maltabiennale.art 2024 will be held in Malta. Notably, an island that has been challenged in finding its place in existing histories of contemporary Western and non-Western art due to its periods of colonisation and location; that is, being located in the centre of the Mediterranean and on the periphery of Europe.

Issuing Office

The issuing office, i.e., MUŻA, is the point of contact for this call. Please refer any enquiries or requests for clarification to info@maltabiennale.art

Who may Apply?

This call is intended for both local and international artists wishing to present projects in accordance with the theme of this year’s Biennale.

General Submission Information

• Artists can apply from any stage of their career (emerging or established) and from any nation.
• Artists can apply with one or more artworks.
• Submitted artworks can be site-specific or from any year of an artist’s career.
• Accepted artistic media include all forms of visual art: installation, paintings, sculptures, photography and video art.
• Throughout the opening ceremony and beyond, the artist has the opportunity to showcase performance artworks. The presence of these artworks will continue throughout the biennale by exhibiting video documentation that is associated with the work at one of the primary locations. It is important to note that this contribution will still be taken into account within the budget of the €13,000 grant.
• Visual arts are at the heart of the maltabiennale.art, although we are also interested in interdisciplinary projects.
• Collaborative works are welcome and eligible for submission. When submitting the work, please ensure to include the names of all participating artists in the designated artist name field (for example, artist name & artist name &…). If you have a collaborative group name, kindly provide it in the bio. In this case the grant will be given to the group (max €13,000)

Timeframe

Responses to this call are to be submitted via the online application form found on www.maltabiennale.art by not later than noon (CET) on Friday 25th August 2023. Applications received before Friday 25th August will be analysed by the curatorial team. During this phase the curatorial team may ask the applicant for clarification.

All submissions will be acknowledged and will be dealt with in strictest confidence. Late submissions will not be accepted.

What Support will Be Provided to the Artists?

maltabiennale.art shall provide the following support to the artists:

• Access to exhibit in a World Heritage Site.
• The opportunity to be part of and exhibit in an international programme.
• Consultancy services for shipping, insurances and accommodation.
• Technical assistance for the installation through the agencies’ offices.
• Technical assessment of the exhibition by the agencies’ offices in order to verify compliance with the current Maltese security and safety regulations, and with the restrictions related to historic buildings.
• A basic electrical and general lighting system.
• Internet connection.
• Daytime surveillance of outdoor spaces during closing hours of the exhibition.
• Night surveillance of outdoor areas.
• Exhibition signage.
• Marketing and promotion of the Biennale – including the marketing and promotion of individual artists.
• A general catalogue covering the entirety of the Biennale.
• The maltabiennale.art will be included within an arts and culture mobile application which will have a special maltabiennale.art category.
• A grant to cover costs for art production and to cover travel and accommodation for artists traveling to Malta from abroad.

Participants Financial Support

Artists selected for the maltabiennale.art 2024 will be provided financial support. The maximum eligible amount per project is Eur 13,000. Download the Guidelines and regulations document for further information and to check the list of eligible costs.

Application Process and Conditions

• Submitting a response to this call is in no way a guarantee that the applying artists will be selected for the shortlisting nor/or pitching sessions, nor does it prevent any future applicants from responding to future procurement opportunities.
• The issuance of this call for artists does not constitute a commitment to issue a request for bids, award a contract, or pay any costs incurred in the preparation of a response to this call.
• Any clarifications and addenda updates regarding this call will be published on www.maltabiennale.art.
• Any requests for clarifications may be sent to info@maltabiennale.art up to five days before the deadline of the call.
• Proposals with missing information, as specified in this call, will be deemed ineligible.
• Artists who wish to apply must submit a copy of their passport –specifically of the page with their identity and passport number. European Union citizens may just submit a copy of their Identiy Card.

Response Format

Responses are to be straightforward, clear, concise and specific to the information requested. For submissions to be considered complete, applicants must provide all the requested information mentioned in this document as well as any other comments, observations or suggestions which may potentially assist MUŻA in shortlisting the applicants.

Online Application

Applications are to be submitted using the online form

Clarifications and FAQs

For clarifications and FAQs, potential applicants should refer to www.maltabiennale.art or alternatively send an email to info@maltabiennale.art.

Shortlisted Applicants

MUŻA may request the  applicant/s to present their project during a formal presentation. All costs associated with such presentations will be borne by the applicant/s.

Evaluation Process

Submitted proposals will be initially screened for eligibility. After which the eligible candidates will be shortlisted and then further assessed by a board of experts that will be purposely appointed and chaired by MUŻA. All applicants will be notified of their results by email.

Shortlisting

The evaluation board will meet during an initial evaluation meeting in which all the eligible applications will be discussed. Any further clarifications needed and/or queries will be communicated to the applicant. A second evaluation board decision meeting will determine the final selection of the applicants.

All applications, including those that are not shortlisted, will receive their official result notification by Monday 16th October 2023.

Responsibilities of the Selected Artists

• Following the announcement of the selected artists the applicants will be requested to attend regular meetings.
• The delivery of proposed and accepted concept, design, production and execution of the artwork/exhibition. This is not limited to any materials, equipment, lighting nor other technical requirements to produce and deliver the project.
• Where necessary, the artists should seek insurance and adequate transportation for all required objects and materials.
• Be responsible for travel and accommodation arrangements.
• Upon confirmation of an accepted application, the artists will be assigned a main contact person. The artists are to then keep their main contact person in the loop with all updates, changes, amendments, developments, etc.
• The setting up and dismantling of the artwork/exhibition as determined by the rules and regulations of the assigned/confirmed site.
• To participate in media interviews and any promotional activities whilst supporting the marketing, PR and communications requirements as stipulated by MUŻA.
• Document and advertise the Biennale through social media in liaison with MUŻA’s communications team.
• Attend vernissage week in Malta to promote the exhibition to the press and lead tours.
• Fulfil any other requirements needed for the successful delivery of the exhibition.
• Accepted artists will have the opportunity to exhibit their work at the Grand Master’s Palace and other sites in Valletta, a Unesco World Heritage City.
• Any final decisions are strictly those of the organizing bodies.

Disclosure of Proposal Contents

All proposal content provided by the applicant/s in accordance with this call will be kept in strict confidence and will not be revealed or discussed with competitors except to the extent required by law.

The below steps are necessary to guarantee appropriate submission:

• Read these clauses carefully and familiarise yourself with the entirety of this call.
• Follow the instructions step by step. Fill in all the required information on the online application and attach the supporting documentation.
• Submit the application. Applicants should then receive an acknowledgement of receipt of their application. If the aforementioned notification is not received, artists should contact info@maltabiennale.art to confirm whether the application form has been successfully submitted or not.

Malta’s National Collection

The maltabiennale.art reserves the opportunity to select some artworks to be part of Malta’s National Collection

Webinar Q&A

A webinar for artists was held on 27th June. Here are the Questions and Answers  from this webinar.