The historical roots of Malta’s biennials stretch back a number of years, when this year’s maltabiennale.art was announced as the “first biennale”; many were surprised at this miscommunication classifying this event as the first of its kind.

The lack of consultation, clarity and transparency with which the organisers went about this event was felt from the start. There was no consultation with MEIA nor with the wider artistic community, underscoring a recurring theme of disconnect between the event’s organisers and the art scene in Malta.

When the event was initially announced, questions from MEIA members either went unanswered or the reply given was to address others. This happened when people in the industry reached out to Heritage Malta, Arts Council Malta and Muza, highlighting a lack of communication and coordination among important partners, with some not being able to answer questions about what the event entailed.

The maltabiennale.art’s ambitious scale was evident from the onset. However, its execution stumbled early with a call for artists that offered no financial remuneration or clear curatorial direction. This initial misstep was corrected with a subsequent call that included a production fee, yet scepticism remained due to the absence of an announced artistic director or curator, which raised questions about who actually created the curatorial concept if no curator or artistic director was engaged.  

As the artists’ and pavilions’ selection process unfolded, extensive delays left artists and national pavilions with only four months in which to carry out the work, with numerous concerns raised on delays of contracts and space allocation, and low personnel involved in the organisational procedures. Further to that, once artists were selected some were told by Heritage Malta of extensive budget cuts of the production fee set to them, adding to the mounting concerns over clarity and stability.

Next came a divergence from the initial curatorial concept which highlighted a disjointed planning process: artists who applied under the initial curatorial call found out that the curatorial concept of the main exhibition at the Grand Masters Palace  was completely changed and therefore the artworks that artists had applied with became completely irrelevant.  

The absence of open calls for critical roles such as artistic director, curators, service providers and local professionals denied valuable opportunities to contribute to a national project. 

While we appreciate the hard work and effort of the curatorial team in implementing the first edition of the maltabiennale.art and attracting renowned international artists to the island, the lack of proper research, holistic vision, transparency in selection processes, and organisational professionalism by Heritage Malta has been widely felt in the sector as a missed opportunity.

Additionally, MEIA seeks to understand if and how MICAS, which MEIA highly believes is setting a benchmark for contemporary art in Malta, was consulted or had any involvement in advisory roles in maltabiennale.art. Not incorporating MICAS would highlight a missed opportunity for meaningful collaboration for a national project of such importance in the contemporary art sector. 

With a substantial amount of over €1,700,000 allocated towards organising this event in the government’s budget 2024, the choice to set a high entrance fee of €35 per person, for a ticket which lasts only 5 days has sparked debate about accessibility and inclusivity, particularly for local families. This ticket even exceeds the rates of a ticket to attend the Venice Biennale, which is renowned to be the most prestigious contemporary art event in the world. The fact that the tickets have now been reduced to half price not only makes it unfair to the people who have already bought the tickets at a higher rate, but continues to underline the lack of strategy and research conducted for the creation of this national event.

This financial decision, alongside the event’s ambitions to position Malta as a contemporary art destination, invites scrutiny over the allocation of resources and the overarching strategy to integrate and elevate the local arts scene within this global platform. 

MEIA’s call for transparency, accountability, and a comprehensive inclusion plan underscore a broader critique of biennales globally. The sentiment highlighted in a recent Spectator article points out the organisers’ lack of expertise, noting: