Malta’s Creative Economy

In January 2010, the Ministry of Finance, the Economy and Investment established a working group to conduct extensive research on the Cultural and Creative Industries in Malta, with the remit of developing a strategy for the creative economy.

The working group defines the creative economy as a set of knowledge-based economic activities (creativity and intellectual capital) that encompass the cycles of creation, production and distribution of creative goods and services and which have the potential to generate economic growth, employment and development (social and cultural).
The pillars of the creative economy are the Cultural and Creative Industries: HERITAGE (crafts, antiques, cultural sites, traditional festivals and celebrations); ARTS (visual arts, music and performing arts); MEDIA (publishing and audiovisuals); and CREATIVE BUSINESS SERVICES (design, software, architecture, advertising and cultural services).
GRTU is one of the representatives on this Creative Economy Group. During the first couple of meetings, GRTU has been made aware that data available related to culture and creative industry remains sparce and often underdeveloped discouraging comparisms between sectors and across countries. As a result policy is unfortunately often based on theoretical arguments.
For this reason GRTU has on the 17th and 22nd September organised two sessions where representatives from the Creative Economy Working Group in the Ministry for Finance delivered a presentation and discussed with those present what theory is saying about the sector and compare these ideas with the practical experience of practitioners and stakeholders in the Culture and Creative Industry. The aim is to assist the Creative Economy Working Group which at the moment is designing a bold strategy based on four strategic paths:
Shaping Talent into Professions
Assist Creative Businesses find Route to Market
Promoting Malta as a Hub of Creative Activity
Championing the Sector Through Cohesive Governance Structures
Amongst those present were representives from the ; crafts sector, visual arts, broadcasting TV & radio, fashion design, Cultural Sites, Music, Printing and publishing, Advertising, Performing Arts, Film Industry, Architecture & Design ICT & Software. The two meetings were very fruitful.
While GRTU thank the representatives from the Creative Economy Working Group and all those who attended and participated in the information sessions, GRTU would like to inform that anyone wishing to forward their proposals can do so on the following email addresses;    or