The Training and Development Support Scheme is one of our tools to address and implement Arts Council Malta’s ongoing strategy, with a focus on nurturing creative potential and supporting its development into professional activity.
The Training and Development Support Scheme is divided in two strands.
• Strand 1 supports the continuous professional development of Maltese or Malta-based artists, cultural operators and students who are active in the cultural and creative sectors and who seek to engage in short term professional training to improve their skills and advance their specialization.
• Strand 2 supports the development and exposure of young Maltese or Malta-based artists who are active in the cultural and creative sectors. The fund supports short term training opportunities which enhance, but do not substitute or subsidise, the students’ current formation programme. It also supports the participation of young creatives in international platforms; including but are not limited to festivals, competitions, exhibitions and/or performances.
The programme reflects the drive towards further professionalisation of the cultural and creative sector and the promotion of an entrepreneurial culture among creative professionals. It provides opportunities to strengthen the knowledge base and strategies of cultural and creative enterprises. By investing in processes designed to improve the quality that is needed to generate artistic work of excellence, our goal is to support the development of a sustainable creative ecology, providing value added and job opportunities in the sector.
Who can apply?
Creative professionals/individual artists; Entities registered with the Malta Business Registry (including companies, partnerships, foundations and organisations/associations); Groups, Collectives and Consortia; Registered Cooperatives; Voluntary Organisations enrolled with the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations.
The deadline to apply is Monday 10 October 2022 at noon. Late application cannot be accepted.
Guidelines
Click here to download guidelines and download application template for Strand 1 and Strand 2.
Applicants are required to register a new profile as from January 2021.
Apply here.
Results
Application Deadline: 10th October 2022
Applicant: Conservation Team – Barakat Major Award at Franciscan Provincial Archives
Reference number: TDS121-22-2175
Project Title: Continuous Professional Development: Paper in Islamicate manuscripts
Amount awarded: €2,000
The applicants will follow two in-depth theoretical courses focusing on paper and related materials in Islamicate manuscripts which will be spread over three sessions, as well as a practical session to observe Islamicate manuscripts in the Special Collections of Leiden University Library in The Netherlands. The course will be led by Amelie Couvrat Desvergnes, an internationally known book and paper conservator in the field of Islamic and Asian manuscripts who is currently based in Utrecht, The Netherlands. The course has been tested and approved at Masters level from the University of Amsterdam and the Qatar National Library. The applicants will attend the theoretical sessions at Couvrat Desvergnes’s private conservation studio, and they will also have the unique opportunity to observe and study some of the remarkable Islamicate manuscripts at Leiden University Library. These sessions will help the applicants to build on their knowledge of the history and context of paper technology and other related materials that are found in Islamicate manuscripts. This is a field of study in which more research has yet to be done in Malta. Thus, these sessions will be an important investment as the applicants carry out conservation work on thirty-one Islamic manuscripts from the Franciscan Provincial Archives in Valletta, Malta.
Applicant: Luke Bugeja Gauci
Reference number: TDS105-22-2050
Project Title: JV2
Amount awarded: €2,000
Jv2 is a Professional Development Programme providing participants with a unique opportunity to train and develop as a versatile and multi-disciplinary performer programme. It is very intense, physically and mentally demanding. Alongside dance technique, the programme also explores theatrical skills and voice coaching.
Applicant: Julia Frendo
Reference number: TDS114-22-2157
Project Title: Threading Roots: Shifting landscapes and a Planetary Garden
Amount awarded: €2,000
Bamboo U provides the world’s best bamboo eco-architecture courses, integrating multidisciplinary practitioners with a keen interest around bamboo construction and sustainable design from around the world. The beneficiary will attend an intensive 11-day course at Bamboo U in Bali, Indonesia that will introduce new tools, understanding and hands-on experience into the craftsmanship of working with bamboo for construction, design, carpentry, sculpture and fabrication. The training and development project will build on the inspiration from the use of Mediterranean Reed in dying Maltese crafts such as the woven ‘qoffa’, ‘nassa’, hand-held ‘palju’ and ‘ħasira’ blinds, that formed part of the beneficiary’s final year MA Architecture design and research thesis. Through learning the long-practiced techniques of bamboo construction, bending, treatment, joinery and carving, the beneficiary may use this exposure as a backbone for their professional development towards redefining techniques of designing with materials such as the Mediterranean Reed.
Applicant: Wioletta Kulewska
Reference number: TDS115-22-2160
Project Title: FRESCO PAINTING: ancient techniques for contemporary artists
Amount awarded: €2,000
The Fresco Painting training at Bosa Art School in Sardinia teaches the traditional techniques and materials of fresco painting. The main focus is on practical work in the studio, where students will be able to experience all the steps of the fresco process, from preparation of the stratigraphy to the application of the pigments, while explaining some elements of the science behind this technique. The course also offers an overview of the history and iconography of frescos. The course is intended for artists who have experience in painting and would like to develop their artistic skills, and to learn fresco painting techniques as sgraffito, gilding on wax, and relief work in intonaco. Fresco is an ancient method of painting on to wet plaster requiring the artist to make a direct and immediate transmission of ideas and concepts. The magic of fresco is in the use of natural pigments which become pure, bright and luminous as they are fixed permanently into the surface – the painting becomes stone. Students will work on terracotta tiles and plywood panels prepared with metal lath or hessian. They will learn how to prepare and lay the necessary three layers of plaster, to plan and draw out the design and to paint the fresco in stages using natural pigments. Students will explore a full range of fresco painting from ancient to contemporary.
Applicant: Nicole Sciberras Debono
Reference number: TDS109-22-2087
Project Title: Get Quarantined with NICOLÁS URIBE - a week-long oil painting bootcamp
Amount awarded: €2,000
The beneficiary will be attending a masterclass program called 'Quarantine with Nicolás Uribe' in Lazaretto (Menorca, Spain) guided by Nicolás Uribe himself. Nicolás Uribe’s quarantine style bootcamp is designed to bring about a profound change in the way artists observe, conceive and use reference. The beneficiary will take part in various challenges both inside and outside the studio, designed to get the artist to detach from (almost) everything. This will also serve as an excellent opportunity for the beneficiary to network with some of the greatest painters of our time, with the aim of future collaborations on new projects, and career possibilities for her.
Applicant: The Cardonas
Reference number: TDS106-22-2065
Project Title: Summer Dance Forever 2023 – International Hip Hop Dance Festival
Amount awarded: €2,000
The beneficiaries are a dance collective of three hip hop dancers. They have been working with Concept of Movement studio for the past five years. They intend to further their skills in hip hop and freestyle by attending international workshops. For this purpose, they intend to attend the week-long Summer Dance Forever international hip hop dance festival held every summer in Amsterdam. The festival offers an immersive experience of hip hop culture, through breath-taking theatre performances, thrilling battles, as well as seminars and workshops taught by the best dancers in the hip hop scene. They will be attending a minimum of 10 dancing workshops delivered by international artists, five theatre performances, five battles, including the pre-selection process, and a seminar. Attending the week-long festival allows dancers to widen their horizons in dance technique, keeping abreast with international trends and developments, and forging international connections which may lead to further collaboration. The possibility to be present at the festival and interact and learn from the most prominent dancers in the hip hop scene will help to further improve their skills and knowledge as dancers, as well as provide them with the essential tools needed to grow and establish themselves as a collective.
Applicant: Etienne Spiteri
Reference number: TDS102-22-1982
Project Title: Short course in Instrumental Conduction
Amount awarded: €1,907
The beneficiary will be attending a short intensive Instrumental Conducting Course in the UK under the tutorship of Professor Peter Stark and Rachel Erdos. The course focuses on individual tuition combined with opportunities to conduct orchestras and ensembles with specific emphasis on observing and discussing skills and techniques. Technique is viewed as a way of communicating advanced music ideas and as a language by which one communicates concepts. Practical sessions are recorded and discussed to foster in-depth criticism to develop the artistic qualities and skills.
Applicant: Nigel Baldacchino
Reference number: TDS110-22-2088
Project Title: Image Threads & Penumbra Foundation: Long Term Photobook Program
Amount awarded: €2,000
The beneficiary has been accepted for the first, 6-month module of Image Threads & Penumbra Foundation's 'Long Term Program: The photobook'. The program combines online seminars, critiques with guest artists, and one-on-one sessions, as well as optional in-person and online workshops. Through working with one main and two additional instructors throughout the program, while also receiving assignments and feedback from guest critics, participants have both continuity and variety of support. The learning process is based on regular production of physical maquettes, which lead participants to deepen their understanding of the book form and allow them to continue redefining it for themselves. Reading and writing assignments, as well as individualized exercises throughout the year help develop the skills and knowledge necessary for a photobook maker.
Applicant: Mark Vella
Reference number: TDS112-22-2149
Project Title: Training at Accademia Italiana Di Euphonium
Amount awarded: €1,093
The beneficiary will be attending the Accademia Italiana di Euphonium during the year 2022/23 under the mentorship of Euphonium international soloist Mro Luciano De Luca as well as other established international low brass professors such as Steven Mead. The training will be taking place in San Polo Dei Cavalieri, Rome and Mr Vella will be required to travel once a month for training. This training course will help further develop both his musical and technical skills with one-on-one lessons as well as ensemble works, while building new networks with other euphonium students. As a teacher in various local band clubs in Malta, the course will also help him learn new teaching skills he can apply while working with students in Malta.
Applicant: Alessia Bonnici
Reference number: TDS205-22-2108
Project Title: Alessia Bonnici goes to ACCESS Tampere 2023
Amount awarded: €2,000
The beneficiary has been invited to perform in an inclusive festival - Access Tampere (Finland) 2023. Additionally, she is also being asked to present her previous inclusive work, Ale’s Project music video, which showcases Alessia playing a Piano Concerto composed by Ilia Chkolnik. Access Tampere (Finland) 2023, is a unique festival that promotes equality and diversity among children and youngsters, through art and culture. By participating in this festival Alessia will be given a golden opportunity to enhance her personal professional development, while building networks with other international partners who might be interested in future collaborations.
Applicant: Marianna Micallef
Reference number: TDS209-22-2172
Project Title: Fit The Mould, Intensives and Camp
Amount awarded: €2,000
Fit The Mould is a monthly Dance Intensive in Central London on one Sunday of every month, followed by a Residential Performing Arts Camp during the Summer Holidays. The monthly Intensives provide training with industry-leading professionals. This programme was created as an opportunity to further develop dancers’ skills and employability, on top of the full-time training at their normal dance school or college. Following the monthly Intensives there is the FTM CAMP 2023 which is a residential performing arts experience which will involve two camps (Dance and Musical Theatre). This event is a unique and inspiring experience for young performers. The Camps involve elite dance & musical theatre masterclasses with the UK’s best current working industry professionals, alongside adrenaline-filled outdoor pursuit activities.
Applicant: Martina Galea Loffreda
Reference number: TDS201-22-1977
Project Title: UK Drama School Auditions
Amount awarded: €2,000
UK based drama schools are arguably the world's most successful conservatoires for musical theatre training with alumni appearing in the West End, on Broadway, onboard various cruise ships and across the world. They provide artists with personalised industry-focused instruction and education to develop their skills and abilities in preparation for a successful and rewarding career in musical theatre. Access to the BA Musical Theatre course offered within the leading drama schools is via a series of rigorous in-person auditions held in the UK. The application process for each drama school usually involves a three-stage audition. Auditions for September 2023 entry will be kicking off shortly. After duly researching the top drama schools with her mentors, Martina will be auditioning for her preferred UK drama schools between January and March 2023 hoping that she gains a place on their BA (Hons)Musical Theatre course.
Applicant: Caden Meilak
Reference number: TDS204-22-2097
Project Title: WDC/AL European Championships & Blackpool Junior Dance Festival
Amount awarded: €1,850
The WDC/AL European Championships and the Blackpool Junior Dance festival are world renowned dance events in the industry showcasing the best dancers in Latin and Ballroom respectively and judged by World Champion Dancers. Both competitions are held at the legendary Winter Gardens and are held yearly over a one-week period. Participants in these competitions range from various countries and all dancers aspire to win prestigious titles in their dancing categories and age groups.
Application Deadline: 10th August 2022
Applicant: Gabriel Zammit
Reference number: TDS110-22-1909
Project Title: Arts Management Short Course
Amount awarded: €2,000
The beneficiary will attend an intensive two-week short course at the Chelsea College of Arts. The course, which is in curatorial theory and practice, will provide important practical and theoretical information about curating as a professional. It will build practical skills by encouraging the attendee to develop exhibition themes and proposals. Topics covered will include curatorial histories, curatorial theory, project management, publicity and good press practice as well as funding and institutional models.
Applicant: Ġagħel Dingli
Reference number: TDS114-22-1928
Project Title: Elephant in the Black Box Junior Company 2022/23
Amount awarded: €2,000
The beneficiary was hand-picked to attend Elephant in the Black Box Junior Company, for a duration of 6 months. Through thorough classes in the morning and guest choreographer workshops in the afternoon, the programme aims to help participants bridge the gap between dance in education and dance as a profession, by giving them the chance to work with a large number of international choreographers specialising in different genres, equipping participants for the realities of today’s dance industry. Participants will also take part in various performances, preparing them for the vigorous demands of the profession and exposing them to international audiences. The vast connections of the artistic team will allow them to guide participants to companies and advise them on projects which interest and suit them, while giving other practical assistance, including preparation for auditions and construction of CVs and show reels.
Applicant: Maria Concetta Cariello
Reference number: TDS120-22-1936
Project Title: Voice and Movement – Training Tour in France and Portugal
Amount awarded: €1,879
The proposed project intends to deepen the beneficiary’s studies in two areas of interest: Voice and Movement. It includes the participation in two different workshops: Voice and Authentic Movement at Roy Hart Centre Artistique International, France; and Fighting Monkey: Body Practice (from healing to contact sports) in Lisbon. Both of these areas are currently at the core of Ms Cariello’s development as a dancer, artist, and movement educator: on one side the research with the voice as an integral and fundamental part of our bodies; and on the other side the exploration of movement in its organicity in order to develop a healthy approach to movement, training and support the physical/mental system in the best way possible within a playful approach to training and body conditioning.
Applicant: Luis Gabriel Gordo Gaviria
Reference number: TDS105-22-1877
Project Title: Camerimage
Amount awarded: €600
The International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography EnergaCAMERIMAGE is the most recognized festival dedicated to the art of cinematography and its creators – cinematographers. EnergaCAMERIMAGE contributes to the growth of cinematographers. The unconventional format of the Festival, which awards films according to their visual, aesthetic and technical values, has turned out to be an alternative for traditional film festivals. The Festival is a great forum not only for presentation but also for further development of international filmmaking. EnergaCAMERIMAGE helps young filmmakers integrate into the community of those already recognized, allowing them to explore new artistic areas.
Applicant: Jessica Ellul
Reference number: TDS111-22-1925
Project Title: Short-training course and development week at Conservatorio Rossini, Pesaro
Amount awarded: €2,000
The beneficiary will visit the Conservatorio Rossini for a week during December 2022. During this week she will be attending a 3-day full intensive course with clarinettist and tutor Sergio Bosi from Conservatorio Rossini. This will further develop Ms Ellul's skills in both performance and teaching. She will be holding meetings with Director of Music and composer Michele Mangani to explore the possibility of a collaboration between the St. Julian's School of Music where she is Director of Music and Conservatorio Rossini. The aim is to give the students the opportunity to further their studies in Italy. During the past weeks, Ms Ellul has been chosen to be the Maltese Representative of the International Clarinet Association. Finally, the beneficiary will be holding an interview with the Chair of the International Relations, Luca Saracca on behalf of the ICA.
Applicant: Michel Angelo Muscat
Reference number: TDS117-22-1933
Project Title: Masterclass in Grassau (Germany), with Prof. Juliane Banse
Amount awarded: €1,176
The beneficiary will be attending a masterclass in Grassau (Germany) with Prof. Juliane Banse who is a professor in Mozarteum Conservatory in Salzburg. Through this project Mr Muscat, will develop his professional skills in the opera and lied genres. This will help establish Michel Angelo in Germany with the aim of future collaborations on new projects, and career possibilities for him and any other interested students.
Applicant: Martina Camilleri & Kris Polidano
Reference number: TDS119-22-1936
Project Title: ELIA Biennial Conference 2022
Amount awarded: €1,990
The ELIA Biennial is an international conference held at the University of the Arts in Helsinki, Finland, which brings together thousands of cultural practitioners in more than 48 countries. During this conference with the theme of “No Stone Left Unturned”, Kris Polidano and Martina Camilleri, two cultural practitioners hailing from different yet interconnected areas of the arts, intend to travel together and make connections with other practitioners focused on community and audience engagement.
Applicant: Owen Desira
Reference number: TDS112-22-1926
Project Title: Typeface Design at Cooper Union
Amount awarded: €1,150
The beneficiary will be attending an online workshop offered by Cooper Union, New York. These public workshops, conducted by established industry leaders, provide training in typeface design, typeface history, technology and production. The workshop will expose the beneficiary to the key concepts of typeface design, through online group sessions, tasks, and one-on-one reviews by leaders in the type-design field.
Applicant: Jose Calderon
Reference number: TDS115-22-1930
Project Title: Learning and exploring new percussion instruments
Amount awarded: €2,000
This is a musician development project nourishing an experienced percussion musician to learn new percussion instruments, specifically the djembe and dunduns - instruments native to west Africa. The musician will enrol in a teaching program offered by an African in the North of Spain where he will also learn how to build the djembe instrument and sing the rhythms traditionally sung with the traditional mandingue music. The project will initiate a new fusion of music within the Maltese islands, being an uncommon instrument used in the local music scene. Finally, it will enrich the beneficiary’s future large-scale performances and teaching outcomes.
Applicant: Marianna Micallef
Reference number: TDS209-22-1929
Project Title: NYMT – Stagebox Advanced Team
Amount awarded: €2,000
Stagebox is an award-winning training programme in theatre, television and film that trains youths who demonstrate extraordinary talent and potential in the performing arts. It prides itself of its robust industry connections and offers prestigious performing opportunities to selected company members. Stagebox auditions thousands of aspiring performers each year and trains company members to an unrivalled professional level. Their exposure platforms not only include their Youtube Channel but also direct collaboration with casting directors and their very own management company. Selected performers star in feature films, tv, title roles in the West End and prestigious concerts. Stagebox is the UK's ultimate training and opportunities platform for aspiring performers most of whom eventually move on to a drama school for completion of their degree. It is the ultimate preparation one can get before auditioning for the leading UK drama schools.
Applicant: Ann Mifsud Depasquale
Reference number: TDS206-22-1921
Project Title: Glasbury Arts Harp Summer School
Amount awarded: €2,000
The beneficiary will attend a harp summer school organized by Glasbury Arts in Wales, providing harp students of various ages and skills with an enriching musical learning experience. The summer school programme exposes students to a variety of musical genres, led by well-established musicians, each in their own sectors. Group lessons and performances are offered to enhance the development of musicianship, as well as create intercultural exchanges.
Applicant: Lea Ellul Sullivan
Reference number: TDS202-22-1859
Project Title: Competition of Youth American Grand Prix 2023 Italy and France Semifinals
Amount awarded: €2,000
Youth American Grand Prix is the world’s largest global dance network that supports and develops world-class dancers aged nine to nineteen from various economic, ethnic, and geographical backgrounds. It fulfils its mission of dance education through scholarship auditions, masterclasses, educational and outreach activities and performances, amongst others. The beneficiary will be competing in two of the semi-finals of the competition around Europe.
Applicant: Julia Gauci
Reference number: TDS208-22-1923
Project Title: YAGP Europe Semi-Finals: Q4 2022
Amount awarded: €2,000
The beneficiary will be participating in different dance pieces across 2 semi-finals (Paris, France and Riccione, Italy) to increase her visibility and show her versatility. Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) is the world’s largest dance network and dance education organization that fulfils its mission through scholarship auditions, masterclasses, alumni services, educational and outreach activities, performances, and films. Semi-Finals are done in 28 locations in the United States and 10 international locations, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Paraguay, and Japan. The dancers who make it to the next round will have the opportunity to participate in the finals held in USA thus giving them huge exposure to many world-renowned vocational schools and dance companies.
Application Deadline: 29th April 2022
Applicant: Krystle Attard Trevisan
Reference number: TDS114-22-1434
Project Title: Arezzo Summer Course 2022
Amount awarded: €1,600
The Arezzo Summer Course is a world-renowned short course on prints and print history delivered by leading authorities in prints and drawings. Its object-based sessions are held in museums and libraries in Italy. This course is the ideal opportunity to see artworks, learn from experienced professionals and network. The Arezzo Summer Course is organised by the Art in Tuscany Study Centre, the Accademia delle Arti del Disegno di Firenze and the Fondazione Ivan Bruschi. It is headed by Professor Alessandra Baroni Vannucci, art historian, professor at the University of Rochester NY, curator and a Paper Project Director for the Getty Foundation. The training will allow the applicant, who is a curator and a doctoral researcher of the Maltese 18th-century print collection of Count Saverio Marchese, to further her training and advance her specialisation in the field of print history.
Applicant: Charlene Galea
Reference number: TDS104-22-1367
Project Title: How do you see the future in 100 years?
Amount awarded: €2,000
The beneficiary will attend a 5-month course with the prestigious ZeroPlus Dance Academy in Budapest, Hungary during the first semester of the program for the 2022/2023 academic year. ZeroPlus DanceWorks is a school and creative dance lab specialising in contemporary dance and somatic activities. Charlene will cover study areas such as advanced somatic and performative technical training and the fundamentals of ballet and contemporary dance. She will also attend five weekend workshops with guest artists, and she will participate in two performing arts research projects with guest artists. The course will allow the beneficiary to expand her awareness in movement, improve her technical capabilities, and start using movement consciously in creation. The course supports students in creating their own works, finding their own voice, and discovering their individuality through movement and creation. It also provides an opportunity to take part in a deep workflow, surrounded by peers, in a supportive atmosphere. The program goes beyond technical training as it equally emphasises somatic approaches, movement research, improvisation and composition. By the end of the program, students’ newly acquired knowledge will lead to the creation of new artworks, with the guidance and support of experienced professionals.
Applicant: Gulja Holland
Reference number: TDS113-22-1429
Project Title: Summer Artist Residency at PADA Studios
Amount awarded: €2,000
The beneficiary has been selected for the prestigious artist residency at PADA in Barreiro, Portugal. This highly selective programme offers short-term training to artists through workshops, mentoring sessions, critiques, workshops, artist collaborations and a cumulative group exhibition. She shall be based there for the months of July and August during which time she plans on organising an artist talk and open studio day in order to maximize her exposure to an international audience while gaining confidence in talking about her practice. Throughout this intensive program, she also plans on producing a total of twenty paintings which she hopes to feature in her next solo exhibition.
Applicant: Rachel Gauci
Reference number: TDS132-22-1522
Project Title: International Summer Academy – Mozarteum University Salzburg
Amount awarded: €1,591
The beneficiary will be attending an intensive two-week piano course at the prestigious International Summer Academy at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg (Austria). The course consists of daily masterclasses with acclaimed pianist Leonel Morales. Rachel will have the unique opportunity to perform in public masterclasses and receive feedback and advice to develop her artistic qualities. Furthermore, she will be able to attend masterclasses given by other renowned professors as well as masterclasses for other instruments. The course will provide Rachel with a platform to learn, discuss and perform works on an international level.
Applicant: Clara Galea
Reference number: TDS102-22-1353
Project Title: Le Domaine Forget International Music and Dance Academy
Amount awarded: €1,566
The Oxford Flute Summer School works with some of the biggest names in the flute world to provide intensive summer courses to flautitsts of different levels. The beneficiary will participate in the school's 2022 Masterclass Course, which is intended for conservatoire students, postgraduates and professional players. The course offers guidance in achieving the next level in performance, approaching professional auditions, as well as building a successful career. It includes masterclasses with Robert Winn, Lorna McGhee, and other internationally acclaimed flautists.
Applicant: Chantelle Micallef-Grimaud
Reference number: TDS135-22-1529
Project Title: Stage and Screen Combat Training and Certification
Amount awarded: €1,997
Having experience and certification in stage and screen combat as well as firearms training is extremely useful in the acting industry today. Many undergraduate and postgraduate acting courses now include stage and/or screen combat as part of their curriculum which means that many actors are entering the industry equipped with recently acquired skills and accreditation. A total of fourteen days at highly regarded ID Fight Training in London will equip the beneficiary with training and qualifications in stage combat, awarded by the British Academy of Dramatic Combat, as well as certification in combat for screen and firearms training.
Applicant: Elyse Baldacchino
Reference number: TDS129-22-1518
Project Title: Introduction to Actor Training and LAMDA
Amount awarded: €2,000
Introduction to Actor Training is a short course held at one of the most prestigious UK drama schools, LAMDA. It is geared towards students who wish to get a taste of what full-time, hands-on actor training is like, whilst also having the opportunity to develop their craft, create, and push their creative boundaries.
Applicant: Benjamin Spiteri
Reference number: TDS123-22-1492
Project Title: Royal Ballet School Summer Intensive 2022 – Upper School
Amount awarded: €2,000
The Royal Ballet Upper School Summer Intensive offers a unique opportunity to experience high levels of coaching from its full-time staff and renowned international teachers.
Applicant: Ella Spiteri
Reference number: TDS103-22-1358
Project Title: Prague Masterclass 2022
Amount awarded: €2,000
The International Ballet Masterclass in Prague is a dance summer programme set up by Daria Klimentova that is designed for students and rising stars of the future to benefit from the vast experience of professional dancers and teachers, and at the same time enjoy one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The programme aims to give a chance to young dancers to learn from the stars that they may have seen on stages around the world. It is rare to have an opportunity to attend masterclasses from artists who are still performing, so the masterclasses were made with that thought in mind. The programme was set up with the aim of creating a closer link between students, aspiring dancers and high calibre performing artists as well as promoting the city of Prague, and the cultural heritage of Bohemia.
Applicant: Wioletta Kulewska
Reference number: TDS124-22-1504
Project Title: FRESCO PAINTING – ancient techniques for contemporary artists
Amount awarded: €246
The Fresco Painting training at Bosa Art School in Sardinia teaches the traditional techniques and materials of fresco painting. The main focus is on practical work in the studio, where students will be able to experience all the steps of the fresco process, from preparation of the stratigraphy to the application of the pigments, while explaining some elements of the science behind this technique. The course also offers an overview of the history and iconography of frescos. The course is intended for artists who have experience in painting and would like to develop their artistic skills and to learn fresco painting techniques such as sgraffito, gilding on wax, and relief work in intonaco. Fresco is an ancient method of painting on to wet plaster requiring the artist to make a direct and immediate transmission of ideas and concepts. The magic of fresco is in the use of natural pigments which become pure, bright and luminous as they are fixed permanently into the surface – the painting becomes stone. Students will work on terracotta tiles and plywood panels prepared with metal lath or hessian. They will learn how to prepare and lay the necessary three layers of plaster, to plan and draw out the design and to paint the fresco in stages using natural pigments. Students will explore a full range of fresco painting from ancient to contemporary.
Applicant: Martina Galea Loffreda
Reference number: TDS223-22-1513
Project Title: NYMT – National Youth Music Theatre Session Production – A Kiss For Cinderella
Amount awarded: €2,000
The National Youth Music Theatre offers exceptional opportunities for talented young people. It commissions and presents exciting new work enabling upcoming artists like the beneficiary to work alongside industry professionals, train and learn from the best in the musical theatre industry. NYMT have a stellar reputation. Many professional theatre performers started with NYMT. Competition to be accepted into their productions is fierce and Martina and her mentors are thrilled that she has landed a lead role in the production 'A Kiss for Cinderella' to premier in London this August. During her time with NYMT, Martina will build on her performing experience. She will gain a valuable insight of what is required of her as a performer, the important roles of all the crew members and gain professional direction, choreography and musical direction. This is an ideal opportunity for Martina who is seriously considering going into the profession.
Applicant: Claudia Santamaria Soriano
Reference number: TDS201-22-1346
Project Title: Royal Ballet School Summer Intensive 2022
Amount awarded: €2,000
The beneficiary has obtained a direct entry award for The Royal Ballet School Summer Intensive 2022 for two weeks at White Lodge in London. The White Lodge Summer Intensive introduces The Royal Ballet School System of Training to students from around the globe, and is a unique opportunity for young dancers to experience the highest levels of coaching from the School’s full-time staff and renowned international teachers. In addition to classical ballet technique classes, the Summer Intensive course typically includes Character, Contemporary, Creative Pilates, Repertoire, Stagecraft and Variations. Claudia will experience intensive dance training over an extended period of time, enabling her to determine her suitability for full-time vocational training.
Applicant: Jacob Patrick Abela
Reference number: TDS205-22-1387
Project Title: BISYOC – Bedstone International Summer Youth Orchestra Camp 2022 - participation
Amount awarded: €1,210
BISYOC-European Intercultural Youth Orchestra is an international orchestra project that gives talented young musicians between the ages of 16 and 26 the opportunity to rehearse and play in a large symphonic orchestra. It also gives them the opportunity to network and engage in a meaningful cultural exchange. The project is led by a team of international tutors and includes orchestral training and rehearsals, as well as workshops and seminars in chamber music. This two-week programme culminates in a number of performances in different venues that include both chamber and symphonic works. Some of the works in this year’s concerts include Beethoven’s Symphony no 7 in A Major and Bacewicz’s Concerto for Strings.
Applicant: Andrea Riolo
Reference number: TDS207-22-1395
Project Title: International Ballet Masterclass in Prague
Amount awarded: €2,000
The aim of the Prague International Ballet Masterclasses is to enable closer links between students, aspiring dancers and high calibre performing artists. Looking around at summer schools on offer, Prague International Ballet Masterclasses decided to fill a gap in what was available, and give people a chance to learn from the stars that they may have seen on stages around the world. The level for these masterclasses is described as advanced/professional. This means that you may be a professional, semi-professional or have completed at least one year in full-time training for a career in dance, and have reached your 16th birthday by the beginning of the course.
Applicant: Marianna Micallef
Reference number: TDS224-22-1517
Project Title: PPAS Elite / Performance Team
Amount awarded: €790
PPAS-Pineapple Performing Arts School, Elite and Performance Team, is a handpicked team of talented and versatile dancers with huge potential, chosen by PPAS principal Maggie Paterson, to train intensively in a variety of dance styles by top quality industry professionals to create exciting new choreography for performances at different high-profile events and competitions. In class Training and rehearsals are held every weekend at the iconic Pineapple Dance Studios in Central London. The Senior Team works hard in a professional supportive atmosphere, prepares for auditions for Dance and Drama Colleges, and also represents the school at a variety of high-profile events and competitions.
Application Deadline: 28th January 2022
Applicant: Francesca Bartolo
Reference number: TDS122-22-1056
Project Title: International Vocal Artists Academy of Payerbach
Amount awarded: €2,000
The International Vocal Artists Academy of Payerbach (IVAAP) is an immersive program of study and performance for classical singers. IVAAP trains the whole artist with daily private technical voice lessons, repertoire interpretation and music coaching, group acting classes, group movement, and posturology lessons, whilst encouraging a culture of artistic exploration, vocal advancement, and courage to achieve one’s full potential. Every instructor is a world-renowned expert in their field, dedicated to unearthing the unique gifts of each performer and encouraging them to become the fullest version of their artistic self. IVAAP features two masterclasses to demonstrate individual performers’ growth, as well as two major concerts, the first in Payerbach, and the second in Vienna.
Applicant: Deedee Clark
Reference number: TDS101-22-973
Project Title: Dance in LA
Amount awarded: €2,000
The beneficiary is a dancer who continuously strives to learn. Through this project, Ms Clark will be spending a couple of months in Los Angeles where she will take daily classes with the highest tier mentors. It involves attendance to daily lessons in various studios scattered around Los Angeles, while integrating and absorbing knowledge from teachers and students alike, generating contacts within the professional dance scene as well as having more tools to educate the aspiring Maltese dancers.
Applicant: Kristina Borg
Reference number: TDS124-22-1060
Project Title: Sustaining Embedded Arts Practice
Amount awarded: €881
The training lab Sustaining Embedded Arts Practice forms part of UNIDEE’s residency programme at Cittadellarte in Biella, managed by Fondazione Pistoletto. The focus of the two-week lab will be on practical methods for sustaining long-term and durational embedded arts practices, including the creation of alternative funding structures and resources, creating or reclaiming commons, the formation of counter/alter-institutions, reforming and working within, against and beyond existing structures. In doing so, the lab aims to acknowledge and work across different spaces of embeddedness - the individual, the social and the environmental fabric. This training lab is curated by Dr Andy Abbott, visiting research curator at UNIDEE residency programmes. Guest mentors for this lab include Maria Papadimitriou (GR), Gregory Sholette (USA), Katherine Gibson (AU), Sue Ball (UK) and Kerry Harker (UK), who will help facilitate group critiques, offer one-to-ones with residents, present as part of seminars and roundtables, and facilitate workshops and activities.
Applicant: Francesca Mercieca
Reference number: TDS130-22-1075
Project Title: Mid-Century Modern Refinishing-Restoration Workshop
Amount awarded: €2,000
The beneficiary will be partaking in the Mid-Century Modern Refinishing & Restoration Workshop at OP Woodcraft in Gloucestershire, UK. Led by interior designer and furniture maker Oliver Piepereit, this training is beneficial for Ms Mercieca’s professional skillset since it will inform her on how to manage and maintain set furniture for its optimum stylistic potential within a scene, especially with regards to the materials and techniques of the era in their own respect. This is important in her creative development as it will support her ambition to set a signature with scenery that elaborates on the eras that made her step into this profession in the first place. Drawing strong influence from the 1940s to the mid-1970s interiors, patterns, paintings and details in architecture, she will be able to duly care for the pieces and extend their lifespan. Creative value aside, incorporating such practices into daily work will help towards the decrease of the carbon footprint within construction, procurement and disposal of wood.
Applicant: Caroline Curmi
Reference number: TDS120-22-1052
Project Title: Creative Director
Amount awarded: €2,000
The beneficiary will be participating in the Art Department Essentials master course organised by Creative Media Skills Institute within Pinewood Studios, UK. This will expose her to personalised tutelage by top international industry-professionals at one of the world's most respected film studios. Topics include script breakdowns, how to tackle technical recess, drawing set plans, understanding the implications of shooting schedule for art department and inter-department communication, among other core skills necessary for the efficient running of the art department. Such in-depth learning will also allow Ms Curmi to gain experience on bigger productions whilst supporting the growth of the local film industry.
Applicant: Andre Mangion
Reference number: TDS106-22-1006
Project Title: L’Obrador d’estiu / Sala Beckett
Amount awarded: €2,000
L’Obrador d’estiu (‘the Summer Workshop’) is one of the most important events in the Sala Beckett’s artistic and training programme. It is an annual international meeting for emerging playwrights from around the world which consists of an intensive week-long programme featuring workshops, seminars, lectures and other activities based around contemporary playwriting and directed by some of today’s leading playwrights and theatre teachers. It offers a rich experience for emerging playwrights to cross paths with peers and discuss and experience some of the contemporary work being carried out internationally. It is an opportunity to share one's own experience through the local sphere and be exposed to other experiences from around the globe.
Applicant: Gabriel Caruana Foundation
Reference number: TDS105-22-1004
Project Title: Cultivation TEH Conference 93 Prague
Amount awarded: €1,900
The Gabriel Caruana Foundation will be attending the TEH Conference 93 in May 2022. This is the first time the Foundation, an Associate Member of the Trans Europe Halles, will attend a physical conference organised by TEH. This year's conference programme ‘Cultivation’ revolves around the concept of tending to an arts organisation as a garden, thereby using the metaphor of a balanced ecosystem that is managed in response to the resources and ensuring that the operation is sustained in a balanced manner. The conference will provide the Gabriel Caruana Foundation’s team members with an opportunity to share their experience and learn from a network boasting more than 135 member organisations. It will also be an opportunity to investigate ways of self-sustaining the organisation, modes of sustainability, participate in related lectures and workshops and grow its network and seek out future collaborations.
Applicant: Andre Agius
Reference number: TDS136-22-1085
Project Title: Assistant Director Training with established Theatre company ‘A Play, A Pie & A Pint’
Amount awarded: €2,000
This Assistant Director training offered by the established Scottish Theatre Company will allow the beneficiary to be paired up with professional Theatre Director Beth Morton, who will serve as a mentor as she directs the play “The Infernal Serpent” by David Gerow. Support will also be offered by the theatre company’s Artistic Director, Jemima Levick and the wider team as a professional support network. This project will not only allow Mr Agius to observe and work closely with an established professional Director on a New-writing theatre production, but it will also provide him with the opportunity to observe what considerations a director needs to make when staging a production that is designed for touring. Mr Agius will be responsible for the production, after having had its previews, to tour it into new venues and gain knowledge into Scottish rural touring.
Applicant: Ylenia Camilleri-Brennan
Reference number: TDS135-22-1083
Project Title: FEST - Training Ground
Amount awarded: €800
Since its inception in 2004, FEST - New Directors Festival | Novo Cinema quickly became one of the most prominent showcases for innovative cinema and emerging filmmakers, as well as a platform for cinema professionals, national and international, on the rise or already established, to meet and develop new projects and seek synergies. Taking place in the coastal town of Espinho, in northern Portugal, FEST features a selection of feature and short films and an extensive industry program that includes masterclasses, workshops, debates, roundtables, case studies and an event focused on pitching and co-productions. As well as showcasing the most promising film talent from around the world, it also brings together some of the biggest names in cinema, influencers, decision makers and industry experts. Past guests include Asghar Farhadi, Béla Tarr, Fernando Trueba, Melissa Leo, Martin Walsh, Joe Walker, Ed Lachman, Tom Stern, Finola Dwyer, Allan Starski, Eugenio Caballero, Iain Smith, David Macmillan, to name a few.
Applicant: Cassian Camilleri
Reference number: TDS131-22-1077
Project Title: Playwriting: An intermediate short course at the University of London’s Royal Central
Amount awarded: €219
The project consists of a short course in playwriting taught over eight weeks, aiding writers develop their voice and a current work in progress. The beneficiary will work with an established playwright to develop and write a play. Her main aim is to work on a script which is currently in proposal / treatment stage.
Applicant: Rochelle Gatt
Reference number: TDS134-22-1082
Project Title: Familie Flötz
Amount awarded: €1,200
Paco Gonzalez, an immigrant and a clown of Familie Flöz, initiated the Flöz Summer Akademie in the same house where he was born. Bearing the same experience of an immigrant, the current manager Gianni Bettucci followed Paco's footsteps to give a home for the summer academy of the Flöz in Lazio – San Giusto Abbey. This provides not only the perfect location and accommodation but also an atmosphere of concentration, isolation, calm and beauty which contribute to approach the world of the mask. The Flötz Academy has its main goal in sharing and promoting the potentials of acting with masks, with which the European Theatre was born 2500 years ago, and which is still one of the most powerful tools on stage today!
Applicant: Martina Galea Loffreda
Reference number: TDS203-22-1012
Project Title: Stagebox Elite Team
Amount awarded: €2,000
Stagebox is an award-winning training programme in theatre, television and film that trains youths who demonstrate extraordinary talent and potential in the performing arts. It prides itself of its robust industry connections and offers prestigious performing opportunities to selected company members. Stagebox auditions thousands of aspiring performers each year and trains company members to an unrivalled professional level. Their exposure platforms not only include their Youtube Channel but also direct collaboration with casting directors and their very own management company. Selected performers star in feature films, tv, title roles in the West End and prestigious concerts. Stagebox is the UK's ultimate training and opportunities platform for aspiring performers most of whom eventually move on to a drama school for completion of their degree. It is the ultimate preparation one can get before auditioning for the leading UK drama schools.
Applicant: Julia Gauci
Reference number: TDS211-22-1062
Project Title: YGP Italia – July 2022
Amount awarded: €2,000
YGP offers talented dancers a five-day intensive program. It is led by renowned dancers from the international scene and coming from the most important academies and theatres in the world. Being selected is a privilege and creates an opportunity to be seen by international schools, thus increasing the chances to be selected for vocational schooling.
Applicant: Malcolm Caruana-Dingli
Reference number: TDS205-22-1028
Project Title: Berklee College of Music – Spain Summer Performance Program 2022
Amount awarded: €2,000
Through this two-week program, the beneficiary will be immersed in different aspects of performance by playing in ensembles, developing improvisational and reading skills, improving technique and attending lectures and demonstrations by well-known faculty and visiting artists. Mr Caruana-Dingli will also participate in production and recording workshops with the Grammy Award-winning engineers and producers on the Valencia technology team. The structure of the program provides options to participate in group classes, seminars, workshops, and ensembles that focus on many musical styles, including diverse and vibrant ones from the Mediterranean region. Topics of focus include core musicianship, instrumental, technology and optional classes. A final concert will close off the training program.
Applicant: Eliza Fenech
Reference number: TDS208-22-1047
Project Title: Ballet Summer Intensive – Royal Ballet School, London
Amount awarded: €1,000
This two-week course is offered to dance students from all over the world to experience the highest levels of coaching from the school’s full-time staff and international teachers. The course is a unique opportunity for students to experience intensive dance training over an extended period of time, enabling them to determine their suitability for full-time vocational training. Dance classes are held in the state-of-the-art building in Covent Garden, London. In addition to classical ballet technique classes, the Summer Intensive course typically includes: Character, Pointe, Repertoire, Solos, Contemporary, and Pas de Deux.
Applicant: Marianna Micallef
Reference number: TDS209-22-1055
Project Title: SPIRIT Young Dance Company and Competition Team
Amount awarded: €1,000
Spirit Young Dance Company is an elite training program that runs on Saturdays in Central London and consists of 5 core hours of training with acro and tap options. The training programs provide dancers with everything they need to be the versatile, stylish, confident and skilled performers that the industry requires. Some dancers eventually get invited for extra training with some of the best choreographers in the UK to join the Spirit Competition Team. This team regularly competes and performs at National Conventions like Move it, CYD, Starpower and many other fantastic competitions.
