Mayor Carolina Darias travelled to the island of Gozo to meet with her counterpart Brian Azzopardi and advance joint projects for the European Capital of Culture 2031. Both cities announced the participation of Maltese artists in the 'Rebel Walls' programme at Mata Castle.
The mayor of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Carolina Darias, has travelled to the island of Gozo (Malta) to meet with the mayor of Victoria, Brian Azzopardi, and the team behind the Maltese candidacy for European Capital of Culture 2031. The meeting, held on Monday 13th July, served to strengthen the alliance between both island cities and announce new artistic collaborations.
Artistic Collaboration in 'Rebel Walls'
One of the most notable announcements was the participation of two Maltese artists in the upcoming edition of 'Rebel Walls', the mural intervention programme taking place at Mata Castle in the Gran Canaria capital. 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.
Darias has positively evaluated the meeting, emphasising that both cities share a common vision regarding the role that island territories can play in the European project. "We share challenges, we share difficulties, and we have many points in common as cities and islands that we are," the mayor stated, before thanking for the warm welcome and expressing her desire to "continue working together on this exciting dream of being the European Capital of Culture 2031."
Historical Ties between Malta and Gran Canaria
During the meetings, the affinity between both territories was highlighted, marked by insularity, peripheral status, and a history deeply linked to the sea. Darias recalled the historical ties between Malta and Gran Canaria, noting that numerous Maltese merchants 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, such as the street of Los Malteses, located next to the historic neighbourhood of Triana.
For his part, Brian Azzopardi defended the role of islands as spaces with a unique contribution to Europe's cultural future. "Despite their peripheral status, island territories occupy a central place in European cultural life," highlighted the mayor of Victoria, who emphasised that they represent an opportunity to demonstrate that creativity, citizen participation, 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-site exploration of some of the main heritage and cultural spaces in Gozo, as well as an exchange of experiences regarding the development process of both candidacies. Both parties explored new cooperation opportunities in areas such as artistic residencies, contemporary creation, citizen participation, heritage, and projects linked to the identity of island territories.
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 for European Capital of Culture. The collaboration with Victoria-Gozo acquires special significance by bringing together two island candidacies that advocate for the islands' capacity to generate cultural innovation, build bridges between territories, and provide new perspectives from the periphery to the future of Europe.
The Gran Canaria delegation, which also included Elvira Rilova, responsible for the international dimension of the LPGC'31 candidacy, held various working meetings with the Maltese team, including their artistic director, Austin Camilleri. During the sessions, the different lines of collaboration that both cities have been developing for months in preparation for their respective 'Bid Books' or candidacy projects were reviewed.
For the residents of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, this alliance represents an opportunity to engage with Maltese culture without leaving the island, thanks to the mural interventions and future artistic exchanges. The next event will be in August when the Maltese artists will showcase their work at Mata Castle, a space that has already become a reference for urban art in the city.
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