Published on Tuesday 5 March 2024

During a ceremony presided over by the President of Malta George Vella, together with the Minister for the National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government Owen Bonnici, the beneficiaries of the President’s Fund for Creativity were announced.

The two organisations which this year will benefit from the fund are the Gabriel Caruana Foundation, with their project Layers of Being, and the Opening Doors Association, for their continuous work through which the arts and culture are made more accessible for persons with disabilities.

The President’s Fund for Creativity promotes cultural participation and expression, and is part of a number of initiatives which allow for the inclusive and holistic growth of the cultural and creative sectors. This Fund, which Arts Council Malta has been contributing to since 2014, has awarded more than 50 projects since its inception in 2011.

President George Vella congratulated the beneficiaries and urged them to always keep in mind our society’s and communities’ welfare, stating that creativity goes beyond the artist’s work and the creative act itself. “I hope that, thanks to this project, we will continue to affirm and spur forward an environment where every citizen is given the opportunity to give their valuable and fair contribution to Maltese society”, the President stated.

On his part, Minister Owen Bonnici stated that “Initiatives like the President’s Fund for Creativity are a testament to the value we place on the diversity of artistic and cultural expression. As part of our electoral pledge, we have emphasised the importance of accessibility and participation in the cultural and creative spheres, and initiatives such as this one fulfil this goal”.

Arts Council Malta’s Director of Funds and Strategy Mary Ann Cauchi explained that the President’s Fund for Creativity addresses one of the principles of the Council’s strategy, which calls for improvements in the field of accessibility and the facilitation of participation in cultural and creative activity. “This initiative is leading to making arts and culture more accessible to the people”, Cauchi insisted.

The Opening Doors Association is a voluntary organisation which promotes the involvement of adults with intellectual disabilities in the artistic sector. It offers artistic sessions, produces performances, and organises inclusive workshops in collaboration with diverse communities. The funding which was given to the winning project, Leading by Example: Inclusion at all Levels, will permit the organisation to continue its work and produce new works, artistic programmes, and collaborations during the coming three years.

Through the project Layers of Being, the Gabriel Caruana Foundation, together with different communities, will explore themes of healing, cures, and the human being’s welfare through the arts. The project will involve intergenerational and intercultural communities together with a group of artists which will involve artists involved in the social sphere, musicians, textile artists, and performing artists.

For more information on the President’s Fund for Creativity, you can visit www.artscouncilmalta.gov.mt.