Reference is being made to the statement issued on Sunday, March 15th, by the Malta Entertainment Industry and Arts Association (MEIA) regarding the Malta Biennale 2026.
Heritage Malta and the Malta Biennale are always open to constructive criticism intended to improve this international contemporary art platform, now in its second edition. However, the organising bodies refuse to engage in controversies that are far removed from constructive criticism.
Two years ago, during the first edition of the Malta Biennale, MEIA officials also publicly criticised the Biennale without fact checking. The same MEIA officials from two years ago have again publicly disparaged the Malta Biennale without verifying the facts. They criticised it to the point that they even spoke out against the Biennale’s official opening, which was an entirely Maltese production and in which a substantial number of Maltese artists participated – artists whom the MEIA claims to represent.
The Malta Biennale confirms that during the days, weeks, and months in which preparations for the Malta Biennale were underway, at no point did the MEIA raise complaints, concerns, or did it request any clarification of any undertakings. Not once – neither verbally, nor in writing. Yet it still maintained a stance of publicly criticising the Malta Biennale.
Two years ago, MEIA criticised the Malta Biennale while it was still in its inaugural edition and predicted that it would not succeed, describing it as a “missed opportunity”.
However, according to a comprehensive survey carried out two years ago, commissioned by the Malta Biennale itself with the aim of improving future editions:
- 80% of the Maltese public viewed the Malta Biennale as a very good opportunity for Maltese artists and the local scene;
- 87% of Malta Biennale visitors were satisfied with the Malta Biennale;
- 72% of the artists whom MEIA claims to represent said they would recommend the Malta Biennale to other artists; and
- 75% of artists said they would apply again to participate.
Not only did MEIA’s prediction of failure prove wrong, but for the second edition of the Malta Biennale currently taking place:
- There were 3200 artistic proposals submitted to participate in the Malta Biennale 2026, representing a 30% increase over the first edition;
- Applications for national pavilions increased from 14 in the first edition to 52 in this edition, of which 27 were selected to participate; and
- For the first time, satellite activities linked to the Malta Biennale were introduced, although they are not an integral part of it. Of these, 12 were selected out of the 70 that applied.
This is in addition to the fact that Malta has been mentioned more than once by authoritative digital platforms as a preferred destination during the Malta Biennale 2026.
Contrary to what MEIA officials wrote in their statement, the response from participants in this second edition of the Biennale has been extremely positive and highly encouraging. Nevertheless, as it did two years ago, the Malta Biennale has already begun analysing and reviewing the overall performance of this international contemporary art platform in order to continue improving on what has been achieved.
As has been previously stated, and in the interest of transparency and accountability, the Malta Biennale is ready to work with established oversight institutions so that both the administration of resources and all procedures used during the Biennale may be thoroughly scrutinised. Similarly, it is ready to work with anyone possessing the will for the continued improvement and betterment of this project which, despite still being in its second edition, has already placed Malta on the international map of contemporary 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
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