[WATCH] €52.5 million dedicated to creative industry for 2016

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A record €52.5 million has been allocated to the creative industry for the government’s 2016 Budget, which will make up around 1.4% of total state expenditure for the year.

“This marks a 39% increase in funding over the previous year, and is in fact a record increase in finance dedicated to the cultural sector,” Art Council Malta director Toni Attard told local artists at the Birgu Museum as part of the ‘Gvern li Jisma’ public consultation series.

Attard said that cultural projects planned for 2016 include the MUZA fine arts museum project in Valletta, the Valletta design cluster, the Marsa carnival village, and Malta's participation in the Venice Biennale arts exhibition for the next three years.

He explained that 28% of the government’s creative funding would be invested in the media, 24% in the arts, and the lion's share - 40% - on restoration and heritage projects. The remaining 8% of funds will be allocated on interdisciplinary projects.

Culture minister Owen Bonnici said that 11,000 people were involved in economic activities related to the creative industry as of 2014, and that the government wants to boost investment in the sector.  

“Although the government intends most of the ongoing cultural projects to be completed by 2018 in time for Valletta being named EU’s capital of culture, we also want the projects to leave a lasting cultural heritage,” he said.