The creation and development of strategies for the sector falls under the Funding and Strategy Directorate.

The Directorate is built on strategic focal points which include public investment, internationalisation creative entrepreneurship, research and evaluation, education and development and diversity and communities. These points also run through the Council’s strategy for the cultural and creative sectors for the years 2021-2025.

The Directorate also focuses on the management and development of the funding portfolio, which currently includes 15 schemes based on 5 main strands: Resilience, Artistic and Community, Development, Education, Cultural Heritage and Structural amounting to 7 million euro.

A brokerage team also reaches out and assists operators in the cultural and creative sectors to maximize their potential.

The Funding and Strategy Team



Mary Ann Cauchi - Director of Funding & Strategy  
As Director of Funding and Strategy, Mary Ann’s role involves overseeing funding processes and the coordination of the various strategic areas, both within Arts Council Malta as well as for the Public Cultural Organisations. Mary Ann provides overall direction for the strategy and funding teams, setting the strategy and vision for Arts Council Malta and coordinating schemes and initiatives aimed at supporting the cultural and creative sectors.

 

Adrian Debattista - Head of Strategy
Adrian is responsible for the implementation and monitoring of Arts Council Malta’s strategy through the design, management and evaluation of strategic plans and frameworks supporting Malta’s cultural and creative sectors. As part of the Funding and Strategy Directorate, his role entails heading the strategy team who manage the strategic initiatives and schemes falling under research, community cultural exchange, education, development and creative economy.



Rita Falzon - Head of Funding
As Head of Funding, Rita is responsible for the overall management of Arts Council Malta’s funding portfolio. As part of the Funding and Strategy Directorate, she is responsible for coordinating the yearly planner, the evaluation process and the monitoring of projects. The role entails heading the Funding team who administer the funding schemes and initiatives to support the cultural and creative sectors.

Maria Angela Vassallo - Head of Communications
Maria Angela, who is commonly known as Mang is responsible for developing and managing Arts Council Malta’s marketing and communications strategy to strengthen and maintain Arts Council Malta’s reputation as a proactive, visionary and compassionate leader in Malta’s cultural and creative sectors. She also develops and manages PR plans and activities  and works closely with the Director of Funding and Strategy, while also collaborating with Head Funding and Head Strategy to develop an deliver marketing and communication strategies, plans and campaigns which are in line with ACM’s brand and messaging.

                         

Annalise Buttigieg - 
Fund Executive
The Fund Executive liaises between artists and cultural stakeholders in the administering of funds within the Council’s portfolio. From the processing of applications through the submission of the final report Annalise is present from start to finish during the funding process.



Christopher Spiteri – EU Projects Executive
Christopher Spiteri is responsible for managing the successful implementation of EU projects awarded to ACM, ensuring that the financial and legal regulations are adhered to and that the project deliverables are achieved on time, within budget and at the highest standard. He is responsible for overseeing and managing the public procurement process related to the project implementation, liaising with the relevant departments and authorities in the process. Chris is also continuously active in identifying other EU funded opportunities and in the preparation of grant proposals in coordination with other project partners.

        

Claude Busuttil, Joelle Dimech and Odette Micallef - Support Administrators (Funding)
The Support Administrators are responsible for processing documents, bookkeeping and to liaise with administrators in internal departments. Claude, Joelle and Odette are a point of contact for applicants and beneficiaries.



Eleonora Ruggieri -
 Creative Communications Broker
Eleonora’s role is to disseminate information about national funding and investment programmes to the cultural and creative sectors including promotion of ACM initiatives and campaigns using digital media. She also facilitates networking amongst cultural professionals and broker communication with national agencies using online methods. Eleonora ensures that artists and other creative professionals know about specific opportunities for exposure and/or growth offered by ACM and relevant platforms.



Glen Zammit -
 Creative Broker 
Glen is the first point of contact for artists, representatives of organisations and the general public. He deals with queries, addresses difficulties, receives and gives feedback, develops ideas, makes contact with entities or other stakeholders. His role includes the organisation of regular sessions and workshops whereby information and good practices are shared, cultural matters debated and networking between peers and other stakeholders facilitated.



Dr Nikki Petroni - Education and Development Executive
Nikki’s role is to manage the development of arts education in collaboration with the respective entities including Malta's mainstream and independent educational institutions as well as public and non-governmental cultural organisations. She is responsible for the identification and implementation of strategic goals for the growth and betterment of formal and informal arts education and development in Malta.



Rityanne Gauci - Support Administrator (Strategy)
Rityanne is responsible for processing documents, bookkeeping and to liaise with the strategy team members. She is a point of contact for internal and external stakeholders.

 

Dr Romina Delia - Internationalisation Executive

Romina’s role is to facilitate the international development of the cultural and creative sectors to sustain both the sector’s growth as well as its contribution to Malta’s international relations. She is highly passionate about cultural exchanges, international collaborations and the promotion of unity in diversity through intercultural dialogue. Romina project manages Malta’s participation at La Biennale di Venezia and London Design Biennale.

 

Dr Simone Inguanez - Diversity and Communities Executive
Simone helps enhance access and participation in culture. At Arts Council Malta, diversity is a strength – in terms of origin, religious belief, gender, sexual orientation, ability, age. She leads the implementation of a Right to Culture sensitisation campaign, including wide dissemination of the Right to Culture resource kit. Simone is also fund manager for Il-Premju tal-President għall-Kreattività a community-led programme for creative and artistic activities in collaboration with the Office of the President.
 
 

Vacant - Regional Cultural Coordinator
The Regional Cultural Coordinator focuses on the development and implementation of the Regional Cultural Strategies. The Regional Cultural Coordinator is responsible to coordinate and oversee a network of Regional Cultural Officers, working together with Regional and Local Councils, organisations, communities, enterprises and various stakeholders in the cultural and creative industries, as well as strives to foster better awareness of the role and value of culture, promote fair distribution of cultural resources, support strategic management, celebrate distinctive identities and connect more the intra-regional communities. 

Vacant - Research Executive
The Research Executive’s role involves developing and managing the Council’s research programme through qualitative and quantitative research while gathering statistics and data mining, analysing cultural practices and monitoring trends effecting or resulting from cultural participation, production and consumption. The Research Executive is also responsible for ensuring quality control of research by setting up appropriate monitoring and evaluation systems. The aim is to produce a knowledge base from which effective policy recommendations can be made while aiding cultural operators through more informed decision-making.

Vacant – Creative Entrepreneurship Executive
The Creative Entrepreneurship Executive  is responsible for devising and implementing strategic objectives relating to the development of the creative industries, with a focus on professionalisation and entrepreneurship. The Creative Entrepreneurship Executive’s role also entails providing support and guidance pertinent to funding programmes and opportunities, to organisations in the private and public CCS.