The Ministry for Culture, the Arts and Local Government, the Malta Arts Council and the Malta Football Association (MFA) have announced the launch of ‘SportArti’, a national framework to integrate arts and culture into football nurseries in Malta and Gozo.
This agreement will serve to strengthen collaboration between the cultural and sports sectors, while prioritising creativity, innovation and youth development. Through this agreement, the Malta Arts Council will allocate €50,000 per year to support a dedicated fund that will enable football nurseries that are members of the Malta Youth Football Association to integrate artistic and cultural initiatives into their programmes, such as creative learning opportunities, community projects and collaborations with artists and cultural practitioners.
The initiative is part of a broader strategic direction of Arts Council Malta to strengthen cultural participation and ensure that creativity is present in community structures in line with the priorities set out in Vision 2050, the national framework that will guide the country in the coming years. This framework emphasises stronger collaboration between different sectors, wider access to culture, and programmes that help develop creative skills, resilience and well-being in young people.
Minister for Culture, Arts and Local Government Owen Bonnici said, “This agreement reflects our electoral commitment to broaden cultural participation and enable creativity to become a meaningful part of everyday life. Vision 2050 calls for stronger links between culture, education, sport and community well-being, and this initiative creates a space where these goals take concrete form. Through artistic practice in football nurseries, we are offering more opportunities for young people to develop courage, imagination and a sense of belonging – qualities that strengthen the cultural sector and our communities.”
Dr Luke Dalli, Executive Chairman of the KMA, said that this agreement is a step towards the full development of our young athletes. “We believe that those who grow up on the pitch should also have a space to express themselves, to learn to think creatively, to better understand themselves and those around them. Through this agreement, we will be laying a concrete foundation for art to enter sports training and football-related communities in a structured way. Initiatives and opportunities will be created that connect artists, educators and local clubs so that together we can build a richer experience for our children and young people.”
Ms Stephanie Rocco, Secretary General of the Youth Football Association said, “The Youth FA welcomes this initiative as it not only addresses the association’s mission of safeguarding the holistic development of nursery children, but is also an opportunity through which children have the chance to truly be part of the creative sector. Football, art and culture are sectors through which children can develop their character as well as their abilities and we therefore encourage nurseries to come forward with innovative and creative projects.
The agreement will remain in force for three years and is being implemented with the aim of strengthening the shared commitment of both organisations to create sustainable opportunities for children and young people, while fostering the cultural ecosystem through sustainable structured collaborations.
