Culture Ambassador removed from MICAS

In an unexpected move, Francis Sultana, Malta’s Ambassador for Culture, was removed from his position as a member of the board of Malta International Contemporary Arts Space (MICAS).

Culture Minister Owen Bonnici replaced him with Joyce Dimech, the minister’s former permanent secretary. Dimech is now serving at the home affairs ministry.

Minister Bonnici did not reply to questions asking for an explanation. Sultana also declined to answer.

Sultana was considered by many at MICAS to be the one calling the shots for CEO Phyllis Muscat. She is not known to have any specialised knowledge of the arts.

Sultana, currently the CEO of David Gill Art Gallery in London’s posh St James’s, used his contacts overseas to introduce several renowned artists to MICAS. Yet questions were raised when the government, through the art space, started splashing hundreds of thousands of euro on art commissions from artists linked to the London Gallery.

The Shift reported that in 2019, MICAS commissioned Ugo Rondinone to create a sculpture that cost more than half a million euro. It was later discovered that Sultana sells Rondinone’s art in the London gallery.

In 2023, Sultana was also behind another MICAS acquisition – ‘The Palm Goddess for Malta‘, by American artist Michele Oka Doner. Again, her art is sold in London by Sultana and represented by David Gill’s Gallery.

Before the Floriana-based museum opened last year, some three years later than planned, Sultana organised lavish parties for MICAS, in an attempt to promote the museum. MICAS spent tens of thousands on these parties.

Sultana had admitted to The Shift that he was part of a panel that chose the artists commissioned by MICAS. However, he said that it was not his decision alone.

Galleries usually take hefty commissions on works of art they manage to sell to their clients on behalf of renowned artists.

Joyce Dimech, Sultana’s replacement, formerly worked with the current culture minister. She was involved in a series of scandals when she was his permanent secretary, including those related to claims of sexual harassment at the National Orchestra.

Last summer, The Shift revealed how Minister Bonnici issued a legal notice to start allowing weddings at the Cittadella ditch in Gozo. The legal change happened just a day before Dimech’s daughter held her wedding there.

Dimech, also a Gozitan, never explained how she knew the law would be changed right before her daughter’s wedding.