Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1547522
9 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 11 NOVEMBER 2026 OPINION CULTURE Minister Malcolm Paul Agius Galea has described his first four months in office as "traumatic", saying that his medical profession had taught him to associate creativity with being "presumptuous" and "dan- gerous". Referring to people working in the cultural sector, he re- marked that "everyone thinks they're God's gift to the world and that they're the most im- portant part of Maltese cul- ture". He also questioned why suc- cessful productions should need public funding when tick- et sales should be enough, and argued that artistic creativity must operate "within certain norms of right and wrong". His frank remarks at the Festival of Ideas have understandably caused consternation among artists and cultural practition- ers. I would not dwell too much on the current culture minis- ter, whose remarks have raised serious questions about his suitability for the role, which is a pity considering the potential of the sectors under his remit. At the most basic level, one expects a culture minister to take pride in creating and cultivating public cultural spaces where authority and established norms can be ridi- culed, mocked and challenged by people who think they are God's gift to humanity. Spaces where bands like Mario Vella's Brikkuni and books like Karl Schembri's Eħlisna mid-Deni are celebrated, and where wor- thy traditions such as għana are not simply valued but en- couraged to grow and engage with global culture. But my question is this: who would make a good culture minister? Who has the drive to champion a bold cultural vi- sion at a critical moment when national identity is in flux and has become such a defining question? The task of a culture minister is not to offer his own answers, but to promote an inclusive na- tional conversation that finds expression through music, lit- erature, visual art and poetry. Unfortunately, as a nation we are increasingly defining our identity by excluding others in- stead of confidently celebrating ourselves. Moreover, this should be a vision rooted in our collec- tive memory, but one that also leaves a legacy. What about setting up an In- stitute of Public Memories to preserve the oral traditions of ordinary people, who are them- selves repositories of history? A living institution dedicated to preserving memories, in- cluding those of our own times and of generations whose lives predate the internet and AI. There is also an obligation to defend cultural landscapes and uphold the values of the Euro- pean Landscape Convention in a country where towns and vil- lages are under siege. Here, the culture minister should push for reforms that strengthen the autonomy of the Superintend- ence of Cultural Heritage, al- lowing it to withstand econom- ic and speculative pressures. We need a minister willing to confront head-on the chal- lenges posed by artificial intel- ligence and its tech lords, and to defend artists and human agency, both fundamental to the survival of art itself. And what about a vision that supports artists through a ba- sic income, as in Ireland, where a scheme providing financial assistance to artists has been introduced with safeguards de- signed to preserve their inde- pendence? Of course, culture is a much wider experience, encompass- ing popular expressions, feasts, traditional forms and even pop culture. Indeed, a bold vision would break down the artificial boundaries between so-called elite and popular culture. In short, the popular does not need to be mediocre and the sophisticated does not need to be detached. Crucially culture should not be Cinderella. It is one of the most important ministerial portfolios, especially in a time of profound change. Yet I honestly find it difficult to identify anyone on either the government or opposition benches who champions cul- ture in this way, with the am- bition to challenge conventions and leave a lasting legacy. Which brings me to another problem: the intellectual dark- ness that seems to be consum- ing our political system. The latest idiocy was the vilification of Andrew Azz- opardi for choosing "f'ghoxx il-Labour" over "Nazzjonalist ippatentjat" in a satirical pro- gramme. The fact that people took offence at what was said in a satirical space only rein- forces the importance of hav- ing a strong cultural voice in government and Labour. The fact that party propagandists are pushing this puerile agenda exposes a cultural black hole. A culture minister with back- bone would have defended Az- zopardi, reminding his audi- ence that satire, mockery and ridicule are essential expres- sions of a cosmopolitan mo- dernity. Defending freedom of expression is itself a defining responsibility of the culture portfolio. Ultimately, Malta needs someone who stands tall on culture, not merely celebrating it but acting as its voice with- in government and pushing its boundaries. Perhaps Malcolm was being honest when he expressed his unease at being appointed to a portfolio in which he clearly feels uncomfortable. In fact, that was the original problem: a wrong choice by the prime minister. But given the talent pool available to him, I doubt there is an obvious replace- ment. The government has some good economists and lawyers, but seemingly nobody who can be identified as a genu- ine champion of culture and the arts. This is particularly unfortunate for a Labour gov- ernment whose first act in of- fice was to abolish censorship: a promising start, but what about legacy? For without a confident local culture, capable of absorbing the richness of foreign diaspo- ras and celebrating our Medi- terranean harbour as a melting pot, identity risks being de- fined instead by the exclusion of others. The anatomy of a culture minister James Debono Senior journalist Malcolm Paul Agius Galea's remarks on artistic creativity, public funding and the role of artists have exposed a deeper problem: the absence of a political champion for culture Culture Minister Malcom Paul Agius Galea