Biennale 2026 curator’s remuneration is a state secret

Heritage Malta, the state agency for cultural heritage, is insisting that the public contract awarded to Rosa Martinez for curating the second edition of the Malta Biennale 2026 cannot be disclosed, as it is deemed a state secret.

In response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request from The Shift to publish Martinez’s contract in the interest of transparency and accountability, the agency, which operates under the political oversight of Minister Owen Bonnici, declined the request.

This decision is particularly notable given that public funds fully fund the curator’s role.

Heritage Malta stated that the contract, finalised through a direct order, “includes sensitive provisions concerning her professional obligations, duties, and responsibilities. Disclosing this information would be an unjustifiable invasion of her professional affairs and could negatively impact her international career.”

The agency, led by former Deputy Secretary General of the GWU and chief civil servant Mario Cutajar, stated that disclosing such sensitive details could negatively affect the artists’ creative work and, ultimately, their professional reputation.

Martinez was selected by a task force appointed by Cutajar, which includes Noel Zammit, Russel Muscat, Kenneth Gambin, Albert Marshall, and Mary Anne Cauchi, with Toni Attard and Sarah Lee Zammit acting as consultants.

Heritage Malta states that none of the members of the task force receives payment for their work. However, some members often benefit from tens of thousands of euro in direct orders from either Heritage Malta or the Arts Council, while the state already employs others.

Martinez, 70, from Barcelona, is a renowned curator, artist, and writer with an impressive portfolio of work. In 2005, she served as the curator for the Venice Biennale, the most prestigious art festival in the world.

Her selection was based on an international call that received approximately thirty applications. Some applicants told The Shift that the selection process lacked transparency.

The Spanish curator had previously established connections to Malta, particularly through her work with Gozitan artist Austin Camilleri, who has significant ties within Heritage Malta.

Last year, during Malta’s first Biennale, Heritage Malta spent over €1 million, with most contracts awarded through direct orders.

Sara Lee Zammit, one of the Biennale’s task force consultants, who, according to Minister Bonnici, is not being remunerated for her work, was given at least seven different direct orders, through her company Nocemuskata, worth over €100,000.

The 2024 Biennale struggled to attract visitors to such an extent that, halfway through the event, Heritage Malta had to start selling tickets at half price to draw in crowds.

A critique of biennales published in the UK magazine ‘The Spectator’ characterised Malta’s inaugural attempt as “weird” and “dysfunctional.”

Another attempt will be made next year, with details regarding the budget for the 2026 edition still kept under wraps.