Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1546942
8 gozotoday | FRIDAY • 2 OCTOBER 2026 CULTURE CONTINUES FROM PAGE 1 A new centre for music and arts The bid also promises the Vajrinġa Cen- tre for Music and Arts, with a budget of €6.6 million. Alongside it are: • €4 million for artists' studios and workshops • €5 million for Carnival workshops These projects are intended to provide permanent cultural infrastructure rather than temporary venues created specifical- ly for 2031. The bid sets the Vajrinġa Centre's target completion for 2029, with the artists' stu- dios and workshops due to be operational by 2030. €188 million in capital investment The cultural programme is accompa- nied by an identified €188 million capital investment programme. The bid breaks this down into €143 mil- lion from central government and €45 million from EU funds. The money is not all being spent on culture. The cap- ital programme covers cultural facilities, heritage, public spaces and transport in- frastructure across Gozo. The bid says essential infrastructure should be completed and operational during 2030, ahead of the title year. Two new vessels For people travelling between Malta and Gozo, one of the largest commitments in the bid is transport. The capital programme includes €110 million for two new vessels and €20 mil- lion for vessel retrofitting. There is also €2 million for fast-ferry terminal upgrades. Together, these trans- port projects account for €132 million of the identified capital programme. Victoria Park and upgraded public spaces The bid also promises changes to the spaces people use every day. Victoria Park is allocated €2.5 million, while €2.8 mil- lion is earmarked for community garden refurbishments. The capital programme also includes restoration of historic buildings and his- toric façades. The idea is that the Capital of Culture should leave improvements to Victoria and Gozo's physical environ- ment rather than disappearing when the events finish. The restoration of Qbajjar Battery and Qolla l-Bajda The bid allocates €3.6 million to restora- tion of the Qbajjar Battery/Qolla l-Bajda. The project is part of the wider attempt to connect Gozo's heritage with the cultural programme. The target completion date in the bid is 2028. 365 events at sunrise and sunset One of the easiest commitments for the public to understand is Sunrises31Sun- sets. The project begins before the title year and is intended to culminate in 365 com- munity gatherings during 2031. The concept is simple: a cultural en- counter at sunrise or sunset, every day of the year, in different locations around Gozo. That means that if the bid is delivered as described, there will be a Victoria31-re- lated public gathering somewhere in Gozo every day of 2031. Boris Charmatz's dance project Another recurring programme will be Boris Charmatz's participatory dance project Żifna Għal Kull Staġun. The bid describes a movement commu- nity and participatory dance activity run- ning annually from 2028 to 2031. This is intended to involve people in dance rather than simply present profes- sional performances to audiences. A new '31st letter' for Maltese One of the more unusual projects is L-Ittra 31. The idea is to create a sym- bolic 31st letter of the Maltese alphabet inspired by the sounds, words and stories of Gozo. It is not presented as an attempt to formally change the Maltese alphabet. Instead, the project will collect contri- butions from communities and use them as the basis for an artistic work that will become part of the closing of the Capital of Culture. The bid says the resulting work will cul- What is promised Amount in bid Gozo Museum €12m Vajringa Centre for Music and Arts €6.6m Artists' studios and workshops €4m Carnival workshops €5m Qbajjar Battery/Qolla l-Bajda restoration €3.6m Victoria Park €2.5m Community gardens €2.8m New vessels €110m Vessel retrofitting €20m Fast ferry terminal upgrades €2m Victoria 2031: A look inside the bid One of the headline infrastructure commitments is the Gozo capital investment programme (Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday)