The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO, has just granted its patronage to maltabiennale.art, which will be held in Malta for the first time in the coming year.

UNESCO's patronage is considered as a high form of recognition for this art festival, which while still in its infancy, has already garnered a strong and encouraging global response from artists, and is clearly set to become the focal cultural event of 2024 in Malta.

Through contemporary art, maltabiennale.art will be investigating the Mediterranean, reflected in the theme for the biennale's first edition: Baħar Abjad Imsaġar taż-Żebbuġ (White Sea Olive Groves).

The biennale will unfold across Malta and Gozo, mainly within Heritage Malta's historic sites, many of which have been declared by UNESCO as being World Heritage Sites, including Valletta, the capital, and Gozo's Ġgantija.

In her letter, UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay expressed how UNESCO's aims are perfectly reflected in maltabiennale.art's dialogue between Mediterranean art and cultures, and how this led the organisation to grant its patronage to the maltabiennale.art 2024. Her Excellency also congratulated maltabiennale.art's president, Mario Cutajar, as well as Heritage Malta for this initiative, and wished them the greatest success. The letter was delivered by Malta's ambassador to UNESCO, Mgr. Joseph Vella Gauci.

Maltabiennale.art 2024 will be opening its doors on the 11th March 2024, and will welcome visitors until the end of May 2024.

With just one week remaining for artists to submit their proposals for participation in Malta's largest cultural event in 2024, over 500 applications hailing from 80 states have already been received.

Maltabiennale.art will be officially inaugurated by the President of Malta, his Excellency Dr George Vella.

This event is a Heritage Malta initiative through MUŻA, the Malta National Community Art Museum, in partnership with Arts Council Malta. The biennale is also presented in cooperation with the Ministries for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade, National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government, and Gozo, as well as with Visit Malta, Spazju Kreattiv, Malta Libraries, and the Valletta Cultural Agency.