Deadline: 07-Oct-2025
Arts Council Malta has launched the Artistic Heritage Scheme to support voluntary organisations that play a central role in preparing and safeguarding cultural traditions tied to village feasts across Malta and Gozo.
The focus areas of the scheme include instrumental music for the feast, health and safety in fireworks factories, and semi-permanent feast decorations.
This initiative acknowledges the tireless voluntary work carried out throughout the year by cultural and social organisations that prepare feast decorations, organise musical activities, create mechanical ground fireworks, and preserve traditions that are integral to Maltese identity. The scheme is administered by Arts Council Malta within the Ministry for the National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government and is designed to strengthen the dissemination, safeguarding, and growth of cultural traditions.
Proposals under instrumental music may include musical teaching and training programmes for tutors, investment in extracurricular educational needs, innovative projects to expand musical activities locally and abroad, and the use of technology to modernise organisational structures. Restoration of artefacts, strengthening collaboration between band club societies, improvements to internal administrative systems, and the development of sociocultural or musico-literary projects are also eligible.
Proposals for health and safety in fireworks factories may cover investment in equipment and set-ups for safer fireworks launching, acquisition of machinery and tools to facilitate production, educational resources on safety practices, and the restoration of fireworks factories. Collaborative efforts between local and European fireworks factories are also encouraged.
Proposals for semi-permanent feast decorations can involve the design and manufacture of banners, festoon lighting, cloth and lit pavilions, artistic pedestals, and street statues. Investment in training related to artistic decorations, as well as cultural and social projects or the restoration of decorations used during feast days, is also supported.
The scheme is open to band clubs and feast musical societies, fireworks factories, and feast decoration organisations. The maximum funding available is €8,000 for band clubs and musical societies, €5,000 for fireworks factories, €5,000 for feast decoration associations, and €2,500 for organisations working in a fireworks factory not owned by the same organisation.
For more information, visit Arts Council Malta.
