Organizer Information
Fondazzjoni għall-Malta Biennale (Malta Biennale Foundation) was recently established as a body within Heritage Malta, Malta's national cultural heritage agency, with the aim of strengthening the international contemporary art festival held every two years across Heritage Malta's historic sites and museums. Heritage Malta manages more than 90 museums, monuments, and heritage sites spanning 8,000 years of history, including seven World Heritage sites and 15 underwater sites, along with responsibilities spanning caves and prehistoric structures, baroque palaces, ethnography, art, and maritime and industrial heritage collections. The Foundation was set up between Heritage Malta and the government through the Ministry for Culture, the Arts and Local Government, following a decision by the Cabinet of Ministers. The Malta Biennale reached its second edition in 2026, following the launch of this international contemporary art platform in 2024, and enjoys the patronage of the President of Malta and UNESCO. More than 100 artists from 35 countries participated in the inaugural 2024 edition, selected from around 2,500 submissions and presented across 21 historic sites.
Title & Description
International Call for Artistic Director — Malta Biennale 2028
Fondazzjoni għall-Malta Biennale is recruiting an Artistic Director for the third edition of the Malta Biennale, to be held between March and May 2028. The Malta Biennale is spearheaded by Heritage Malta and aims to include considerable input and active participation from other local cultural entities; the inaugural and second editions were held in 2024 and 2026 under the patronage of the President of Malta and UNESCO. The Biennale is set in historical sites in Malta and Gozo selected by the Fondazzjoni għall-Malta Biennale and Heritage Malta, as part of the agency's vision to link the past with the contemporary through art, address today's issues, create dialogue, engage a wider public, and facilitate cultural transformation.
The Artistic Director must be a cultural leader working in the field of contemporary art and will hold overall responsibility for the artistic management of the Biennale, leading with a distinctive artistic vision and creating the Biennale's main exhibition within agreed resources. Consistency and excellence are required across all artistic, managerial, and organisational aspects of the Biennale.
Position & Tasks
- Hold overall responsibility for the artistic management of the Biennale
- Lead with a distinctive artistic vision
- Create the Biennale's main exhibition within agreed resources
- Maintain consistency and excellence in all artistic, managerial, and organisational aspects of the Biennale
- Work closely with the heads of the production and administration sections
- Report to the President and the Executive Board of the Malta Biennale 2028
Categories
- Curatorial Practice
- Contemporary Art
- Art Management
- Exhibition Making
- Biennial/Festival Direction
- Arts Administration
- Cultural Programming
Eligibility
- Must be a cultural leader working in the field of contemporary art
- Not specified in the source: nationality, country of residence, or work permit restrictions
- Not specified in the source: minimum years of experience, degree requirements, or language requirements
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Applications must be submitted via email to: directoragegeneral@maltabiennale.art
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 25 September 2026
Location
Fondazzjoni għall-Malta Biennale and Heritage Malta
Additional Details
- Any late submissions and/or missing documents will render the application ineligible
- The Malta Biennale is spearheaded by Heritage Malta but the Fondazzjoni għall-Malta Biennale acts independently from the parent agency
- Heritage Malta operates state-of-the-art conservation laboratories and its own publishing house, and participates in international exhibitions and public/educational programmes through a team of conservators, archaeologists, scientists, architects, and other professionals
- The Malta Biennale aims to include considerable input and active participation from other local cultural entities