{"id":58864,"date":"2026-07-09T06:14:02","date_gmt":"2026-07-09T05:14:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/?p=58864"},"modified":"2026-07-09T06:21:47","modified_gmt":"2026-07-09T05:21:47","slug":"new-building-for-the-future-of-performing-arts-former-st-elmos-examination-centre-allocated-to-napa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/2026\/07\/09\/new-building-for-the-future-of-performing-arts-former-st-elmos-examination-centre-allocated-to-napa\/","title":{"rendered":"New building for the future of performing arts: former St. Elmo&#8217;s Examination Centre allocated to NAPA"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Minister Owen Bonnici said, \u201cThis project represents a strategic investment in the country&#8217;s cultural infrastructure and is an important step in NAPA&#8217;s vision to provide artists, resident cultural companies and the cultural sector with a professional environment that facilitates artistic creation, research, practice and innovation.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Minister Malcolm Paul Agius Galea reiterated that &#8220;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&#8217;s greatest national resources. This is not an investment in a building, but an investment in the cultural future of our country.&#8221;<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">NAPA Chief Executive Officer, Mro Dominic Galea explained that the Centre will be much more than administrative headquarters. \u201cWe are creating a permanent home for the performing arts in Malta \u2013 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.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Arts Council Malta Executive Chairperson Luke Dalli explained how this project follows in the footsteps of the 2030 Strategy. \u201cArtists 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 \u2013 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.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The centre is intended to serve the resident national cultural companies, Teatru Malta, KorMalta and \u017bfinMalta, while strengthening collaboration between artists, cultural organisations, educational institutions and international partners.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-image uagb-block-5be99726 wp-block-uagb-image--layout-default wp-block-uagb-image--effect-static wp-block-uagb-image--align-none\">\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-uagb-image__figure\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"uag-image-58865\" title=\"PR261142c\" role=\"img\" src=\"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/PR261142c.jpeg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 150px\" srcset=\"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/PR261142c.jpeg ,http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/PR261142c.jpeg 780w, http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/PR261142c.jpeg 360w\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1110\" \/><\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div><p id=\"pvc_stats_58864\" class=\"pvc_stats all  \" data-element-id=\"58864\" style=\"\"><i class=\"pvc-stats-icon medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" version=\"1.0\" viewBox=\"0 0 502 315\" preserveAspectRatio=\"xMidYMid meet\"><g transform=\"translate(0,332) scale(0.1,-0.1)\" fill=\"\" stroke=\"none\"><path d=\"M2394 3279 l-29 -30 -3 -207 c-2 -182 0 -211 15 -242 39 -76 157 -76 196 0 15 31 17 60 15 243 l-3 209 -33 29 c-26 23 -41 29 -80 29 -41 0 -53 -5 -78 -31z\"\/><path d=\"M3085 3251 c-45 -19 -58 -50 -96 -229 -47 -217 -49 -260 -13 -295 52 -53 146 -42 177 20 16 31 87 366 87 410 0 70 -86 122 -155 94z\"\/><path d=\"M1751 3234 c-13 -9 -29 -31 -37 -50 -12 -29 -10 -49 21 -204 19 -94 39 -189 45 -210 14 -50 54 -80 110 -80 34 0 48 6 76 34 21 21 34 44 34 59 0 14 -18 113 -40 219 -37 178 -43 195 -70 221 -36 32 -101 37 -139 11z\"\/><path d=\"M1163 3073 c-36 -7 -73 -59 -73 -102 0 -56 133 -378 171 -413 34 -32 83 -37 129 -13 70 36 67 87 -16 290 -86 209 -89 214 -129 231 -35 14 -42 15 -82 7z\"\/><path d=\"M3689 3066 c-15 -9 -33 -30 -42 -48 -48 -103 -147 -355 -147 -375 0 -98 131 -148 192 -74 13 15 57 108 97 206 80 196 84 226 37 273 -30 30 -99 39 -137 18z\"\/><path d=\"M583 2784 c-38 -19 -67 -74 -58 -113 9 -42 211 -354 242 -373 16 -10 45 -18 66 -18 51 0 107 52 107 100 0 39 -1 41 -124 234 -80 126 -108 162 -133 173 -41 17 -61 16 -100 -3z\"\/><path d=\"M4250 2784 c-14 -9 -74 -91 -133 -183 -95 -150 -107 -173 -107 -213 0 -55 33 -94 87 -104 67 -13 90 8 211 198 130 202 137 225 78 284 -27 27 -42 34 -72 34 -22 0 -50 -8 -64 -16z\"\/><path d=\"M2275 2693 c-553 -48 -1095 -270 -1585 -649 -135 -104 -459 -423 -483 -476 -23 -49 -22 -139 2 -186 73 -142 361 -457 571 -626 285 -228 642 -407 990 -497 242 -63 336 -73 660 -74 310 0 370 5 595 52 535 111 1045 392 1455 803 122 121 250 273 275 326 19 41 19 137 0 174 -41 79 -309 363 -465 492 -447 370 -946 591 -1479 653 -113 14 -422 18 -536 8z m395 -428 c171 -34 330 -124 456 -258 112 -119 167 -219 211 -378 27 -96 24 -300 -5 -401 -72 -255 -236 -447 -474 -557 -132 -62 -201 -76 -368 -76 -167 0 -236 14 -368 76 -213 98 -373 271 -451 485 -162 444 86 934 547 1084 153 49 292 57 452 25z m909 -232 c222 -123 408 -262 593 -441 76 -74 138 -139 138 -144 0 -16 -233 -242 -330 -319 -155 -123 -309 -223 -461 -299 l-81 -41 32 46 c18 26 49 83 70 128 143 306 141 649 -6 957 -25 52 -61 116 -79 142 l-34 47 45 -20 c26 -10 76 -36 113 -56z m-2057 25 c-40 -58 -105 -190 -130 -263 -110 -324 -59 -707 132 -981 25 -35 42 -64 37 -64 -19 0 -241 119 -326 174 -188 122 -406 314 -532 468 l-58 71 108 103 c185 178 428 349 672 473 66 33 121 60 123 61 2 0 -10 -19 -26 -42z\"\/><path d=\"M2375 1950 c-198 -44 -350 -190 -395 -379 -18 -76 -8 -221 19 -290 114 -284 457 -406 731 -260 98 52 188 154 231 260 27 69 37 214 19 290 -38 163 -166 304 -326 360 -67 23 -215 33 -279 19z\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/i> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"Loading\" src=\"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/page-views-count\/ajax-loader-2x.gif\" border=0 \/><\/p><div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>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 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"pvc_stats_58864\" class=\"pvc_stats all  \" data-element-id=\"58864\" style=\"\"><i class=\"pvc-stats-icon medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" version=\"1.0\" viewBox=\"0 0 502 315\" preserveAspectRatio=\"xMidYMid meet\"><g transform=\"translate(0,332) scale(0.1,-0.1)\" fill=\"\" stroke=\"none\"><path d=\"M2394 3279 l-29 -30 -3 -207 c-2 -182 0 -211 15 -242 39 -76 157 -76 196 0 15 31 17 60 15 243 l-3 209 -33 29 c-26 23 -41 29 -80 29 -41 0 -53 -5 -78 -31z\"\/><path d=\"M3085 3251 c-45 -19 -58 -50 -96 -229 -47 -217 -49 -260 -13 -295 52 -53 146 -42 177 20 16 31 87 366 87 410 0 70 -86 122 -155 94z\"\/><path d=\"M1751 3234 c-13 -9 -29 -31 -37 -50 -12 -29 -10 -49 21 -204 19 -94 39 -189 45 -210 14 -50 54 -80 110 -80 34 0 48 6 76 34 21 21 34 44 34 59 0 14 -18 113 -40 219 -37 178 -43 195 -70 221 -36 32 -101 37 -139 11z\"\/><path d=\"M1163 3073 c-36 -7 -73 -59 -73 -102 0 -56 133 -378 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Lynch","author_link":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/author\/bernardlynch\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"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&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58864","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=58864"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58864\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":58870,"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58864\/revisions\/58870"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/58865"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=58864"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=58864"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=58864"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}