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Malta Biennale 2026: Title announced and calls launched

CLEAN | CLEAR | CUT – is the official title of the second edition of the Malta Biennale, which will take place across various historical sites and locations in Malta and Gozo from March 11 till May 29, 2026, with acclaimed international curator Rosa Martínez as Artistic Director.


Organised by Heritage Malta, the theme and conceptual framework of the Malta Biennale 2026 was announced during a press conference at the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta, on March 26, 2025, marking the official countdown to next year’s already anticipated international exhibition. During the conference, three open calls were officially launched, inviting local and international artists to submit proposals for projects and exhibitions; for embassies to organise national and/or thematic pavilions; and, lastly, for satellite events – a new component of the Biennale.

The Minister for National Heritage, the Arts, and Local Government, Owen Bonnici, said that the Malta Biennale proves that our country can be an international centre of culture, where contemporary art dialogues with the
island’s historical past.

“The success of the Biennale, with recognition from UNESCO, together with strong foreign interest, demonstrates Malta’s potential in the cultural sector. This platform not only gives space and opportunity to artists but also offers a unique experience to Maltese and visitors alike, thanks to all its participants. This is but the beginning of a success story,” concluded Minister Bonnici.

Mario Cutajar, President of the Malta Biennale, expressed how the second edition of this international exhibition of contemporary art will continue to build upon the premise adopted for the inaugural edition in 2024. At its core, the Biennale creates an open dialogue with contemporary art, through which we may glean knowledge of our past and our history, but also of ourselves and our identity. The Malta Biennale is therefore the backbone of the vision which Heritage Malta has been actively developing in order to safeguard the islands’ cultural heritage. Simultaneously, the Biennale creates increased opportunities for Maltese artists, by building upon the successes of the first edition that placed Malta on the international contemporary art map, and by showcasing our cultural heritage and all that makes us Maltese and Mediterranean. Mr Cutajar concluded by saying that the second edition aspires to strengthen this international platform further, by looking optimistically ahead towards future
editions.

During her speech, artistic director Rosa Martínez noted how her curatorial experiences in Malta in 2018 and 2022 awoke in her “a permanent interest in the cultural development of the island […] Now I feel a strong desire to offer again my professional experience and my updated visions to the young Biennale.”

Rosa Martínez brings her extensive expertise in international bienniales and thematic exhibitions to the Malta Biennale. Supported by a curatorial team composed of Antoine Borg Micallef and Alexia Medici, she expounds on the thematic and conceptual framework selected for the second edition of the Biennale, and how the title of the 2026 edition was carefully construed:

CLEAN: Stop environmental, ethical and aesthetic pollution. Purge, digest, expel.
CLEAR: Discern, decipher, elucidate, understand.
CUT: Break away, radically shift direction, open new paths

“The Biennale will question how contemporary art can enhance critical awareness of our past and present, while fostering the experience and enjoyment of beauty. It will also address some of the most pressing needs of our
time by promoting dialogues between the rich cultural heritage of the Maltese archipelago, contemporary thought and innovative artistic practices,” said Rosa Martínez.


The open call for artists will run from March 26 to June 30, 2025; the call for National Pavilions will run from March 26 to August 29, 2025; and the call for Satellite Events will run from March 26 to July 25, 2025. All the calls can be viewed and accessed via: www.maltabiennale.art


The Malta Biennale is organised by Heritage Malta, in partnership with Arts Council Malta and in collaboration with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Ministry for Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry for National Heritage, the Arts, and Local Government and with VisitMalta.

JITĦABBAR IT-TITLU TAL-BIENNALE U JINFETĦU S-SEJĦIET PUBBLIĊI

TNADDAF | TGĦARRAF | TFERRAQ – huwa t-titlu uffiċjali tat-tieni edizzjoni talMalta Biennale, li se tittella’ f’siti storiċi varji f’Malta u Għawdex mill-11 ta’ Marzu sad-29 ta’ Mejju 2026, b’kuratriċi internazzjonali, Rosa Martínez, bħala Direttur Artistiku.

Organizzat minn Heritage Malta, it-tema u l-qafas kuratorjali tal-Malta Biennale 2026 tħabbru waqt konferenza stampa fil-Mużew Nazzjonali tal-Arkeoloġija, fil-Belt Valletta. B’din il-konferenza beda l-countdown uffiċjali għat-tieni edizzjoni tal-wirja internazzjonali tant mistennija. Waqt il-konferenza tħabbru wkoll tliet sejħiet pubbliċi: waħda għall-artisti li fiha ġew mistiedna jressqu proposti għal proġetti u wirjiet; waħda għall-ambaxxati, biex jorganizzaw padiljuni nazzjonali; kif ukoll sejħa ġdida, għal proġetti satellita.

Il-Ministru għall-Wirt Nazzjonali, l-Arti u l-Gvern Lokali, Owen Bonnici, qal li lBiennale ta’ Malta wera li pajjiżna jista’ jkun ċentru kulturali internazzjonali, fejn larti kontemporanja tiddjaloga mal-passat storiku tagħna.

“Is-suċċess tiegħu, b’rikonoxximent mill-UNESCO u interess qawwi minn pajjiżi barranin, juri l-potenzjal ta’ Malta fil-qasam kulturali. Dan l-avveniment mhux biss jagħti spazju lill-artisti, imma wkoll joffri esperjenza unika lill-Maltin u lillviżitaturi, grazzi għal kull min ta sehmu. Dan hu biss il-bidu ta’ storja ta’ suċċess,” temm jgħid il-Ministru Bonnici.

Mario Cutajar, il-President tal-Malta Biennale, qal li t-tieni edizzjoni ta’ dil-wirja internazzjonali tal-arti kontemporanja se tibqa’ tibni fuq il-kunċetti li beda bihom fl-2024. Il-qofol tal-Biennale jibqa’ dak li permezz tal-arti kontemporanja li tiddiskuti madwarna llum, nifhmu lbieraħ tagħna ħalli nagħrfu lilna nfusna iktar. Għalhekk, il-Malta Biennale huwa s-sinsla tal-viżjoni li qed taħdem għaliha Heritage Malta, li tieħu ħsieb il-patrimonju Malti. Fl-istess ħin, permezz talBiennale Malti, nifirxu iktar l-opportunitajiet għall-artisti Maltin, inkomplu b’dak li kiseb għall-pajjiż l-ewwel Biennale meta qiegħed minn kmieni lil Malta filkalendarju dinji tal-arti kontemporanja, u ma’ dan kollu nuru iktar il-patrimonju tagħna u dak li jagħmilna Maltin u Mediterranji. Din it-tieni edizzjoni, temm Mario
Cutajar, taspira li ssaħħaħ iktar dil-wirjal internazzjonali billi tkompli tibni fuq issuċċess tal-ewwel edizzjoni u tħares ’il quddiem b’ottimiżmu għal edizzjonijiet futuri.

Waqt il-konferenza, Rosa Martínez tkellmet fuq il-proġetti kuratorjali li ħadmet fuqhom f’Malta fl-2018 u fl-2022 u kif dawn il-proġetti “qajmu fija interess permanenti fl-iżvilupp kulturali tal-gżira. Issa nħoss il-ħtieġa li noffri kemm lesperjenza li għandi fil-qasam tal-arti u kemm il-viżjoni għal dan il-Biennale li għadu f’żgħożitu.”

Rosa Martínez għandha għarfien estensiv fil-qasam tal-arti kontemporanja, li kisbet tul is-snin bħala kuratriċi ta’ biennali internazzjonali u wirjiet tematiċi. Għall-Biennale ta’ Malta, se tkun megħjuna minn tim kuratorjali magħmul minn Antoine Borg Micallef u Alexia Medici. Waqt il- konferenza hija spjegat kif il-qafas kuratorjali u t-titlu għat-tieni edizzjoni tal-Biennale ntgħażlu bir-reqqa:

TNADDAF: Waqqaf it-tniġġis ambjentali, etiku u estetiku. Issaffa, iddiġerixxi ssustanza u rreġetta l-ħażin.
TGĦARRAF: Iddistingwi, iddeċifra, iddawwal, ifhem.
TFERRAQ: Ibdel ir-rotta, ibdel id-direzzjoni radikalment, iftaħ mogħdijiet ġodda

“Il-Biennale jistaqsi kif l-arti kontemporanja tista’ tkattar għarfien kritiku kemm talpassat u kemm tal-preżent, filwaqt li tnissel fina t-tama li tqarribna lejn is-sbuħija. Il-Biennale jixħet dawl fuq uħud mill-aktar bżonnijiet urġenti ta’ żmienna, permezz ta’ djalogi ġodda bejn l-arti kontemporanja u l-patrimonju storiku tal-Gżejjer
Maltin,” qalet Rosa Martínez.

Is-sejħa għall-artisti tkun miftuħa mil-lum, 26 ta’ Marzu, sat-30 ta’ Ġunju; dik talpadiljuni mil-lum sad-29 ta’ Awwissu; u dik tal-proġetti satellita mil-lum sal-25 ta’ Lulju. Dawn is-sejħiet huma disponibbli fuq il-website tal-Biennale: www.maltabiennale.art
Il-Malta Biennale jiġi organizzat minn Heritage Malta, bi sħubija mal-Kunsill Malti għall-Arti u b’kollaborazzjoni mal-Uffiċċju tad-Deputat Prim Ministru u Ministeru għall-Affarijiet Barranin, mal-Ministeru għall-Wirt Nazzjonali, l-Arti u l-Gvern Lokali, u ma’ VisitMalta.

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