In an interview with Noel Grima, DAVINIA GALEA

explains the background to her recent venture

Up to some months ago you were the MCCA key person. Were you planning to develop your project this way - promoting the cross exchange of festivals between Malta and Europe, or was this something that occurred to you after you were eased out of MCCA? My aim, when I was at MCCA, was always to promote the cross exchange of festivals and artistic projects between Malta and Europe. Through international memberships of various networks set up during my term at MCCA, the Malta Arts Festival was accepted as member of the European Festivals Association (EFA) and cross exchange of artists were happening through all the festivals.

Another example is an important EU funded project, The Odyssey, which has started in a festival in St Petersburg and will come to the Malta Arts Festival within two years.

The idea of the Europe for Festivals, Festivals for Europe (EFFE) platform was initiated by the EFA. It shows that the decision to apply to join the EFA was important for Malta especially in terms of its relationships with other European Festivals.

Although my role is now different, I still believe that good relations with other Festivals (not only European) is fundamental in order to place Malta’s festival context on an international level. Up to now, even including your time, there seems to be very little interface between the Malta arts scene and the scene abroad. Maltese artists somehow feel insecure to take their abilities abroad. And of course while many follow and use their appreciation of the arts scene abroad in their work, this is not the same as engaging in a fruitful dialogue and exchange, such as the new initiative seems to generate. Do you agree? Photograph: Rene Rossignaud No, I certainly do not agree. There has always been an interface between the local arts scene and abroad in different ways, the festivals scene certainly applies as I stated above.

On individual levels it also does with artists like Joseph Calleja and Carmine Lauri as prime examples. We have quite a few other musicians and visual artists operating on an international platform. We can also mention dancer Brenda Lee Grech and actor Pino Scicluna as professionals working abroad.

Of course, we always wish that more artists would be able to stand on an international platform as the ones mentioned have managed. Whether we like it or not, being a small island may hinder opportunities for some.

Many initiatives have been established in order to overcome these challenges such as the Malta Arts Scholarships, the Malta Arts Fund, and the Cultural Diplomacy Fund.

Networking and the growing professionalization of the sector are what contribute to cross exchange, not only of festivals, but also of individual artistic projects. The changes that have been going on in the Cultural and Creative sectors in Malta have been developing slowly but surely, because of policies and structures that started to be put into place in very recent years.

This particular new initiative, the EFFE, is different as it comes directly from Europe. It will be another important link in the chain for all genres of art to be recognized in the festival context. In this case, not as an individual artist, but as one of Europe’s festivals who will have the advantage of being recognized by their peers and the European Union for their outstanding quality. The label recipients and award winners benefit from increased visibility, new networking opportunities, further involvement of festivals in the artistic community, and recognition for their outstanding values.

When you were part of the government arts machine, you obviously thought and planned to boost the arts with the help of government (and EU) funds. Do you think the arts section can pull its way ahead even without government funds?

While I believe that support is essential, one should be cautious about the Arts becoming depend- ent solely on government funding. The difference lies between being dependent and being supported. Like farming, manufacturing, tourism and many industries that are being supported by government and EU initiatives that enable the different sectors to thrive, I do not see why the Arts should be different. While depending on government funds is dangerous, seeing the Arts as only an industry that does not require government investment in order to create and innovate through research and risk, can also have undesirable effects. Government invests in all sectors of the economy. The creative economy, which includes the arts, needs recognition as part of this contribution.