The festival will be taking place all over Valletta from the 29th June till 16th July 2017. In 2018 Valetta will be European Capital of Culture which is the opportunity for Malta to spread its culture and invest in innovative cultural projects.

During the festival’s press conference in April, the Culture Minister mentioned how crucial it is that the arts reach as large an audience as possible. The government’s work and investment in the arts and culture sector is creating an everlasting lagacy thanks to infrastructural projects such as the new Musuem of Fine Arts, a dedicated space for the Contemporary Arts and the Design Cluster, as well as new levels of participation from Maltese artists, more accessibility for everyone and a better and more disseminated appreciation of the arts amongst the general public, especially the younger audiences.

As for the program of the Malta International Arts Festival, it promises to entertain everyone. From the fantastic sound of big bands, with Malta’s very own Big Band Brothers performing as you have never seen them before, to world-renown virtuosic, yet hilarious Mnozil Brass, to passionate flamenco with Maltese Francesca ‘La Chica’ Grima and Puerto Flamenco, the offer is broad.

“Balzunetta Towers is Valletta 2018’s innovation for this year. It is a contemporary theatrical cabaret about Strada Stretta’s naughtier sister. This show was commissioned by the Valletta 2018 Foundation for the MIAF, which together with a number of performances in the programme, will surely make art and culture more accessible for everyone in a relaxed atmosphere,” said the Valletta 2018 Chairman.

The performance will be directed by Sean Buhagiar, with music by Dominic Galea (himself from Balzunetta), text by Alfred Sant and poetry by Albert Marshall. 

Workshops and masterclasses pepper the programme; and DJ performances mixed with contemporary music provide a non-classical alternative for audiences. July will be filled with interactive installations, multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary experiences such as the exciting collaboration with Ars Electronica; and Late Interactive, Andrew Schembri’s and Toni Gialanzè’s interactive digital transformation of the steps at City Gate, Valletta. Terra Verunt - a new 24-hour immersive journey with artists including Erica Muscat, Lucia Piquero, Moritz Zavan Stoeckle and Renzo Spiteri, will be held in a secret location.

The Malta International Arts Festival is organised by Festival Malta within Arts Council Malta in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice, Culture and Local Government and Valletta 2018; and supported by MSV Life, Esplora Interactive Science Centre and the Malta EU Presidency 2017.

For more information visit www.maltaartsfestival.org