Dr Isabelle Gatt was one of the speakers during a cultural forum led by creative practitioners about the future of the cultural and creative sectors. The forum, organised by the Arts Council Malta in collaboration with the Office of the Speaker and the Ministry for Justice, Culture and Local Government, was held in parliament with the participation of Members of Parliament from both sides of the House.
Several organisations and associations representing different sectors in the fields of cultural heritage, art, education, the media and creative business services participated in this forum following a public call. The forum was part of a consultative process in the run-up to the launch of Arts Council Malta鈥檚 five-year strategy
Dr Gatt, senior lecturer in the Arts, Open Community and Adult Education Department within the Faculty of Education, gave her reaction to the presentations about Creative Education. She emphasised that it is about time, policy makers in education stop using words like creativity, innovation and the arts merely as buzzwords but really invest in arts education. Dr Gatt urged the Arts Council to push for more Arts education in schools through creative projects, visits to galleries and the theatre but, she added, it is key to ensure that space is physically created on the school time-table for all the arts to be included and, more importantly, that every child in each school, be it State, Church or Independent, from Early Years and all through Secondary, should experience the arts through lessons by qualified Drama, Arts and Music teachers. This means more qualified arts teachers need to be employed.
