Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/234240
24 2013 in review THIS WEEK Change, backtracking and CULTURE | TV | FILM CINEMA LISTINGS FOOD | WHAT'S ON Looking back at some of the most significant cultural events in 2013, TEODOR RELJIC notes that 'if you want something done right, you better do it yourself' may be the best adage local creatives could take on THOUGH it could be said that Malta enjoyed a culturally varied 2013, our status on that front was somewhat soured when a Eurobarometer survey revealed that the Maltese ranked second-worst on cultural participation across the continent – coming second only to Bulgaria. It was a 'straight' piece of bad news that came after some fraught goingson in the local field of culture. It was perhaps to be expected that a change in government would bring about some infrastructural shake-ups, and perhaps these were even more starkly offset when compared to the previous year. 2012 was the year Malta shook of the shackles of theatrical and literary censorship (on paper, at least) and was officially inaugurated as European Capital for Culture in 2018. It was always going to be a tough act to follow, but an amusing – if deeply upsetting to some – gaffe on government's part unfortunately became a brief cause celebre in early 2013, when Peter Andre was bestowed with the title of Cultural Ambassador for Valletta in February. The unanimous decision by Valletta mayor Alexiei Dingli led to short but sharp burst of outrage – culminating in an online petition which gained televised coverage, with even the UK press sneaking a peek at the situation (this journalist was interviewed Bread and circuses: the newly-launched Malta Summer Carnival by BBC Scotland's radio programme Call Kaye when the anti-Andre furore was in full swing). Of course a lot of it was down to misplaced nationalistic pride with a pinch of snobbishness: "We don't need foreigners representing us, and Peter Andre is a sleazy has-been whose chief trait, of late, was to be seen with silicone-enhanced women as frequently as possible." But the outrage was significant in some ways. First of all, it was yet another example of how the internet can rapidly consolidate public opinion (a fact arguably even more important in a small country like Malta). It was also perhaps a sign that we're a bit tired of seeing apparently august titles like 'Cultural Ambassador' being dished out on a tokenistic basis to any celebrity willing to step onto our shores… and bestowing it upon the hardly classy Peter Andre – who was in Malta at the time to participate in the annual Malta Music Awards – was seen as a step too far. The lack of judgement regarding culture on the part of government appeared to continue after the election, when another minor gaffe became a talking point, this time concerning the newly-installed Parliamentary Secretary for Culture and Local Government, Jose Herrera. The scene, in fact, played out like a melo- Time to follow her tomorrow: Gianluca Bezzina took Malta to 8th place at the Eurovision Song Contest drama: Herrera, who had served as a shadow minister for justice while Labour were in Opposition, failed to shake Prime Minister Joseph Muscat's hand when he was sworn-in for his new post (he would later refer to the mishap as nothing more than an "inadvertent mistake"). More controversial still was the appointment of Jason Micallef as the new Chairman of the Valletta 2018 Foundation. Stepping in to replace architect David Felice, Micallef's appointment was greeted with controversy and suspicion: as the press conference announcing the former One TV chairman's new post appeared to have gone ahead without the approval of the Office of the Prime Minister. While the accusation that Micallef may have been appointed "unilaterally" by Herrera was shot down by the new parliamentary secretary, doubts lingered about Micallef's lack of qualifications in the field of culture. The fruits of Micallef's labour within V18 have yet to be sussed out, but the Foundation appeared to be progressing at a steady clip this year, having organised a number of talking-shop seminars related to Valletta's upcoming role as European Capital for Culture in 2018, as well as successful and well-received initiatives like Story Works – a workshop on film scriptwriting which aims to rehabilitate a lacuna in local Shot for Cirque de la Nuit, a recent party organised by Electro-Swing Malta. Photo by: chlikk.com filmmaking (a very evident need, if recent film productions like Silhouette and Adormidera are anything to go by). The Malta Council for Culture and the Arts and St James Cavalier also went through an overhaul, as playwright Albert Marshall – who also became PBS editorial board deputy chairperson earlier this year – took over from Davinia Galea as CEO of the MCCA – a move which many saw a cutthroat political appointment. St James Cavalier, Valetta's centre of creativity, appears to have gone for a more systematic shake-up. Now headed by chairman Rupert Cefai, the institution is searching for an artistic director to