IFACCA has announced details of the 7th World Summit on Arts and Culture, which will take place in Valletta, Malta, next October. The theme for the conference is ‘At the crossroads? Cultural Leadership in the 21st Century.’
IFACCA has also launched a new web- site to support the programme, artsummit.org, that contains up-to-date information on events at the conference. IFACCA and Arts Council Malta are joint organisers of the event, which will convene over 400 arts policymakers from across the globe. The aim of the summit is to provide international public arts institutions with the opportunity to discuss key issues, share ideas and identify solutions.
‘Malta is a country situated in the heart of the Mediterranean, always found at the crossroads, where cultures have been meeting and interacting throughout his- tory. We can’t think of a better place to host this unique international event and to stimulate our discussions,’ said IFACCA chair Stephen Wainwright.
In a speech at the launch programme director Nina Obuljen outlined details of the conference. Topics under discussion include the impact of new technologies on the production and distribution of cultural goods and services, threats to global security, new patterns of migra- tion, and changing contexts at the national level including austerity meas- ures and continuous requests for reform. The summit will be held at Malta’s Mediterranean Conference Centre (MCC), a space recognised for its incredible views across Valletta’s Grand Harbour.
The building itself has a rich history, having formerly been used as a hospital by the Order of the Knights of Malta. The 7th World Summit runs from 18 to 21 October 2016. The full programme of speakers and cultural events will be announced in early 2016, along with details of ticket prices.