The Malta Biennale 2026 has received more than 3,200 applications from artists across 122 countries, marking a significant milestone for the international contemporary art platform. The Call for Artists, which closed earlier this week, attracted proposals from every continent, confirming the Biennale’s growing global relevance in just its second edition.
Curated by renowned artistic director Rosa Martínez, the 2026 edition of the Malta Biennale is themed Clean | Clear | Cut (Tnaddaf | Tgħarraf | Tferraq), and will be held from March 11 to May 29, 2026. The selected projects will be showcased in a series of site-specific exhibitions across Valletta, Vittoriosa, Xagħra and the Citadel in Gozo, using Malta’s rich historical and cultural heritage as a stage for contemporary expression.
The number of proposals submitted represents a 30 per cent increase compared to the inaugural edition in 2024. That first edition drew widespread international media coverage and recognition, including patronage from UNESCO and the president of Malta, firmly placing the event on the global art calendar.
The Malta Biennale remains committed to fostering dialogue between past and present, using contemporary art to reinterpret and reactivate historical sites for today’s audiences. This curatorial approach will again be central in 2026.
While the Call for Artists has closed, two additional calls remain open: the Call for Satellite Events (deadline: July 25) and the Call for Pavilions (deadline: August 29).
Organised by Heritage Malta in partnership with Arts Council Malta, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, and Visit Malta, the Malta Biennale continues to affirm its role as a dynamic cultural force in the Euro-Mediterranean region and beyond.
For more information about the Biennale, visit maltabiennale.art.