The National Agency for the Performing Arts (NAPA) today marked an important moment in its development as the former St. Elmo Examinations Centre building was officially assigned, which will be transformed into a national Centre dedicated to the creation, collaboration and development of performing arts in Malta led by the same entity.
The signing of the agreement was carried out by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry for Housing and Lands Ramon Deguara and Mro Dominic Galea on behalf of the NAPA Agency in the presence of the Minister for Housing and Lands Owen Bonnici and the Minister for Arts, Culture and National Heritage Malcolm Paul Agius Galea.
Minister Owen Bonnici said, “This project represents a strategic investment in the country’s cultural infrastructure and is an important step in NAPA’s vision to provide artists, resident cultural companies and the cultural sector with a professional environment that facilitates artistic creation, research, practice and innovation.”
Minister Malcolm Paul Agius Galea reiterated that “culture does not grow only with talent; it grows when we give artists the spaces, trust and opportunities they deserve. The NAPA Performing Arts Centre is a clear example of our commitment to investing in creativity as one of Malta’s greatest national resources. This is not an investment in a building, but an investment in the cultural future of our country.”
NAPA Chief Executive Officer, Mro Dominic Galea explained that the Centre will be much more than administrative headquarters. “We are creating a permanent home for the performing arts in Malta – a space where theatre, dance and music come together under one roof, where artists have the facilities they have long needed and where collaboration becomes a natural part of the creative process. I thank the Government for this certificate of confidence in NAPA and in the performing arts. Today we are not simply opening a new door, but we are opening a wide space for creation and with it a wide space for the future of the performing arts in Malta.”
Arts Council Malta Executive Chairperson Luke Dalli explained how this project follows in the footsteps of the 2030 Strategy. “Artists do not just need funding opportunities; they also need professional infrastructure that allows them to create, experiment and grow. The NAPA Performing Arts Centre addresses one of the biggest needs that the sector has been expressing – the need for adequate spaces for creation and rehearsals. This is an investment in the professionalisation of the sector and a concrete example of how quality cultural infrastructure can lead to more collaboration, more innovation and more artistic excellence.”
The project aims to conserve and revitalize a historic building while responding to the growing needs of the cultural sector. The planned facilities include professional rehearsal studios, dance, theater and music spaces, meeting rooms, technical facilities, rehabilitation facilities, administrative offices and spaces dedicated to education, workshops and community engagement.
The centre is intended to serve the resident national cultural companies, Teatru Malta, KorMalta and ŻfinMalta, while strengthening collaboration between artists, cultural organisations, educational institutions and international partners.
