The Malta Entertainment Industry and Arts Association (MEIA) held a consultation meeting with the Office of the Prime Minister, in the presence of Minister for the National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government Owen Bonnici, Minister for Public Works and Planning Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, Parliamentary Secretary Alison Zerafa Civelli and Head of Secretariat Mark Mallia, as part of the national consultation process for Budget 2026, representing the interests of the arts, culture, and entertainment community.

During the meeting, MEIA presented its recommendation documents: the Budget Recommendations 2026 under the theme Stabilise. Invest. Reform. and MEIA’s response to the Envision 2050 consultation. These documents set out a comprehensive programme of reform designed to address the structural challenges facing the cultural and creative sectors.

MEIA emphasised that while public investment in recent years has raised the visibility of the arts, the sector continues to suffer from fragility and precarity. MEIA underlined the urgent need to tackle market failures that prevent sustainable growth, to introduce fair pay frameworks and workforce protection measures, and to secure long-term stability through multi-annual funding. Particular attention was given to incentives that give stability and the acute shortage of affordable cultural spaces, with MEIA calling for both immediate interim solutions and a ten-year strategy for creative infrastructure.

Further points raised included the introduction of a paper subsidy to safeguard the future of Maltese publishing, the creation of incentives that encourage private sector investment in the creative economy, and the establishment of a Creative Economy Council to improve economic frameworks and bridge new investments. MEIA also stressed that culture and creativity must be embedded across all pillars of the Envision 2050 vision, aligning Malta with the EU Culture Compass and international best practice.

MEIA welcomes the government’s recognition of the sector’s importance and the commitment expressed by the Prime Minister to continue prioritising the arts, culture and entertainment as central to Malta’s national identity and development. MEIA will continue to engage constructively with government to ensure that Budget 2026 delivers on stability, fair pay and the creation of spaces that allow the cultural and creative community to thrive.