Valletta 2018

Valletta 2018 was the year-long cultural programme marking Valletta and Malta as a European Capital of Culture in 2018. The initiative brought together institutions such as the European Union, the European Commission, the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament with local bodies including the Government of Malta, the Valletta Local Council, the Heritage Malta authority and the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts. The programme integrated venues like the Auberge de Castille, St. John's Co-Cathedral, the Grandmaster's Palace and the Mediterranean Conference Centre with artists associated with Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, Teatru Manoel and international partners such as the British Council, the Goethe-Institut, the Institut Français and the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia.

Background and Selection as European Capital of Culture

The bid process for Valletta's designation involved entities including the European Commission, the Council of the European Union selection panel, the European Capitals of Culture programme and competing candidate cities such as Leeuwarden, Plzeň, Graz and Rijeka. The proposal presented by the Government of Malta referenced Valletta's status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and its historical associations with the Order of Saint John, the Great Siege of Malta, the Knights Hospitaller and figures like Jean Parisot de Valette. The selection invoked themes from European cultural policy documents, the Lisbon Treaty era frameworks, and precedents set by former capitals including Lille, Linz, Sofia and Bergen.

Programme and Key Events

Programming combined performing arts, visual arts, architecture, heritage and festivals staged at sites such as Upper Barrakka Gardens, Valletta Waterfront, Fort St. Elmo, Casa Rocca Piccola and the National Museum of Archaeology. Collaborations featured companies and artists linked to Royal Opera House, Ballet National de Marseille, Cirque du Soleil, Compagnie Philippe Genty and composers with ties to Ennio Morricone and John Adams. Major events included large-scale commissions by curators associated with the Tate Modern, the Louvre, the Hay Festival and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, while exhibitions drew loans from the British Museum, the Musée du Louvre, the Vatican Museums and the Guggenheim Museum. Education and outreach engaged institutions such as the University of Malta, MCAST, St. Edward's College and community groups modeled after initiatives by European Cultural Foundation and Creative Europe.

Cultural and Economic Impact

The programme aimed to stimulate tourism flows similar to patterns observed after European cultural events in Bilbao and Glasgow, leveraging partnerships with Air Malta, cruise lines docking at Grand Harbour and hospitality entities like InterContinental Hotels Group. Metrics referenced by organisers compared visitor numbers to seasons influenced by events like Venice Biennale, Edinburgh International Festival and La Biennale di Venezia. Local creative sectors including galleries, artisan workshops in Strada Stretta, and musical ensembles reported commissions analogous to opportunities created by Cannes Film Festival and SXSW. Financing mixed public funding from the Ministry for the National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government with private sponsorships from companies resembling Medserv, Bank of Valletta and HSBC Malta and grants following models from the European Regional Development Fund.

Heritage Conservation and Urban Regeneration

Conservation projects coordinated with Superintendence of Cultural Heritage, restoration specialists from firms linked to the Venice Charter conservation community and technical support echoing programmes by ICOMOS and Europa Nostra. Works addressed structures including Fort St. Elmo, the Auberge d'Aragon, the Theatre Royal site and the Valletta City Gate designed by Renzo Piano. Urban regeneration strategies referenced precedents from Helsinki, Porto, Barcelona and Rotterdam, integrating traffic management similar to policies in Zagreb and public realm design influenced by Piazza San Marco interventions. Conservation outcomes were framed against standards such as those from the World Monuments Fund and EU cultural heritage directives.

Criticisms and Controversies

Critiques emerged from NGOs and commentators including voices from Din l-Art Ħelwa, the Kunsill Nazzjonali tal-Ilsien Malti affiliate groups and media outlets like Times of Malta and Malta Today, focusing on budget overruns, procurement disputes and the balance between tourism promotion and resident needs. Debates echoed controversies faced by events in Barcelona, Dubrovnik, Venice and Amsterdam about overtourism, gentrification and displacement. Legal and governance concerns involved discussions resembling inquiries in European Court of Auditors reports and municipal audits like those in Athens and Lisbon, while labour groups compared practices to disputes reported at festivals such as Glastonbury and Berlin International Film Festival.

Category:Culture in Valletta Category:European Capital of Culture