by Giuliana Fenech 

 

Young artist of the year

Anna Calleja, Homebound

 

Best project in the community

L-Imbuljuta: A Panto in the Dark

Written & Directed by Vikesh Godhwani & Marta Vella. Produced by Spazju Kreattiv in Collaboration with Teatru Malta and Esplora

 

Honour for artistic legacy 

Karnival ta' Malta, Festivals Malta

 

Award for national artistic excellence

Mużika Mużika, Festivals Malta

 

Innovation award

Zoom,  Tyrone Grima, Joseph Galea and Keith Chetcuti

 

Best international achievement

The Nobodies A Chalk Line Theatre production, written by Amy Guyler

 

Best creative enterprise

Stephanie Borg

 

Best artistic programme or season

Spazju Kreattiv - September 2020 to August 2021  Fondazzjoni Kreattività

 

Honour for cultural promoters

Mark Weingard

 

Artist of the year

Brodu with albums Blu and Bambinella

 

Audience’s choice 

Ħax-Xjuħ  Teatru Malta, Josette Ciappara and Tony Cassar Darien

 

Production of the year

They Blew Her Up ­  Co-produced by Herman Grech and Spazju Kreattiv

Written and directed by Herman Grech


Lifetime achievement award

Tanya Bayona