MEIA Statement on the Lack of Consultation with the Creative Sector in Envision 2050
STATEMENT
PUBLISHED: 27th February 2025
The Malta Entertainment Industry and Arts Association (MEIA) asserts that a vision for Malta’s future cannot be complete without the full inclusion of culture, creativity, and entertainment. Despite the government’s recent public recognition of culture as a cornerstone of national identity, the consultation process for Envision 2050 has failed to engage the creative sector and its representatives. This exclusion raises serious concerns about the strategic direction Malta intends to take in shaping its long-term development and highlights a worrying disconnect.
The Ministry for Economy has engaged in multiple discussions with businesses and organisations across other industries but not with the creative sector. After highlighting this a few months ago, just yesterday MEIA has been told to submit a proposal after the consultation has closed and will now be open for public feedback.This highlights a systemic oversight in ensuring that cultural and creative industries have a voice in the country’s long-term vision.
We sometimes fail to understand that Culture and creativity are not just symbolic or aesthetic aspects of society; they are powerful economic and social drivers that influence multiple industries, from tourism to technology, education to well-being. In his address on 23 February, the Prime Minister emphasized that “our culture and identity are our greatest strengths,” yet when it comes to strategic planning for the future, these elements remain absent from the national conversation. How can we plan for the Malta of tomorrow while ignoring the fabric that defines who we are and what we aspire to be?
While the Envision 2050 conference has acknowledged heritage, it has neglected the living, evolving creative sector that actively shapes contemporary culture. Many leading nations have recognized the strategic importance of creativity and have implemented policies that actively support and grow the industries in parallel with other industries. Some have developed large-scale hubs integrating technology and creative industries, fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and international collaboration. Others have introduced long-term visas and residency programs to attract and retain global creative talent, ensuring that their cultural sectors remain competitive and sustainable.
A MEIA spokesperson states, “The exclusion of Malta’s creative sector from long-term national planning is both a missed opportunity and a scary scenario. Creativity and culture should not be an afterthought but a fundamental pillar of our future. Without strategic integration, we risk weakening not only our cultural landscape but also our social cohesion and economic potential.”
MEIA calls for an immediate and meaningful inclusion of the creative sector in Malta’s long-term strategic planning. The government must engage with cultural stakeholders both public and private, recognize the sector’s economic and social potential contributions, and develop policies that ensure its growth and sustainability. How will talent be nurtured and positioned within this vision? How will culture and creativity intersect with education, technology, and social life in the Malta of 2050? How does the government plan to ensure that today’s creators are valued as the architects of tomorrow’s heritage?
Malta cannot afford to see culture as an afterthought. A forward-looking nation must recognize that culture, creativity, and identity are not just strengths, they are essential to a thriving and competitive future. Without a long-term vision that includes and supports its creative sector, Malta risks falling behind, failing to harness one of its most valuable and dynamic resources.
MEIA remains hopeful there is still time for this inclusion both through the public consultation and government acknowledgment.