VALLETTA.- The second edition of the Malta Biennale was officially inaugurated on March 10, during a lavish evening of spectacle at the Sacra Infermeria, Mediterranean Conference Centre, in Valletta.

Inspired by the Malta Biennale theme, Clean / Clear / Cut, the inauguration unfolded through a contemporary oratorio that brought sound, bodies, costume, light, and architecture into a shared act of attention. The oratorio was punctuated by speeches delivered by Malta Biennale 2026 Artistic Director Rosa Martínez, Malta Biennale 2026 President and Chairman of Heritage Malta, Mario Cutajar, Minister for Culture, Lands and Local Government, Owen Bonnici and HE Myriam Spiteri Debono, President of Malta.

The Malta Biennale 2026 opened to the public on Saturday, March 14 and runs till May 29.

Under the helm of internationally acclaimed Artistic Director Rosa Martínez, there are over 130 artists, representing some 43 countries, participating in this edition of the international contemporary art platform. The Malta Biennale also features 27 national and thematic pavilions, as well as a strong public programme of events aimed at myriad audiences. The international exhibition and the pavilions are spread across 11 Heritage Malta museums and historical sites, in four main locations: Valletta, Vittoriosa, Victoria and Xagħra in Gozo.

Organised by Heritage Malta, the Malta Biennale is now in its second edition, following the launch of the international contemporary art platform in 2024. Since the first edition, the Biennale has achieved considerable international success as well as significant media exposure. The Malta Biennale was conceived with a vision to create an open dialogue between the past and the present, between cultural heritage and contemporary art. Through Heritage Malta’s historical sites and museums, the Malta Biennale becomes the catalyst which enhances accessibility and engagement between audiences and space, history and artefact. The Malta Biennale is being held under the distinguished patronage of the President of Malta and UNESCO.

On March 13, during an awards ceremony held at the Oratory of St John’s Co-Cathedral, the recipients of The Maltese Falcon—the award of the Malta Biennale—were announced by an international jury of experts in the field of visual art. The recipients of the Best Artwork Award are Concetta Modica, with: Fragments of the sky of Malta: The journey of a tomato sepal to become a star, and Therese Debono, with: Blank. While the recipient of the Best Pavilion Award is: Redefining. Polish Ghanaian Textile Narratives, curated by Natalia Bradbury and featuring the work of Eliza Proszczuk, Ernestina Mansa Doku and Marta Nadolle. The award winners were selected by an independent, international panel of judges featuring freelance curator and art critic Gerardo Mosquera, visual artist Monica Narula, and curator and lecturer Irene Biolchini. The international jury members were appointed by the Executive Board of the Malta Biennale 2026, on the recommendation of Artistic Director, Rosa Martínez.

The Malta Biennale is organised by Heritage Malta in partnership with Arts Council Malta, Visit Malta, the Valletta Cultural Agency, and Public Broadcasting Services. The Malta Biennale is also being held in full collaboration with the Ministry for Culture, Lands and Local Government, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, and the Ministry for Gozo and Planning.