Visual arts infrastructure in Malta has expanded substantially in the recent years. The Malta International Contemporary Art Space (MICAS) opened in October 2024 within the restored 17th-century Ospizio complex on the Floriana fortifications, becoming Malta’s first dedicated contemporary-art museum. MUŻA – the Malta National Community Art Museum, opened in 2018 at the Auberge d’Italie as a Valletta 2018 legacy project, holds the national collection and has shifted the curatorial frame from chronological art history to a community-museum model.
The Malta Biennale, a Heritage Malta initiative delivered through MUŻA in partnership with Arts Council Malta, was launched in 2024 with patronage from the President of the Republic and UNESCO. Its first edition (March–May 2024) presented over 100 artists from 35 nations across 21 historic sites in Valletta, the Three Cities and Gozo’s Cittadella, with 14 national and thematic pavilions and themes addressing the Mediterranean, post-colonialism, womanhood and piracy. The second edition (11 March – 29 May 2026) is curated by Rosa Martinez; Budget 2026 confirmed a further edition. The Malta Biennale is now governed by the Fondazzjoni għall-Malta Biennale, established as a separate entity under MACH following the June 2026 general election.
Malta has maintained a national presence at the Venice Art Biennale since 2017. Malta also exhibits at the London Design Biennale. Independent commercial galleries — notably Valletta Contemporary and Christine X Art Gallery — supplement public infrastructure, alongside the historic Malta Society of Arts which has hosted artist residencies in partnership with Arts Council Malta.
The visual-arts policy framework rests on the Artists’ Resale Rights Regulation (2006) (Subsidiary Legislation 415.3), which grants authors of original works an inalienable royalty on each resale, and on ACM funding schemes including the Arts Support Scheme, the Movable Artefacts International Participation Scheme and the Artistic Heritage Scheme. Sector debate has focused on the under-development of the contemporary collection and on questions of stewardship raised by demolition of Modernist buildings (discussed further in 3.1 and 4.2.2).
The crafts sector is supported by the Malta Crafts Foundation, established under the Malta Crafts Act (Cap. 613), through training, certification and the Premju Ġieħ l-Artiġjanat Malti award. Crafts are also covered by ACM’s general schemes and by the Cultural Heritage Act (2002) provisions on intangible heritage.
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