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LAURA CALLEJA lcalleja@mediatoday.com.mt 2 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 26 OCTOBER 2025 ART Global talent takes centre stage at second edition of the Malta Biennale 2026 THE Malta Biennale is returning for its second edition, promising to cement its place as a corner- stone of the international con- temporary art scene. Building on the success of its debut, the 2026 edition aims to push boundaries, spark conversation, and connect the threads of history, culture, and creativity that define Malta's identity. Malta Biennale 2026 President and Heritage Malta Chairman, Mario Cutajar, said he believes this year's event marks a turning point. The Biennale, he explains, embraces a concept so distinc- tive that it has earned recognition from UNESCO. Its mission is to revisit the past in ways that chal- lenge and inspire, inviting artists to reflect on the present through their work. "By fostering dialogue and deep- ening our collective understand- ing," Cutajar notes, "the Biennale doesn't just showcase art, it be- comes a space where society itself is reimagined." The Malta Biennale 2026 re- ceived over 3,200 applications from 122 countries in response to three open calls, and has accept- ed 47 applications for the main exhibition of the Biennale's sec- ond edition. This marked a 30% increase when compared to the 2024 edition. Nine artists have been selected from Malta: Amy Vella, Bettina Hutschek, Joseph Calleja and Clare Ghigo, Nina Gerda, Raphael Vella and Sandra Zaffarese, Therese Debono and Victor Agius. The Biennale will also feature 31 pavilions, 15 satellite events, and 66 activities forming part of a robust public and educational programme. From March till May 2026, these projects and events will transform Malta into a vi- brant hub of artistic creativity in the Mediterranean during a peri- od in which Maltese culture and tradition reach peak activity. Artistic director and interna- tional curator, Rosa Martinez noted how, "The Malta Biennale has a wonderful energy. Fuelled by the illusion of beginnings, it is moved by the desire of investing a world, and of creating a meaning- ful event both locally and inten- tionally." Martinez said it also has the goal of providing a significant platform of Maltese artists. Furthermore, she expressed how, despite being a small country, Malta has huge ambition. Given the number of artists within the archipelago is limited in size, it was inevitable that some names be repeated in the second edition. "Artists have the opportunity of interacting further with inten- tional peers whilst also developing their aesthetic visions, in close di- alogue with every new curator." Martinez spoke on the intercon- nectedness between the selection of artists' projects and the rele- vance of site, space and history. "The selected projects will be re- lated to the narratives embodied in each of the Heritage Malta ven- ues. For instance, for the Inquis- itors' Palace, I will select artists that try to bring to light the differ- ent forms of wisdom that the in- quisition tried to repress through centuries. The issues of crime and punishment, the power to decide on life and death, will be analysed to reflect on how ideologies con- trol our lives. In the prehistoric sites we will deal with cosmologi- cal issues, with fertility and care as essential traits of being human." Furthermore, she said the Mar- itime Museum there will be pro- jects pointing to the happenings in international waters, where the law of the different countries is suspended in favour of inter- national regulations. "We are im- mersed in an adventurous project of dialogue and invention, of fan- tasy and discipline, in the ethical reconstruction of the way we live together." Culture Minister Owen Bonnici also said that the second edition of the Malta Biennale will build upon the solid foundations for the first edition. "The inaugural edi- tion was a success; the second will be an event greater success." The Malta Biennale 2026 will take place from 11 March to 29 May 2026. Female 26 Male 14 Other 1 Collaboration 5 Gender ratio Belgium Chile Colombia Costa Rica Cuba Cyprus Ecuador Egypt France Greece Italy Japan Malta Netherlands Palestine Peru Portugal Spain Sweden (In Collab with Spain) UK USA Nationalities Artistic director and international curator, Rosa Martinez Malta Biennale 2026 President and Heritage Malta Chairman, Mario Cutajar