‘Culture will no longer be a Cinderella’ – Herrera

"Culture will no longer be a Cinderella for government," parliamentary secretary for culture Jose Herrera said during this afternoon's press launch for Notte Bianca, the annual one-night festival of arts and entertainment this year taking place on 5 October across the streets of Valletta.

Presumably referring to the way culture was seen as politically and economically marginal in the past, Herrera emphasised that the eighth edition of the festival - which traditionally attracts large crowds to the capital city - will be highlighting "legacy" and "diversity" in an attempt to reach out and represent as many people as possible, while also ensuring that Valletta fosters a "vibrant" atmosphere.

"Of course, it's nice to have a quiet city like Mdina on our islands. But we want Valletta to be vibrant, and brimming with life," Herrera said.

Addressing a sizeable audience at a press conference held at Luciano's Restaurant in Merchants Street, Valletta (for the first time ever, a substantial amount of participating artists and performers were also present), Herrera expressed satisfaction with his post.

"In fact I feel very lucky, as I think I took over the culture secretariat during a very interesting time. Many people have told me that now is the best time to be involved in culture in Malta," Herrera said, referring in large part to Malta's role as European Capital for Culture in 2018.

Speaking on behalf of the Valletta 2018 Foundation, its chairman Jason Micallef, in an energetic speech, drove home the point that Notte Bianca will be taking a very democratic approach to culture... even appropriating the Labour government's 'Malta Taghna Lkoll' slogan to refer to Valletta as a cultural institution and, eventually, a capital for culture.

"One of the best things about culture is its ability to bring people from different walks of life together," Micallef said, using this afternoon's motley assembly of musicians, performers, journalists and government officials to illustrate his point.

"Notte Bianca should mark the beginning of a string of events that will show how our nation can stand united in its diversity, which will culminate come Valletta 2018."

Notte Bianca Artistic Director Sean Buhagiar said that this year's edition will cater to all forms of art - from performance to visual art to crafts, in a gathering of around 1,000 local artists. An innovation during this year's edition of the festival - running from 6pm to 2am on 5 October - will be the addition of 'Notte Bianca Atmosfera', a "fringe within the fringe" of the festival allowing for a more 'improvised' series of events.

And for the first time ever in the history of Notte Bianca, a ferry from Mgarr, Gozo to the Valletta Waterfront will be available as of 6.30pm, with a final return trip in the early hours of 6 October (12.30am).

This year's edition of the festival will also be unique in that it will be clearly bookended: complete with coloured smoke and In Guardia troops firing cannons from all around Valletta. This will kickstart the festival at 6pm. A closing breakfast at 2am at the Casino Maltese will bring the night to an end.

TRANSPORT AND ACCESSIBILITY

By land

Arriva will be operating a special bus service for Notte Bianca on 5 October with tickets priced at €3. The ticket will also be valid for all day-time buses on the same day. The special service will be operating from Valletta to all localities around the island from 11pm until 2.30am. Tickets can be bought beforehand from Arriva ticket booths, street ticket sellers, and directly from the bus on 5 October. The public is strongly urged to buy tickets beforehand due to limited availability on the night. For ticket booth locations and the list of routes visit www.arriva.com.mt/nottebianca or call 2122 2000. 

Arriva's Park & Ride services will also be available offering unlimited parking on the day for €1.50, with direct shuttles from Floriana and back. 

Taxis will also be stationed at the Valletta bus terminus.

By sea

For the first time this year, Gozo Channel will provide a special service to Valletta. The ferry will depart from Mgarr, Gozo at 18.30 and will leave Valletta at 00.30. A Gozitan folk group will also perform on the ferry, getting passengers into the Notte Bianca mood before they arrive at the festival.

The Upper Barrakka lift will be free of charge from 3pm onwards and will run until 2am. 

Ferry boats will also be running on a regular basis from Sliema and Birgu to Valletta and back till late.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Health and Civil Protection points will be situated as below:

1.              Ġlormu Cassar - Top of the hill

2.              Ordinance Street with Strait Street

3.              Melita Street - between Merchants Street and St Paul Street

4.              Republic Street between Archbishop Street and St Christopher's Street

Lost and Found will be situated at the Valletta police headquarters.

Notte Bianca is supported by The Malta Council for Culture and the Arts.

For more information and a full programme, log on to nottebianca.org.mt