Arts Council Malta, in its capacity as Pavilion Commissioner, and in collaboration with MUŻA (Malta’s National Museum of Fine Arts, Heritage Malta), under the auspices of the Ministry of Justice, Culture and Local Government is publishing an international call for the engagement of a curator/curatorial team to curate the Malta Pavilion at the 57th International Art Exhibition at the Venice Biennale in 2017.
The International Art Exhibition will be held from May 13 to November 26, 2017. Malta is officially returning to the Venice Biennale after an absence of 17 years. It has so far participated with a special exhibition of Maltese artists in 1958 and a National Pavilion in 1999.
The Malta Pavilion is approximately 300 square metres with exposed brick walls. It will be located at the Artiglierie in the Arsenale Area.
The declared aim of the Malta Pavilion is to offer a platform through which Maltese contemporary artistic practices—understood within the broadest sense of the term—can be exposed, contextualised and presented to an international audience.
The Maltese Pavilion will also form part of the Cultural programme of the Maltese Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2017. The project will also bridge with the contemporary art programme of Valletta as European Capital of Culture in 2018.
The call is open to Maltese and international curators with a strong curatorial track record. Multi-national curatorial teams including Maltese will be favourably considered.
The lead applicant shall be engaged on contract by Arts Council Malta for the National Participation of Malta at the 57th Venice Biennale. Such contract shall define curatorial remit and other requirements that the candidate agrees to deliver in response to this brief.
Arts Council Malta (ACM) is the Maltese national agency for development and investment in the cultural and creative sectors. The ACM operates through three specific directorates. The creation and development of strategies for the sector falls under the Strategy Directorate. This Directorate is built on five strategic focal points which include internationalisation and business development but also research, education and training, diversity and communities. These points also run through the council’s newly-published national strategy for the cultural and creative sectors for the years 2016–20.
Proposals are to be submitted via email by noon, Wednesday, March 30, 2016 to vacancies [at] artscouncilmalta.org indicating “Curatorial Proposal for the National Participation of Malta at the 57th International Art Exhibition at the Venice Biennale” as subject.
Submitted proposals will be assessed by a panel of experts, purposely appointed and chaired by Arts Council Malta. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to pitch their project and discuss it in more detail during an interview to clarify any information submitted as required. The final decision will be announced by April 30, 2016.
Should you have any questions as a result of reading this brief please contact Romina Delia, Internationalisation Associate at Arts Council Malta on romina.a.delia [at] artscouncilmalta.org.
Visit www.artscouncilmalta.org for full details of the call.
