The Malta Entertainment Industry and Arts Association has published its Pre-Electoral Proposals 2026–2031, presenting 49 proposals for Malta’s cultural, creative and entertainment sectors ahead of the next general election.

The document includes 15 key Election Asks, which identify MEIA’s headline priorities for the next legislature. These are supported by a wider package of detailed proposals across governance, investment, workforce stability, infrastructure, education, ecosystem development, digital transformation, internationalisation and sector-specific needs.

Presented on a non-partisan basis and addressed to all political parties, the proposals are grounded in the realities faced by artists, cultural workers, producers, organisations and creative enterprises. MEIA is calling for culture to be treated not as a peripheral issue, but as a core part of Malta’s economic, social, educational and international development.

Over the past years, Malta’s cultural and creative sectors have grown in visibility, activity and ambition. However, this growth has not been matched by the structures, policy coordination, infrastructure and long-term planning needed to sustain it. The sector remains highly productive, but often fragile beneath the surface, with many practitioners facing short-term funding, irregular income, limited workspace, small domestic markets and weak access to finance.

The document also highlights the need to address growing imbalances between public institutions and the independent cultural ecosystem. As public investment in culture has expanded, independent organisations and creative businesses continue to operate without comparable access to long-term funding, infrastructure, staffing support or production resources, despite their central role in experimentation, talent development, internationalisation and audience building.

“MEIA’s proposals come directly from what the sector is experiencing every day,” said Maria Galea, President of MEIA. “There is no shortage of cultural activity or ambition in Malta. What is missing are the systems that allow people and organisations to work sustainably, plan ahead and grow. We are asking political parties to take these realities seriously and commit to practical measures that can strengthen the sector as a whole.”

MEIA’s 15 key Election Asks include:

• A €1 million annual commitment to creative enterprise growth;
• A 25–30% production rebate for the cultural sectors;
• A national network of affordable creative studios;
• Fair pay standards across the sectors, linked to public funding;
• A Basic Income for Artists pilot programme;
• Five important national cultural strategies for 2026–2031;
  • Arts Education and Creative Careers Strategy
  • Cultural Tourism Strategy
  • Events and Festivals Strategy
  • Creative Industries Strategy
  • Cultural Infrastructure and Placemaking Strategy
• Cross-government coordination to end policy fragmentation;
• Immediate governance reform to strengthen transparency, merit and accountability across public cultural entities;
• Positioning Malta as a hub for international cultural production;
• Investment in creative infrastructure across educational institutions;
• €1.5 million annually in long-term funding for independent cultural organisations;
• Regulation of AI to protect creative work and ensure fair remuneration;
• Integration of culture and creative industries into major regeneration projects;
• A Creative Export and Market Development Office;
• An Ecosystem Development Fund to support producers, agents, managers, curators and other key roles needed to bring creative work to market.

The wider document expands on these priorities through detailed proposals across eight policy pillars, including governance and public policy, creative economy and investment, workforce stability, infrastructure, education, ecosystem balance, AI and digital transformation, and international market access. It also sets out sector-specific priorities for performing arts, visual arts, film and audiovisual, music, literature and publishing, entertainment and design.

MEIA is urging political parties to move beyond short-term measures and commit to structural reform. This includes stronger governance, fairer working conditions, better support for independent organisations, new financial tools for creative businesses, more affordable cultural infrastructure and clearer international pathways for Maltese talent.

The Association is also calling for culture and the creative industries to be integrated into major regeneration projects, including through affordable studios, exhibition spaces, creative residencies, public cultural programming, venues for local music and performance, and long-term spaces for arts organisations and independent creatives.

MEIA is calling on all political parties to engage with the proposals and include clear, measurable commitments for culture, creativity and the entertainment sectors in their electoral manifestos.