The mayor of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Carolina Darias, met on Monday on the island of Gozo with the mayor of Victoria, Brian Azzopardi, to consolidate the collaboration between both candidacies for European Capital of Culture 2031. The meeting served to announce the participation of two Maltese artists in the 'Rebel Walls' programme at the Castle of Mata.
The mayor of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Carolina Darias, travelled to the island of Gozo, Malta, to meet with the mayor of Victoria, Brian Azzopardi, and advance the alliance between both cities as candidates for European Capital of Culture 2031. The meeting, held on Monday 13th July, served to review the lines of collaboration that are already being developed and announce new joint projects.
Collaboration between island candidacies
During the visit, the LPGC'31 delegation, led by Darias and the international dimension manager Elvira Rilova, held working meetings with the Maltese candidacy team, including its artistic director Austin Camilleri. They discussed the drafting of the respective 'Bid Books' and explored avenues for artistic exchange and mobility of creators.
Darias highlighted that both cities share the same vision regarding the role of island territories in the European project. "We share challenges, we share obstacles, and we have many points in common as cities and islands that we are," said the mayor, who expressed her gratitude for the warm welcome and her willingness to "continue working together on this exciting dream of being European Capital of Culture 2031."
Maltese artists in 'Rebel Walls'
One of the most significant announcements from the meeting was the confirmation that two Maltese artists will participate in the upcoming edition of 'Rebel Walls', the mural intervention programme taking place at the Castle of Mata in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The creators will travel to the island in August to carry out an artistic intervention on the walls of the space, thus reinforcing the international character of the project.
Additionally, both candidacies agreed to continue collaborating on projects that will be part of their 'Bid Books', consolidating an alliance based on artistic exchange, mobility of creators, and mutual support between two islands that share challenges and opportunities in the European context.
Historical ties between Malta and Gran Canaria
During the meetings, the affinity between both territories was highlighted, marked by insularity, peripheral condition, and a history linked to the sea. Darias recalled that numerous Maltese traders settled in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria during the 18th and 19th centuries, leaving a mark that still remains today in the city's street names with the street of Los Malteses, next to the historic neighbourhood of Triana.
For his part, the mayor of Victoria, Brian Azzopardi, defended the role of islands as spaces with a unique contribution to Europe's cultural future. Azzopardi emphasised that, despite their peripheral condition, island territories occupy a central place in European cultural life and represent an opportunity to demonstrate that creativity and cooperation between cities can strengthen the common project of the European Union.
Next steps for the candidacy
The visit also allowed for an on-the-ground exploration of some of the main heritage and cultural spaces in Gozo, as well as an exchange of experiences regarding the process of developing both candidacies. New opportunities for cooperation were explored in areas such as artistic residencies, contemporary creation, citizen participation, and heritage.
This meeting is part of the international strategy of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria 2031, which continues to expand its network of alliances with other candidate cities. The collaboration with Victoria-Gozo takes on special significance by bringing together two island candidacies that advocate for the islands' capacity to generate cultural innovation and build bridges between territories from the periphery.
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