Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1196490
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 29 DECEMBER 2019 5 2019 ROUNDUP CULTURE at least they are out there safeguard- ing the island's linguistic heritage. I am happy to see a lot of political satire and participate in such shows when possi- ble, that is imperative to keep the nation in check. "With that in mind, I think we have a lot of great artists fighting the good fight. Those who truly understand and love the arts scene and who, like myself, believe that the arts can bring about change. That can evoke emotion, move and drive the nation. I admire people who don't give up their beliefs and con- viction and prefer to step down rather than go against them, when they don't agree with the decisions coming from above.I think the arts scene and the arts funds should be controlled by people who are deeply involved and experi- enced in the scene itself." Charles Cassar, musician "Perversely, I'd like to see fewer people aim for some chimeric notion of professionalism, and more people embrace hobbyism, and appreciate the freedom that comes with that. This is a small market, and having to earn a living from it will often neces- sitate compromises. I find it very tell- ing that most of the truly interesting music coming out of the local pop music scene has been made by com- mitted amateurs, rather than profes- sionals. I don't mean to encourage sloppiness, people should still strive to 'be good', but I think it would be healthy for more people to accept that being a musician in Malta is a low stakes game, so why not take a risk and challenge your audiences?" Justine Balzan Demajo, curator "In the last few years the art scene has progressively improved, with more art spaces opening up and more investments being made. Whether this growth is sustainable is another question. If I had one wish, it would be for the local art scene to be more daring, and get even more outside its comfort zone. Only then can we real- ly grow. Also, there is still a dire need to create more engagement with the public, and participating with edu- cational establishments and projects helping the coming generations to be more enthusiastic and involved." Ritty Tacsum, Photographer "What would I change about the local arts scene? It's probably the misconceptions about being an art- ist, and the pretentiousness that sur- rounds such a label. I think being an artist does not necessarily mean that the work created has to have some sort of concept inherently tied to it; in my case, more often than not, it is purely emotional, and there is no essay to accompany it. Sometimes, a body of work simply represents a pre- occupation, a pattern, which emerges over time, as is the case with this ex- hibition, in which the visual and aes- thetic narrative, reveals a constant in my work, which I was not imme- diately aware of. Secondly, being an artist doesn't mean you deserve spe- cial treatment... I often hear people complaining about lack of support, lack of funding... truth is, we have to work like everybody else to realise our dreams; and it is only by working hard that we can achieve our goals." Erica Muscat, Actress "International collaborations are at the forefront of the Arts Council's agenda and I'm blessed to be working with Unifaun Theatre that has made it their mission to challenge the local scene with foreign collaborations. I'd love to see this continue to grow and I'd love to see national productions tour internationally, offering actors an opportunity to be part of a run that extends for months at a time, allowing us to immerse ourselves in a role in a way we've not yet been able to do before. Also, I'd love to see more programmed productions with women in the title role. "There's been an incredible push, locally, by direc- tors and producers over the past dec- ade to balance the number of roles in a play, often changing the roles which would have traditionally been played by men, to be played by wom- en, and it's been really exciting to see how these roles are re-interpreted as a result of the switch. But I'd love to see more of my own struggles and tri- umphs playing out on the stage when I go to the theatre. Theatre should serve as an experiential laboratory to make sense of a world that seems to make so little sense otherwise. Equal representation would go a long way in serving this cathartic experience." Charles Cassar Justine Balzan Demajo Erica Muscat Ritty Tacsum Undine LaVerve