Malta Biennale 2026 Officially Inaugurated
The second edition of the Malta Biennale was officially inaugurated last night, during a lavish evening of spectacle at the Sacra Infermeria, Mediterranean Conference Centre, in Valletta.
Inspired by the Malta Biennale theme, Clean | Clear | Cut, the inauguration unfolded through a contemporary oratorio that brought sound, bodies, costume, light, and architecture into a shared act of attention. Under the artistic direction of Sean Buhagiar, the oratorio unravelled through six ‘phases’, representing the six days of Creation, for which six short original choral works by different composers were commissioned. The oratorio was punctuated by speeches delivered by Malta Biennale 2026 Artistic Director, Rosa Martínez, Malta Biennale 2026 President and Chairman of Heritage Malta, Mario Cutajar, Minister for Culture, Lands and Local Government, Owen Bonnici, and HE Myriam Spiteri Debono, President of Malta. The Prime Minister was expected to be present and address the official opening of the Malta Biennale, however, at the same time, he was required to address a virtual Summit with European leaders due to international impacts, including those in the energy sector.
The Malta Biennale 2026 runs till May 29, with three days of previews which close on Friday, March 13. The Biennale will be open to the public on Saturday, March 14.
Under the helm of internationally acclaimed Artistic Director Rosa Martínez, there are over 130 artists, representing some 43 countries, participating in this edition of the international contemporary art platform. The Malta Biennale also features 27 national and thematic pavilions, as well as a strong public programme of events aimed at myriad audiences. The international exhibition and the pavilions are spread across 11 Heritage Malta museums and historical sites, in four main locations: Valletta, Vittoriosa, Victoria and Xagħra in Gozo.
Organised by Heritage Malta, the Malta Biennale is now in its second edition, following the launch of the international contemporary art platform in 2024. Since the first edition, the Biennale has achieved considerable international success as well as significant media exposure. The Malta Biennale was conceived with a vision to create an open dialogue between the past and the present, between cultural heritage and contemporary art. Through Heritage Malta’s historical sites and museums, the Malta Biennale becomes the catalyst which enhances accessibility and engagement between audiences and space, history and artefact. The Malta Biennale is being held under the distinguished patronage of the President of Malta and UNESCO.
On March 13, during an awards ceremony which will be held at the Oratory of St John’s Co-Cathedral, the recipients of The Maltese Falcon – the award of the Malta Biennale – for Best Artwork and Best Pavilion will be announced by an international jury of experts in the field of visual art.
Tickets for the Malta Biennale can be purchased via maltabiennale.art.
The full schedule of exhibitions, participating artists, pavilions and events in the public programme can also be accessed via maltabiennale.art.
The Malta Biennale is organised by Heritage Malta in partnership with Arts Council Malta, Visit Malta, the Valletta Cultural Agency, and Public Broadcasting Services. The Malta Biennale is also being held in full collaboration with the Ministry for Culture, Lands and Local Government, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, and the Ministry for Gozo and Planning.
The Malta Biennale is online: www.maltabiennale.art
Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn: @maltabiennale.art
Verżjoni bil-Malti
Inawgurat Uffiċjalment
Il-Malta Biennale 2026
It-tieni edizzjoni tal-Malta Biennale ġiet inawgurata uffiċjalment ilbieraħ filgħaxija, f’lejla spettakolari fis-Sacra Infermeria, f’Dar il-Mediterran għall-Konferenzi, il-Belt Valletta.
Imnebbħa mit-tema tal-Biennale, Tnaddaf | Tgħarraf | Tferraq, l-inawgurazzjoni żvolġiet f’oratorju kontemporanju li ġab flimkien il-ħoss, il-ġisem uman, il-kostumi, id-dwal u l-arkitettura f’att ta’ attenzjoni maqsum ma’ oħrajn. Taħt id-direzzjoni artistika ta’ Sean Buhagiar, l-oratorju kien maqsum f’sitt ‘fażijiet’, li jirrappreżentaw is-sitt ijiem tal-Ħolqien u li għalihom ġew ikkummissjonati sitt kompożizzjonijiet korali oriġinali qosra minn kompożituri differenti. L-oratorju kien imżewwaq b’diskorsi mid-Direttriċi Artistika tal-Malta Biennale 2026, Rosa Martínez, mill-President tal-Biennale u Chairman ta’ Heritage Malta, Mario Cutajar, mill-Ministru għall-Kultura, l-Artijiet u l-Gvern Lokali, Owen Bonnici, u mill-ET Myriam Spiteri Debono, il-President ta’ Malta. Il-Prim Ministru kellu jkun preżenti u jindirizza l-ftuħ uffiċjali tal-Malta Biennale, iżda fl-istess ħin kien qed jindirizza Summit virtwali ma’ mexxejja Ewropej kawża tal-impatti internazzjonali, fosthom fis-settur tal-enerġija.
Il-Malta Biennale 2026 se jibqa’ għaddej sad-29 ta’ Mejju, bi tlett ijiem ta’ wirjiet preliminari li jagħlqu l-Ġimgħa 13 ta’ Marzu. Il-Biennale jiftaħ għall-pubbliku nhar is-Sibt 14 ta’ Marzu.
Taħt it-tmexxija tad-Direttriċi Artistika ta’ fama internazzjonali, Rosa Martínez, hemm aktar minn 130 artist minn madwar 43 pajjiż li qed jieħdu sehem f’din l-edizzjoni tal-pjattaforma internazzjonali tal-arti kontemporanja. Il-Malta Biennale jinkludi wkoll 27 padiljun nazzjonali u tematiku, flimkien ma’ programm pubbliku b’saħħtu ta’ attivitajiet immirati lejn udjenzi varji. L-esebizzjoni internazzjonali u l-padiljuni huma mqassmin fuq 11-il mużew u sit storiku ta’ Heritage Malta f’erba’ lokalitajiet ewlenin: il-Belt Valletta, il-Birgu, ir-Rabat (Għawdex) u x-Xagħra.
Il-Malta Biennale, organizzat minn Heritage Malta, wasal fit-tieni edizzjoni tiegħu, wara t-tnedija ta’ din il-pjattaforma internazzjonali tal-arti kontemporanja fl-2024. Sa mill-ewwel edizzjoni, il-Biennale kiseb suċċess internazzjonali konsiderevoli u ġibed l-attenzjoni tal-midja b’mod sinifikanti. Il-Malta Biennale nħoloq b’viżjoni li jqanqal djalogu miftuħ bejn il-passat u l-preżent, bejn il-wirt kulturali u l-arti kontemporanja. Permezz tas-siti storiċi u l-mużewijiet ta’ Heritage Malta, il-Biennale jsir il-katalista li jsaħħaħ l-aċċessibbiltà u l-involviment bejn l-udjenzi u l-ispazju, l-istorja u l-artefatt. Il-Malta Biennale qed isir taħt il-patroċinju distint tal-President ta’ Malta u tal-UNESCO.
Nhar it-13 ta’ Marzu, waqt ċerimonja ta’ premjazzjoni li se ssir fl-Oratorju tal-Konkatidral ta’ San Ġwann, ir-rebbieħa tal-Falkun Malti – il-premju tal-Malta Biennale – għall-aħjar xogħol artistiku u għall-aħjar padiljun se jitħabbru minn ġurija internazzjonali ta’ esperti fil-qasam tal-arti viżiva.
Il-biljetti għall-Malta Biennale jinxtraw online minn maltabiennale.art. Il-lista sħiħa tal-wirjiet, l-artisti li qed jipparteċipaw, il-padiljuni u l-attivitajiet tal-programm pubbliku tinsab ukoll f’maltabiennale.art.
Il-Malta Biennale huwa mtella’ minn Heritage Malta bi sħab mal-Kunsill Malti għall-Arti, Visit Malta, l-Aġenzija Kulturali għall-Belt Valletta, u l-Public Broadcasting Services. Il-Malta Biennale qed isir ukoll f’kollaborazzjoni sħiħa mal-Ministeru għall-Kultura, l-Artijiet u l-Gvern Lokali, il-Ministeru għall-Affarijiet Barranin u t-Turiżmu, u l-Ministeru għal Għawdex u l-Ippjanar.
maltabiennale.art qiegħed online:
Website uffiċjali: www.maltabiennale.art
Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn: @maltabiennale.art