Advocate for greater synergy between the Ministries responsible for culture, education and employment to facilitate a collaborative cross-sectoral approach, partnerships, and investment in resources to strengthen current initiatives and establish new ones.
Invest in the capacity building of organisations active in arts education via pedagogical training for educators and creative professionals working in education and local communities to promote professionalisation, creativity and critical thinking.
Invest in funding schemes that support collaborations between education institutions and artists, creative practitioners and cultural organisations, encouraging students and educators to further engage with the creative and cultural sectors.
Strengthen opportunities for and support of existing partnerships so cultural organisations and practitioners who operate in the public, private and voluntary sectors can collaborate to (1) provide high-quality education and outreach programmes focusing on long-term development and (2) demonstrate the value of transdisciplinary cooperation and knowledge sharing. This includes engaging young people and the elderly in new productions, as well as creative learning programmes targeting early childhood and the older generation as audiences.
Ensure that every child and young person has access to high-quality artistic and cultural productions, thereby promoting greater engagement and participation. This will be achieved through age-specific initiatives, including a curated programme for educational institutions and a non-curated programme for older students and young people in the community.
Promote access within communities through, for example, collaborative programmes within the justice system, social care, Local Councils and healthcare organisations to promote active participation in the community.
Collaborate with the Malta Further & Higher Education Authority to conduct research on available methodologies to introduce accreditation and licensing of arts education institutions and therefore promote high standards for institutions and curricula, as well as transparency through publicly available data from approved institutions.
Invest in talented young artists to develop their skills and artistic practice through funding and mentorship programmes and scholarships offered with other relevant entities, as well as through access to work and paid apprenticeship schemes for new arts graduates.
Bolster the communication of the personal, social and economic impacts of arts education to raise public awareness of its value. To this end, relevant media campaigns and brokerage work will encourage support for arts education in the public and private sectors.
Facilitate networking sessions, workshops and collaborative initiatives between artists and stakeholders within other fields, such as STEM disciplines, media, education, voluntary organisations and commercial enterprises, to promote interdisciplinary work and enterprises.
Encourage continuous lifelong professional training in partnership with relevant public entities responsible for education. Topics should align with the developing contexts and environments in which artists and creatives operate and could include, for example, fostering an entrepreneurial mindset, learning digital technology and other specialised training that provides opportunities for practitioners and educators to continue developing their skills and expertise.
Invest in the training of cultural leaders and employees in the cultural sector, including (but not limited to) relevant public employees, to continue promoting the sector’s value and that of its employees.
Introduce schemes that support research in the cultural and creative sectors, as per the National Cultural Policy 2021. Such initiatives could include supporting artists who wish to take a sabbatical period of up to one year by allocating a basic income and following agreed-upon outcomes and objectives.
Contribute to the local publishing industry with a focus on design and illustration to expand the industry’s reach and promote readership and literacy among the public.
