Festivals Malta Summer Festivals 2026 Launched
Festivals Malta has launched the Festivals Malta’s summer cultural programme for the year 2026. This diverse programme includes four unique festivals: Festgħana in May, the Malta International Arts Festival in June, and the Malta Jazz Festival together and Dance Festival Malta in July.
Festivals Malta Chairman, Aaron Zahra, said “Festivals Malta’s summer festivals are events that offer a wonderful variety of music, dance, theatre, visual arts, and more, for all those who want to experience different facets of Maltese culture. These festivals not only strengthen our country as a cultural destination for the summer season, but also provide an opportunity for local artists to showcase their talents, as well as international artists who visit our country for these events. As Festivals Malta, we are committed to continue working to strengthen our cultural calendar and to improve our artistic product to always offer entertainment of the highest quality.”
Festivals Malta CEO Frans Agius explained that, “Through the Festivals Malta summer festivals, we as an agency are succeeding in making culture more accessible to everyone. We are doing this through diversified programmes that appeal to everyone’s tastes, and by showcasing more local and international talents while keeping Maltese cultural heritage at the forefront of everything we do. Through the summer festivals, Festivals Malta is offering a diverse cultural programme with the aim of offering a high level of quality, inclusive events and rich cultural entertainment for our audiences.”
The Summer calendar opens with Festgħana, under the artistic direction of Toni Sant. Festgħana, which will take place between 21 and 24 May, is a the national festival dedicated to għana, featuring several prominent għannejja as well as the Aurora Folk Group, the Baltic Sisters and Kevin Borg. “Through Festgħana we will celebrate the heritage of Maltese għana with a renewed vision of a festival that has a history of almost 30 years. We are doing this in the context of the inclusion of Maltese għana on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Festgħana is indeed a festival with deep roots,” said Sant.
The Malta International Arts Festival returns between 12 and 21 June with various artistic genres such as visual arts, theatre, contemporary and classical music, as well as dance. The programme includes various performances by local and international artists, as well as collaborative elements from members who are part of various artistic communities. Artistic Director Ruben Zahra explained, “The Malta International Arts Festival transforms local heritage sites into a vibrant backdrop for impactful and innovative performances.”
The Malta Jazz Festival, under the artistic direction of Sandro Zerafa, is considered an authentic jazz festival that offers an artistic variety of this genre of music. The Malta Jazz Festival strikes a perfect balance between popular elements of jazz music and more eclectic ones by offering a programme with top-level musicians. Zerafa said, “This year the programme includes different colours that shape the universe of jazz: swing, groove, energy, interplay, leading music, and even the more tranquil. The line-up includes Kurt Rosenwinkel, Toninho Horta, and Ghost-Note, as well as local participation, jam sessions and concerts for children, among many others.”
Dance Festival Malta, under the artistic direction of Francesca Tranter will be held between 23 and 26 July. The four-day festival will feature performances and masterclasses from local artists as well as artists from Greece, Spain, Sweden, Italy, Belgium and more, with the aim of bringing together the local and international dance community in artistic dialogue. “Dance Festival Malta offers a platform where movement sparks a dialogue that connects generations and cultures through powerful expression and inclusive human experience. The programme highlights diverse voices and performances that inspire and resonate deeply with both our audiences and artists,” concluded Tranter.
For more information on these festivals and other events by Festivals Malta’s summer festivals, visit www.festivals.mt.
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