The Restoration Funding Scheme aims at providing financial support for the repair, i.e restoration, and conservation of internal and external cultural property immovables including, but not limited to altars, apertures, architectural décor, gilding and painting or decoration on architectural surface of churches falling under the confines of a Parish Church under the Archdiocese of Malta and the Diocese of Gozo.
The immoveable cultural property needs to fall under the definition of cultural heritage and needs to have existed for 50 years or more as per the Cultural Heritage Act of Malta.
Who can apply?
The applicant should be the legal representative of the organisation. Please make sure that you provide the Voluntary Organisation number of your organisation, and that you identify the person/group of people leading the project, as applicable.
The Voluntary Organisation must be based in Malta or Gozo and operating in the Maltese islands.
Applicants must qualify as one of the following:
• Cultural organisations, in localities around Malta and Gozo, enrolled as Voluntary Organisations – including, but not limited to, band clubs, associations, and foundations.
• Enrolled Voluntary Organisations promoting and preserving cultural heritage (whether tangible or intangible) in a locality or region in Malta and Gozo.
Guidelines
Click here to download guidelines and regulations applicable for the scheme.
Click here to download the template of the application form (this template is only for information purposes, applications need to be submitted through the system)
Deadline
The deadline to apply is Tuesday 6th February 2024 at noon. Late applications cannot be accepted.
Applicants are required to register a new profile as from January 2021.
Click here to apply
Reults 2024
Application Deadline: 6th February 2024
Beneficiary: Għaqda Dilettanti Knisja ta’ Lapsi, San Ġijan VO/1891
Reference number: RFS12-24-3564
Project Title: Introibo ad Altare Dei: Restoration and Conservation of Altars in the Old Parish Church of St. Julian
Amount awarded: €10,760
The phrase/chant "Introibo ad altare Dei" was often used in the traditional Latin rite, representing the priest's approach to the altar at the beginning of the mass. The act of going to the altar is symbolic of drawing near to the sacred space where the central ritual of the Catholic faith, the Holy Eucharist, takes place. The altar symbolizes the presence of God and the sacrificial nature of the Mass. Within the Old Parish Church of St Julian one can find six altars. This restoration and conservation project will focus on the high altar and the altars dedicated to The Ascension of Our Lord and The Blessed Virgin of the Rosary. The proposed intervention will ensure that all original features are conserved and maintained, keeping in mind the historic, structural, religious and aesthetic individuality of each altar. The process of conservation will include washing with non-ionic detergents, cleaning tests, removal of loose marble fragments and their re-attachment with an adhesive within their original location. Pre-consolidation of cracks and loose pieces and mechanical cleaning might also be required. Further chemical cleaning will be undertaken on specific marble types and open mortar joints will be filled with a fine conservation-grade mortar. Large marble losses and missing pieces will be tackled by a third party marmista. Finally, a protective coating will be applied to the various marbles and minor chromatic integrations will be carried out at the discretion of the conservator in order to reduce the visual disturbance of stains and in-fills.
Beneficiary: Fondazzjoni Għall-Patrimonju Kulturali Tal-Arċidjoċesi Ta’ Malta
Reference number: RFS13-24-3566
Project Title: Restoration of the Altar of the Chapel of Saint Ann – Jesuits Church, Valletta
Amount awarded: €15,000
The project consists of the conservation and restoration of the wooden gilded altar in the Chapel of Saint Ann within the Jesuit's Church in Valletta. The altar dates back to at least the mid-17th century, and therefore is one of the oldest extant examples of altars still in cultic use in Malta. Its function as a visible reliquary evidences the devotional practices of the Counter-reformation in Malta.
Beneficiary: Soċjetà Storiko Kulturali Vittoriosa
Reference number: RFS32-24-3656
Project Title: Conservation and Restoration of the altarpiece of the Assumption of the BVM
Amount awarded: €15,000
The majestic painting of the Assumption of the Virgin is adorning the south transept of the St Lawrence Martyr Parish Church in Birgu. It has a date inscribed at the lower left side of the painting, stating it was executed in 1667. This places the painting into the Maltese Baroque context primarily dominated by Mattia Preti and Stefano Erardi. The commissioner and the executioner of the painting are unfortunately unknown, though we know that it once graced a nearby church dedicated to the Assumption until 1877 when it was demolished to make place for the chapter hall. The painting is sectioned into two tiers, the upper part represents the ascension of the Virgin Mary surrounded by angels and cherubs and the bottom tier groups the twelve apostles. The style is very reminiscent to the Bolognese school, especially recalling the same subject painted in 1597 by Guido Reni. The Madonna prevails in the overall composition. The movimented figures at the bottom aid in the theatrical rendition. The artist has gifted the apostles special iconographical features aiding the viewer to recognise each one. The painting has certainly an important part in the Maltese Baroque context, expanding the oeuvre of artworks and artists enriching our local artistic treasure. This in turn will contribute to the enhancement of the knowledge of scholars aiming in studying our local artistic context.
Beneficiary: Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Siġġiewi
Reference number: RFS04-24-3537
Project Title: Restoration of Lady Immaculate painting
Amount awarded: €11,564
This project seeks to conserve and restore an old Painting in one of the main altars of the Siggiewi Parish Church depicting the Holy Family whilst educating our local community on the value and importance of conservation and restoration of our local heritage. The painting is located within the local Parish church in Siġġiewi. It is the centre piece of the side-chapel inside the church and is on clear display to all church patrons and visitors throughout the year. It carries a lot of devotion throughout the year. A lot of people from within the local community and beyond go to light up candles during the year and pray for blessings for their departed loved ones.
Beneficiary: Soċjetà Dun Filippu Borgia
Reference number: RFS31-24-3653
Project Title: Completing the restoration of the clock at Saint Paul’s Church, Birkirkara
Amount awarded: €3,500
The St Paul's Church clock in Birkirkara was manufactured by Michelangelo Sapiano in 1891. Sapiano is synonymous with Maltese clock-making and mechanical inventions. Through the acquisition of funds from Arts Council Malta, an auto winding system was constructed and custom-fitted underneath the clock's movement without disrupting its original identity. This system automatically winds up the clock periodically without any manual intervention requirements. The current project is meant to compliment the enhancement of the clock's current condition by replacing the chiming assembly (hammers and related mechanisms) with more appropriate weather resistant components and carrying out restoration works of the clock dial on the façade.
Beneficiary: Għaqda Mużikali Sant’Andrija - Luqa
Reference number: RFS19-24-3612
Project Title: Biebna
Amount awarded: €15,000
The project involves the restoration of the doors located on the façade of the Church.
Beneficiary: Fondazzjoni Wirt Kulturali Vittoriosa
Reference number: RFS27-24-3647
Project Title: Restoration of the Bradella St. Lawrence Statue
Amount awarded: €14,998
The wooden base (bankun/bradella) supporting the titular statue in the historical church of St Lawrence, Birgu, dates back to 1903. It is of great artistic value, attesting to the refined tastes and the skills of the woodworking craftsmen who lived in Vittoriosa throughout the centuries. It is by all means considered to be an artistic masterpiece of work in exquisite artisanship. It was designed by Alfonso Maria Pace, who directed the execution of the work, while Lorenzo Roffini patiently and incessantly worked for over two years on it to complete it. He was helped by Francesco Azzopardi. Unfortunately, the wooden base was severely damaged in one of the many air raids on the city of Birgu during the Second World War. It was shattered to pieces, but fortunately, all the pieces of the ruined masterpiece were painstakingly collected and eventually after the war handed over to Lorenzo Zammit, who with admirable skill and infinite patience, embarked on the intricate task of putting together these fragments. With the passing of years, the wooden base sustained further damage, mainly through mishandling and the infestation of wood worms that throughout the years recklessly ate at the elaborate woodwork, causing extensive damage. It is for this reason that it is in dire need of restoration.
Results 2022
Application Deadline: 16th November 2022
Applicant: Konfraternità tas-Santissimu Sagrament, Qrendi
Reference number: RFS27-22-2177
Project Title: Restoration of the Santa Marija Niche
Amount awarded: €15,000
The Santa Marija niche in the Parish Church of Qrendi has been in place since 1837. Throughout the years, several interventions have changed the complexity of the niche in its entirety. The Konfraternità tas-Santissimu Sagrament is committed to restore and preserve the heritage left by our ancestors. The Konfraternità therefore asked the Archbishop's Curia for the necessary permissions to restore and preserve the Santa Marija niche in the best possible manner. Gladly, the recourse submitted by the Qrendi Parish Priest was accepted, and thus the niche can be restored in its entirety. The Konfraternità is suggesting that the operational aspect of the niche is revisited in a way that reduces the risks of damage to the statue and pedestal. Moreover, it is being proposed that an intervention be carried out on the niche in a way to restore a correct impression of the original aesthetic qualities of the artefact, thus improving its legibility and appreciation. On the inside, a conservation intervention is proposed to conserve the wall painted decorations and to prevent any further losses and deterioration. The intervention shall include the careful detachment of the wood batons still attached to the niche walls, as well as the consolidation of the painting support. The inside of the artefact shall then be decorated with a new 'damask' fabric attached to wooden frames that are easily relocated, if need be.
Applicant: Arċikonfraternità tas-Santissmu Kurċifiss, il-Belt Valletta
Reference number: RFS26-22-2164
Project Title: To restore, conserve and revive Baroque paintings by Gio. Nic. Buhagiar and G. D’Arena
Amount awarded: €15,000
During a recent inspection on the 300-year-old oil on canvas, ‘La Pietà’ by Giovanni Nicola Buhagiar, it was discovered that it has an active infestation of the biscuit beetle, which has severely damaged the painting by eating away the organic adhesive between the original canvas and the relining canvas that was made with rabbit skin glue and flour. Consequently, the support of the painting, i.e. the canvas, has been severely damaged in such a way that the canvas painting can collapse. The condition of the painting is extremely dramatic, and in fact the canvas started to tear off by its weight in a span of a few days. This surely requires a delicate intervention to save the painting. ‘Christ in the garden of Olives’ by Giuseppe D'Arena (1702) is one of a set of 4 paintings representing the ‘Sorrowful Mysteries’ and which are very reminiscent of Preti. This painting was heavily repainted due to severe damage and as it stands, it is virtually unrecognisable as a D'Arena work. The aim of this intervention is to uncover as much as possible the original layer and to restore it back to its glory.
Applicant: SKALI Gudja
Reference number: RFS31-22-2233
Project Title: Restoration of the Trinity Altar Piece Painting
Amount awarded: €11,000
The proposed project entails the conservation and restoration of the altarpiece dedicated to the Holy Trinity and to St Francis of Paola, located within the Parish of the Assumption, Gudja. The conservation-restoration treatments being proposed are aimed first at stabilising the oil on canvas painting and at stopping ongoing deterioration processes. Apart from stabilising the painting, reversing past unprofessional interventions and thus prolonging its life as much as possible, treatments are also aimed at allowing the viewer to appreciate the original hues applied by the artist which are currently obscured by past altered retouchings and by aged varnish coatings. Restoration treatments are aimed at making the altarpiece more legible as was intended by the artist. and hence at allowing scholars and art historians to better study this important artwork. Ultimately the project will further enrich the Gudja Parish Church and will further contribute to saving the artistic legacy of our islands.
Applicant: Fondazzjoni għall-Patrimonju Kulturali tal-Arċidjoċesi ta’ Malta
Reference number: RFS27-22-2229
Project Title: Restoring the Tamburini Church Organ
Amount awarded: €11,000
The restoration and conservation of the Tamburini Organ in the Parish Church of Mqabba shall restore a part of history. The Tamburini organ is the only surviving manual Tamburini Organ in Malta. The organ was installed in Mqabba Parish Church in 1948, as part of the regeneration works on the Mqabba Parish Church after it had suffered the bombing in WWII on the 9th of April 1942. Its restoration is divided into three phases. This project focuses on the third phase which includes dismantling of all metal and wood pipes, restoration of the pipes (splits in wood, deformations in metal, cleaning. etc), restoration of the wind chests and Voicing and Tuning of the restored pipes. Apart from conserving such a fine piece, this project will also reinstate the magnificent voice at the Mqabba parish church, as it voices sacred music during mass celebrations and solemn ceremonies throughout the year.
Applicant: Senglean Organisation of Culture and Ecclesiastical Patrimony
Reference number: RFS20-22-2222
Project Title: Conservation and Restoration of the bronze attachments (column capital and base) and wooden, gilded and polychrome decorations of the Basilica of Senglea Tribune
Amount awarded: €14,500
This project consists in the cleaning, restoration, and conservation of the wooden and bronze decorations of the tribune adorning the Senglea Basilica. It also includes tests for adhesion and cleaning, infilling with resin wax over cracks, removal of aged past protective material, levelling, reintegration of losses of the paint layer and application of a protective coating.
Applicant: Fondazzjoni Soċjo-Kulturali Ambjentali
Reference number: RFS28-22-2230
Project Title: Restoration of the 17th century titular painting “Our Lady of Perpetual Help” attributed to Alessio Erardi
Amount awarded: €14,500
Attributed to Alessio Erardi, the titular painting of "Our Lady of Perpetual Help" (Il-Madonna tas-Sokkors) was once part of the collection of the old church in Valletta and possibly sat over the choir for which the old church was dedicated. After the earthquake and the construction of the new church, the painting may have been transferred to the Oratory in a fixed frame over the altar. The painting is currently at risk with various impacts on the painting surface, the canvas and the frame. The extensive and intensive restoration includes a preliminary study and analysis phase, four (4) main phases of intervention, from preparation to remounting, and an interpretation as part of the thematic development of the Community Interpretation Centre at St. Augustine’s. A section will be dedicated to the restoration process for didactic reasons.
Applicant: Assoċjazzjoni Patrimonju Tarxien
Reference number: RFS23-22-2224
Project Title: Restoration of the painting dedicated to Our Lady of Rosary (By Francesco Zahra – 1770)
Amount awarded: €9,000
The parish church of Tarxien is decorated with several local artistic paintings, one of which is the painting dedicated to the Our Lady of the Rosary, work of Francesco Zahra (1770). This painting leads to the north facing chapel, measuring circa four by three metres. Following a professional assessment of the conservation state of this painting, it was unveiled that restoration is imminent. Through this project, the beneficiaries intend to appoint a professional restorer to conduct a proper conservation and restoration of the paintings that will result in the reinstation of the original colour and composition of Zahra' s work. The long-term aim is to have the aesthetics and condition of the paintings preserved for generations to come.
Results 2021
Application deadline: 7th December 2021
Applicant: Għaqda Dilettanti Knisja ta' Lapsi, San Ġiljan
Reference number: RFS03-21-908
Project Title: Restoration and Conservation Treatment of the Titular Painting depicting St. Julian attributed to Antonio Catalano (1596)
Amount awarded: €14,879
This project consists in the care of the artistic value of the work of art and of its constituent materials. This brings about the necessity of a scientific and methodological approach for the proper conservation and restoration of this work of art. The intervention will commence with photographic documentation and further non-invasive analysis using diffused light, raking light, ultraviolet fluorescence (UVF) and Near-Infrared (IR). Preliminary examinations will determine whether there is the need to carry out further scientific investigations aimed at understanding better the manufacturing technique, past restoration interventions and deterioration phenomena. Following the photographic documentation and scientific investigations, the painting will be unmounted from the decorative frame and first-aid treatments, including local consolidation, will be carried out to stabilise flaking and unstable areas of the paint and preparatory layers, before further treatments are undertaken.
Applicant: Soċjetà Filarmonika Santa Marija
Reference number: RFS19-21-944
Project Title: It-Titular - Restore, Conserve and Revive!
Amount awarded: €14,860
This project will include an information session for the community in order to instil a sense of communitarian belonging and pride. The titular painting depicts the Holy Trinity crowning the head of the Blessed Virgin, and it was painted by Suor Maria di Domenics in the 1730s. Its size is around 3 metres by 2 metres and is centrally and immovably installed atthe centre ofthe presbytery. According to Gozitan historian Gian Piet Agius de Soldanis,the painting was executed by Suor Maria di Domenics. The final product will be inaugurated and a commemorative plaque will be installed for the occasion.
Applicant: Soċjetà San Pawl Banda Konti Ruġġieru
Reference number: RFS17-21-937
Project Title: Mattia Preti
Amount awarded: €9,500
The project includes investigations under UV Light and documentation prior to treatments, canvas support, superficial cleaning, varnish cleaning, over-paintings removal, in-filling of paint lacunae and levelling down of stucco, re-integration and re-varnishing. Finally, the beneficiaries will draw up a conservation report and organise a public presentation.
Applicant: Assoċjazzjoni Patrimonju Tarxien
Reference number: RFS09-21-927
Project Title: Restoration and Conservation of oil on canvas painting dedicated to the our Lady of Mount Carmel
Amount awarded: €14,500
The parish church of Tarxien is decorated with a number of artistic paintings. Following a professional assessment of the conservation state of each painting, it transpired that the one dedicated to the Our Lady of Mount Carmel has the worst state of conservation. As a result, formal assessments were then obtained from licensed restorers unveiling details of the damages in place and the estimated costs underlying the restoration project. The ultimate scope of this project is to restore to the original state this 18 th century painting decorating one of the main chapels at the Tarxien Parish Church.
Applicant: Konfraternità tal-B.V.M. tal-Karità
Reference number: RFS15-21-934
Project Title: Conservation project for two altar paintings for the Collegiate Church of St. Paul Shipwreck, Valletta
Amount awarded: €14,500
This project will focus on the restoration of the altar painting of Our Lady of Charity and the altar painting of the Agony of St. Joseph, both under the care and responsibility of the Venerable Confraternity of Our Lady of Charity. Through this project, the beneficiaries intend to appoint PrevArti to conduct a proper conservation and restoration of the paintings that will result in the reinstation of the original colour and composition of Palombi's work. The long-term aim is to have the aesthetics and condition of the paintings preserved for generations to come.
Applicant: Association of St. Mary of Jesus, Rabat
Reference number: RFS05-21-910
Project Title: Restoration of St. Mary of Jesus Statue
Amount awarded: €8,456
This project consists in the restoration of the missing fingers on the Madonna and Child’s hands on the Antonello Gagini 1504 sculpture, as well as filling in some missing sections on the Madonna’s drapery folds. The sculpture was at an unknown point in its 517 year history, dropped and has suffered from the decapitation of the Madonna’s head and other losses. The sculpture was conserved and cleaned as part of a project funded by the LEADER programme (funds distributed by GAL Majjistral). The final phase of the project will see the sculpture brought back to its original state with the completion of the missing sections which necessitate the restoration of missing fingers based on research and studies of other sculptures by the artist.
Applicant: Fondazzjoni Soċjo-Kulturali Ambjentali
Reference number: RFS11-21-930
Project Title: Restoration of the 18h century Recessed Altar at St. Augustine's
Amount awarded: €13,305
The proposed restoration is directed to the centralised Chapel of Our Lady with a recessed frescoed altar. The frescoes decorate the arch, vault and walls. The decoration is an enhancement of the architectural motifs and grammar with bases, capitals and pilasters, heavy cornices and cartouch designs. The whole is a trompe l’oeil, includes effects of sotto in su and enhances the architectural elements. The characteristic marbelling effect is applied on most areas in a “verde antico” and ochre surface. The system may be a late Mannerist (17 th -18 th century) intervention. Until 2018, the recessed altar was blocked off and discovered through restoration works on the then Music Archive. The recessed altar is a contrast to the more classical centralised chapel with simple leathery ribs over the ceiling. This may have been a private chapel for cloistered brothers with a view onto the Church transept to follow services internally.
Results for the Restoration Funding scheme 2020 are available here.
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