Artistic Research and Development Scheme – Malta

By supporting their own research and development they should identify their target creative professionals and communities and:

• Nurture their creative potential and support their development, by encouraging co-creation, collaboration and experimentation.
• Invest in artistic excellence, by encouraging levels of creative risk, experimentation, and the active engagement of communities. They should do this by supporting quality projects, as well as identifying talent and encouraging its development.
• Document and carry out research into Malta’s past and present artistic and cultural communities, as well as consider and explore Malta’s artistic legacy.

The scheme forms part of Arts Council Malta’s funding schemes which aim to invest in exploratory projects that allow creative professionals and communities to experiment, test their work, engage with their peers, be duly represented in policy and strategy matters, nurture collaboration, and develop their ideas further. Applications submitted may form part of the initial phase of a wider project/body of work or can be self-contained.

Areas of Focus

This scheme will comprise of two main areas of focus. Applicants may choose to focus on one or both of these areas within their projects:

• Artistic practice
  • Research into artistic concepts, techniques, and subjects;
  • Exploratory research adopting innovative or untested approaches in the conception, creation and development of artistic work;
  • Research into Malta’s artistic communities, with a view to document Malta’s artistic legacy in an open, inclusive and sustainable manner.
• Community and audience engagement
  • Exploring participatory approaches to audience engagement in order to deepen engagement with existing or new audiences;
  • Experimenting with innovative methods of experiential engagement with audiences;
  • Research into ways to improve access to the arts and promote inclusive participation and greater diversity within the arts.

Funding Information

• Session budget: EUR 125,000
• Maximum eligible amount per project: EUR 15,000

Who can apply?

• This scheme supports proposals aimed at boosting artistic development, nurturing experimentation and innovation, engaging, developing audiences as well as attracting new audiences, while creating experiences based on principles of excellence. This support mechanism also encourages community-based projects.
• Furthermore, applicants must qualify as one of the following:
  • Creative professionals/individual artists
  • Entities registered with the Malta Business Registry (including companies, partnerships, foundations and organisations/associations)
  • Groups, collectives and consortia
  • Registered cooperatives
  • Voluntary organisations enrolled with the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations.

For more information, visit Arts Council Malta.