St James Cavalier Centre for Creativity

St James Cavalier Centre for Creatvity was set up in 2000 as Malta's Millenium Project. Situated in the imposing fortifications of Valletta, the Centre houses cultural spaces that encourage creativity in all its forms. Since its opening, the Centre has welcomed a wide range of creators, from children attending one of the many children's activities held at St James to established local and international artists.

The emphasis on creativity means that the visitor to the Centre is not simply a spectator, but an active participant in an exchange of ideas. To this end, most of the spaces are of a moderate size, encouraging an intimate relationship with the artistic product. The Centre includes Exhibition Halls, a Music Room, and a Round Theatre which has been cleverly built into an old water cistern.

Over the past few years St James Cavalier has been involved in a variety of long-term projects, all aimed at making art accessible to everyone as well as pushing artists to look for new ideas. These include being the National Coordinating Body for the Year for Intercultural Dialogue in 2008, the ongoing School Programmes, and the start of Live Transmissions from the Metropolitan Opera in New York and the National Theatre in London.

St James Cavalier's commitment also extends beyond the physical space of the actual edifice, as can be seen from the Church of St Catherine of Italy project. This church, which is situated a few metres away for the Centre, was in dire need of restoration on the inside. In order to raise awareness and funds, St James Cavalier started a series of regular lunchtime concerts twice a week. Not only have funds been raised, but the project has also opened the way to more projects including the setting up of the St James Consort, a thirteen piece ensemble that performs regularly across the island.

The Centre is open daily, seven days a week, from 10:00 till 21:00 (July to September open till 13:00, and in the evenings if there is an event). Entrance is free. For more info log on to www.sjcav.org.