Building artistic relationships

A multifaceted, two-year project that started in 2017 is helping to build relationships between Maltese and international artistic networks through a series of cross-border exchanges. The project, titled Transformer Malta, includes curatorial research, artist residencies, public talks, workshops, an online platform (via transformermalta.com) and a multi-site exhibition in spaces across the country during the European Capital of Culture 2018. The activities mark a collaboration between project partners from Malta, the UK, Spain, Morocco and Greece, with the aim of building a network which will help develop Artist Run Organisations (AROs) and the contemporary art context in Malta, and also introducing a new online platform. The focus upon Malta is central to the project’s aspirations and Transformer will work under the guidelines of Valletta 2018 alongside local and international AROs and the artists involved within them. The competitiveness of the art industry can make it challenging for smaller artists to have their creations exhibited and considering that Malta is such a small island, artists are immediately at a disadvantage. This is where AROs are vital to the industry.