MaltaPost has again joined members of the Euromed Postal Joint Stamp Project in the issue of a new set of stamps bearing a common theme – “Resources of the Mediterranean”. In this regard, MaltaPost will issue a set of two stamps related to the main natural resource of the Maltese Islands, Globigerina Limestone. The stone’s relatively soft texture makes it easy to carve, rendering it an essential material for both structural and decorative purposes.

The €0.45 stamp shows a skilled stonemason, carving a low-relief design out of a large stone structure. The second stamp, bearing a denomination of €1.50, shows a striking example of a magnificent baroque building, the Banca Giuratale in Gozo, built in 1733 from locally quarried globigerina limestone. Both stamp visuals are the work of local artist Mariah Grech.

The set will be issued in a sheet of 10 stamps, with each stamp measuring 44 mm x 31 mm, with a comb perforation of 14.1 x 14.2 and bearing the Maltese Cross watermark. The sheets measure 115 mm x 182 mm and were produced in the offset process by Printex Limited. The issue consists of 100,000 stamps of the €0.45 denomination and 50,000 stamps of the €1.50 denomination.  

The stamps will be available from all Post Offices in Malta and Gozo from Wednesday 9 July 2025. Orders may be placed online at www.maltaphilately.com ; or by mail from the Philatelic Bureau, MaltaPost p.l.c., 305 Qormi Road, Marsa MTP 1001; by telephone 2596 1740 or via e-mail info@maltaphilately.com

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Teatru Aurora’s staging of Il Trittico celebrated the 100^th anniversary of Puccini’s death with three one-act operas presented together, each exploring themes of love, loss, and the human condition. “It has been a unique opportunity for Maltese audiences to experience Il Trittico as Puccini intended it to be. This has also been made possible through the hard work of the Aurora’s volunteers and the ongoing support from Bank of Valletta,” said Maestro Colin Attard.

Meanwhile, Teatru Astra’s production of Giovanna d’Arco captivated audiences with the powerful tale of Joan of Arc. Maestro John Galea noted, “Verdi’s music brings depth to this iconic story, and it’s always a thrill to see audiences respond so strongly.”

Reflecting on the Bank’s commitment, Ernest Agius, Chief Operations Officer at Bank of Valletta, said, “This year, Gozo’s Opera Houses staged two exceptional productions, showcasing the rich emotional depth and drama that only opera can deliver. Such productions bring people together and celebrate Maltese talent. Our support is about helping Gozo cultivate a niche that brings visitors and locals together through world-class performances. These productions reflect the hard work and passion of volunteers and artists who share a vision of Gozo as a vibrant cultural destination.”

As Bank of Valletta celebrates 50 years of service and being an active member of the local communities, it remains firm in its commitment to help pave the way for the island’s cultural sector to flourish, creating new opportunities for artistic expression and attracting visitors from Malta and beyond.

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This restoration and conservation project not only marks the third investment undertaken by the Foundation in the capital city, but has also contributed to the preservation of the priceless heritage housed inside one of Valletta’s oldest churches, dating back to 1575.

The Chairman of the Malta Airport Foundation, Joseph Formosa Gauci, explains that, “The religious tourism market is growing steadily, with an increasing number of tourists visiting our islands every year during festive periods to admire our religious heritage and experience first-hand the celebrations of our faith, particularly during Holy Week and Easter.”

Art restoration company Atelier del Restauro was entrusted by the Franciscan Friars Minor to revive the original beauty of the Via Sagra, or Stations of the Cross, reversing years of improper interventions. Conservator Valentina Lupo shed light on the project’s findings, affirming that “the primary aim of the project was to carry out restoration interventions that reestablish the paintings’ appearance as was originally intended by the artists.”

In fact, the 11-month restoration process unveiled previously unknown information about this particular Via Sagra, as the restorers identified the hands of two prominent Maltese artists, Francesco Zahra and Gian Nicola Buhagiar, in several of the paintings. It has also been confirmed that this is the second Via Sagra to be introduced in a Maltese church, with the first being found in another Franciscan church in Rabat. On the verso of two other paintings, an inscription detailing the name of the artist, Jacobbus Gini, and the name of the person who commissioned both of these works of art was discovered,” Lupo continued, stating that this is a rare feature for such paintings.

The gilded frames adorning the paintings, attributed to renowned Maltese artist Abram Gatt, were also restored, with 23,75k gold leaf being applied using the water gilding technique to the tarnished areas.

The Guardian of the Franciscan Community, Fr. Ramon Farrugia OFM, thanked the Malta Airport Foundation for its financial support while expressing his satisfaction with the outcome of the project, stating that, “the Via Sagra’s revived beauty will encourage people to continue to pray and meditate on the Lord’s passion, particularly during the coming days as our church becomes one of the most frequented on the islands.”

For more information about the Malta Airport Foundation’s projects, please visit maltairport.com/foundation.

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The Cultural Heritage Ministry said that it entered into the promise of sale agreement with the owners of the site in order to protect the band club from imminent eviction. “The club was at risk due to a legal situation tied to the pre-1995 rent lawsm” the ministry said.

Culture Minister Owen Bonnici said that the work being undertaken to save band clubs at risk of eviction is important in light of the Maltese Festa being recognized as intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO.

The minister said that through the promise of sale, the government again listened and discussed, reaching a solution that is just with the owners and the musical society. He said that when the final contract is signed, the site of the club will be managed by a specialised section within Arts Council Malta, like others within its portfolio.

The ministry said that in total, there are five sites of musical societies purchased by the government, with seven others including the San Gaetano AD 1906 Band Club at promise of sales stage. When all are acquired, a total of €19 million would have been spent.

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The Malta Pavilion reimagines Caravaggio!s seminal altarpiece as a kinetic, sculptural installation. Through the use of induction technology, participant artist Arcangelo Sassolino drops molten steel from a structure overhead into seven rectangular basins of water.

At a fascinating round table talk titled “Per un’arte responsabile” held on 21 October 2022 at the Arsenale di Venezia, the curatorial team and leading specialists in the field of global climate action explored the case history of Sassolino’s installation. This provided data for discussion on current practises in sustainability, innovation, and artistic practice.

Coordinated by Massimo Cocco, the panel consisted of Andrea del Mercato, Director General of La Biennale di Venezia; Keith Sciberras, Professor in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Malta and Curator; Romina Delia, Arts Council Malta; Susanna Sieff, Senior Sustainability Advisor; Michela Gallo, CEO and Founder at TETIS INSTITUTE (Università di Genova); Elisa Riva, Head of Marketing & Communication at CARBONSINK; Arcangelo Sassolino, artist and contributor to the Malta Pavilion at this year’s Biennale di Venezia.

“Our support to an initiative of this nature forms part of our overall ESG strategy,’ commented Franco De Gabriele Chief Commercial Officer of IZI Group plc. Like every other business intertwined with environmental, social and governance, the Group has created an ESG  proposition based on providing meaningful support to the arts and culture, sports and education   in particular. The theme presented at the ‘Biennale di Venezia’, in which responsible art was at the core of the discussion, is a theme that we endorse as it revolves around the notion of  sustainability and responsibility in one of the main pillars of modern society – the art.

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Colonel Henry Anderson Morshead was Colonel Commandant of the Royal Engineers and Acting Lieutenant Governor at Malta when he died on 11 November 1831. He was given a public funeral and was buried at the Saluting Battery, at the Upper Barracca Gardens in the fashion established by the British after their establishment in Malta in 1800 where important public figures were buried on promontories on the fortifications of Valletta. A fine classical Greek sarcophagus was built on his grave by his wife. The work was conducted by Maltese sculptors using local stone. The monuments survived until 1960 when for some unknown reason, the upper part was removed leaving only its lower tier and stepped platform. The part removed has been lost.

With the purpose of restoring what remains from this monument and to reconstruct its missing part, Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna researched the history of the tomb and also the life of the person for whom it was erected. For this purpose, a full-scale architectural maquette, a plaster version of the original was constructed. This serves the purpose of establishing the correct proportions and fine architectural details and will serve as the model for the builder and sculptor to reconstruct the missing part of the monument in stone.

The maquette, which is weatherproof, was unveiled by Mario Farrugia, Executive Chairman at Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna and Charles Azzopardi, Head, CSR Dept at Bank of Valletta during the Armistice Day Commemoration Ceremony held at the Saluting Battery on the 11^th November, which coincides with date when Colonel Morshead passed away.

‘The maquette will provide the public with the opportunity of visualising how it originally looked and completes the look of the Saluting Battery,’ said Mario Farrugia. ‘Thanks to Bank of Valletta’s support, we were able to conduct in-depth research on the monument and Col Morshead, and these will be published in book form to further raise funds for the full reconstruction of the monument.’

‘At Bank of Valletta, we strongly believe in the important role we play within the Maltese Community and are always looking at ways to enhance our Corporate Social Responsibility’ said Mr Azzopardi. ‘Our Heritage is a major source of our identity, and we strive to support projects that preserve our heritage for future generations and take this opportunity to publicly thank Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna for its active role in this sector.

Bank of Valletta is a very active player within the community in which it operates, supporting various projects for the benefit of the Maltese society through its Environmental, Social and Governance commitments.

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In addition to informing visitors about the history of the Holocaust from the perspective of Anne Frank and her family, the exhibition, titled Let me be myself. The Life Story of Anne Frank also focuses on highlighting the fact that cultural, ethnic, religious and political differences between people exist in every society. In this context, it challenges visitors to think about concepts such as tolerance, mutual respect, human rights and democracy and helps them understand that a society where differences between people are respected does not come about by itself.

Julius Nehorai, chair of the Tayar Foundation for Jewish Heritage in Malta, said: “At a time of increased conflict and polarisation across the world it is important to remember the horrific consequences of division and discrimination. Our wish is that as many people as possible come and visit this exhibition not only to learn about the past but also to think about their own views and actions in the present. The story of Anne Frank continues to be a powerful and a relevant one and we are grateful to The Melita Foundation for helping us to bring this exhibition to Malta.”

Prof. Tanya Sammut Bonnici, chair of The Melita Foundation, said: “The Jewish community has for centuries, and right up to today, played an important role in Malta’s history and culture. The Tayar Foundation for Jewish Heritage in Malta seeks to preserve and highlight this heritage while at the same time encourages debate and engagement on how our society looks at diversity in the present. The Melita Foundation is supporting this exhibition because the lessons of the past are vital for our society to thrive today and in the future.”

More information on the Anne Frank exhibition, which will be in Malta until July, is available at https://www.facebook.com/jewishheritagemalta/

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The arts sector’s recovery from the pandemic will be an arduous journey ahead, and it must continue to work together with the next government to ensure its survival, says TONI ATTARD, founder of Culture Venture and vice president of Malta’s Entertainment Industry and Arts Association (MEIA), in an interview with Dayna Camilleri Clarke.

“There’s no denying the arts were already suffering locally, pre-pandemic,” admitted Attard. “What’s paramount now is that we turn survival into growth. We have to acknowledge this sector needs to be involved hand in hand with the next government and appreciated as a strand that can help diversify Malta’s economy. To achieve this we cannot have the government competing against us but working with us. Since its foundation in 2020, MEIA has been working relentlessly to propose a definitive, significant and robust plan to reboot the creative economy to address the unprecedented disruption in Malta’s arts and entertainment sectors. We need to do this, and overcome these challenges together.”

Acknowledging the sector has been heavily hit for all involved, Attard paints a hopeful picture of the current scenario, with work picking up the pace as the live arts resume. “Although our doors are open, we must recognise there will be a gap from the time when productions were not being made. Right now, we are presenting a backlog of postponed shows and we must acknowledge audiences may no longer feel comfortable sitting in packed halls. It’s going to take some time for audiences to return to pre-pandemic levels and its economic recovery is expected to take two to three years.”

Attard also stated a cultural shift must be on the next generations to inspire them to work and create locally. “We continue to risk losing great talent to foreign countries; those in the sector need to know, together, we can create jobs. We can turn this sector into one of Malta’s best assets and I genuinely believe that. We have some very talented performers, not just those in the spotlight; but all the individuals who work behind the scenes, on sets, design and the tech side of things. We must grow and nurture our talent. We must also attract back talent we have lost.”

Attard revealed to The Malta Business Weekly that his company is launching a creative incubator to help with this endeavour. “Over the pandemic, we have been hard at work, bringing an idea to life to benefit the community by setting up an independent creative incubator. We have set up a small hub in Zurrieq to serve as a space for creative start-ups to come together, to get guidance and bring their ideas to life. We also wanted to give ourselves a home and create a space we could share with others to brainstorm ideas, design projects and connect other creative enterprises.” The space is indeed bright and welcoming.

Attard has decades of experience in the arts sector. Culture Venture was founded in 2018 initially as a one-person enterprise providing international advisory and training services for the cultural and creative sectors. Culture Venture is also a founding member of the Cultural Policy Designers Network, bringing together more than 30 independent cultural advisory companies and experts in Europe. On a local level, Culture Venture now works with various artists and arts organisations to support their funding applications, start-ups and project design. In 2020, Culture Venture became the national partner for the Creative Business Network – an international network established to organise the creative business cup across 80 countries. But, as a long-time arts producer, theatre director and occasional actor, Attard admits he couldn’t hold back from adding creative projects to Culture Venture’s portfolio. Since then, the entity has grown into a solid team along with his independent production house Udjenza, a brand that focuses exclusively on arts production.

What does the future hold for the sector? Attard is quick to reply: “We need to move fast to work on the interface between the arts and technology, here there is room for great creativity and the possibilities are truly endless.”

The post ‘The arts will take at least 2-3 years to return to pre-pandemic levels’ – Toni Attard first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

“The resilience strand of ACM’s portfolio of schemes is key to providing local artists and creatives the necessary assurance in the development and production of projects during times of uncertainty brought about by the global pandemic,” said Minister Herrera. “Whilst our main aim remains focused on the creation of a sustainable and more resilient sector, as a government we understand the need to provide peace of mind to artists via funding, to continue supporting the sector in the short and medium term,” continued Dr Herrera.

Arts Council Malta Director Mary Ann Cauchi reiterated that the council’s commitment towards the creative and cultural sectors includes providing artists, creatives and cultural practitioners with the necessary tools to implement programmes that reflect the growth of the sectors, which was already happening even before the pandemic. “We must look forward towards the future with the ambition of creating a more vibrant, sustainable and professional programme for the months and years to come”, said Ms. Cauchi.

The first call of the Programme Support Scheme covers programmes taking place between May 2022 and November 2023. This call, which closes on the 23^rd of February 2022, is one of three calls spread throughout 2022. Applicants will need to provide a proposed programme of related activities with a common objective, which may include events, productions, performances, exhibitions, festivals, community cultural initiatives, training and development initiatives aligned to a budget forecast.

The Programme Scheme aims to facilitate more financial and strategic flexibility, security, collaborations, innovative audience engagement, skills development and logistical service acquisition, while minimising the risk of unexpected losses that occur due to unexpected restrictions related to public health or related matters. Cultural operators – whether they operate on a small, medium or large scale – would be able to plan ahead in their programming while adapting to the new realities and taking into account the uncertainties in a strategic and financially feasible manner.

Health and safety measures are to be given utmost importance, keeping in mind that these are contingent upon the situation in the respective periods. Therefore, applicants are encouraged to submit their proposed programme of activities whilst keeping in mind the current scenarios.

This scheme will also enable a compensation for seated ticketed events which would have to operate below full seating capacity due to public health restrictions. The capped compensation works around the difference between the projected ticket sales in circumstances without public health restrictions and the projected ticket sales with the current public health restrictions (which may vary over time). Applications which do not opt to include the seat compensation through this scheme may consider submitting a separate application through the Seat Utilisation Scheme.

Moreover, the Resilience Strand includes the Events Assurance Scheme, which is aimed at providing the necessary assurance for cultural and artistic professionals in case of any potential re-introduction of restrictive measures beyond the current ones. The scheme will provide mitigation on measures that can have a devastating impact on the industry and will provide support to cover investments in terms of time and equity in the preparation for the organisation of activities/events.

The Seat Utilisation Scheme and the Events Assurance Scheme are open throughout 2022 with specific deadlines to cover distinctive months as outlined on the Guidelines and Regulations document published by Arts Council Malta.

For more information, one may contact Arts Council Malta on 2334 7230, on weekdays, between 9am and 4pm, or send an email on fundinfo@artscouncil.mt or visit artscouncil.mt.

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According to studio estimates Sunday “Spider-Man” added $81.5 million over the three-day weekend, down 69% from its first weekend. The Sony and Marvel film has now grossed $467 million from North American theaters, more than doubling the domestic grosses of 2021′s previous No. 1 film, “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.”

With $587.1 million from 61 overseas markets, in just 12 days of release, “Spider-Man” has grossed $1.05 billion globally. It’s the first film of the pandemic to cross $1 billion and is tied with “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” for being the third-fastest film ever to do so — and this without the benefit of its release in China.

Universal’s “Sing 2” came in second place with an estimated $23.8 million, while Warner Bros.’ “The Matrix Resurrections” grossed $12 million to take third place.

The animated musical “Sing 2” features high-profile celebrity talent including Matthew McConaughey, Scarlett Johansson, Reese Witherspoon and Bono, as well as a jukebox soundtrack full of well-known hits. Since its release Wednesday, it’s made $41 million ($1.6 million of that came from Thanksgiving weekend showings) from North America and $65 million worldwide.

“We’re extraordinarily pleased,” said Jim Orr, Universal’s president of domestic distribution.

Orr said the stellar CinemaScore (A+) and audience scores suggest that the film will continue to perform well in the next few weeks, when many kids are still out of school for the holidays.

The fourth Matrix also opened on Wednesday and has earned an estimated $22.5 million in its first five days in North America. The film, directed by Lana Wachowski and starring Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss, is currently streaming on HBO Max as well. Globally, it’s grossed $69.8 million to date.

While the studio was hoping for a stronger box office, Jeff Goldstein, Warner Bros.’ head of domestic distribution, said the movie achieved what they were looking for as an overall strategy including HBO Max.

“The Matrix Resurrections” is the last of the 18 Warner Bros. films released in 2021 to debut both in theaters and on HBO Max simultaneously. Starting in 2022, the studio will have a 45-day exclusive theatrical window on their films.

In fourth place was Disney and 20th Century’s “The King’s Man,” a prequel to the action-comedy Kingsman series starring Ralph Fiennes. It came in slightly under expectations with $6.4 million from the weekend and $10 million from its first five days. The audience skewed heavily male (65%).

The Kurt Warner biopic “American Underdog” opened on Christmas Day and has made an estimated $6.2 million in its two days in release to round out the top five. Zachary Levi stars as Warner, the quarterback who went from undrafted free agent to Hall of Famer.

Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Licorice Pizza” expanded nationwide on Christmas, after playing in limited release for a month, and added $2.3 million bringing its total to $3.7 million. And right behind it was the Denzel Washington-directed drama “A Journal For Jordan,” which to $2.2 million.

With just a few days left in 2021, the North American box office is currently sitting at $4.3 billion and is likely to net out around $4.4 billion. Pre-pandemic, it was normal for a year’s box office to surpass $11 billion.

“To say was a roller-coaster year is an understatement,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore, Inc. “The marketplace is still facing challenges from the pandemic, but what an amazing capper to one of the most incredible years ever at the box office.”

He added: “The future of the movie theater a year ago was a big question mark, and a year later it’s here to stay.”

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” $81.5 million.

2. “Sing 2,” $23.8 million.

3. “The Matrix Resurrections,” $12 million.

4. “The King’s Man,” $6.4 million.

5. “American Underdog,” $6.2 million.

6. “West Side Story,” $2.8 million.

7. “Licorice Pizza,” $2.3 million.

8. “A Journal For Jordan,” $2.2 million.

9. “Encanto,” $2 million.

10. “83,” $1.8 million.

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