Malta International Arts Festival 2026: Events, Prices, and Itinerary Ideas
The Malta International Arts Festival 2026 takes place 12 to 21 June 2026, bringing music, dance, theatre, visual art, sand sculpture, and contemporary performance to some of Malta’s most atmospheric venues.
MIAF is not a standard festival where everything happens on one stage. The island itself becomes part of the experience. Performances take place in theatres, public spaces, heritage buildings, underground locations, and coastal settings.
For visitors, it’s one of the best times to experience Malta through art, sound, movement, mythology, and memory.
Visitors attending MIAF can also take advantage of a limited MIAF-inspired tattoo discount in St Paul’s Bay. Read the full MIAF 2026 tattoo guide by We The Sinners Tattoo to learn more!
What is the Malta International Arts Festival?
The Malta International Arts Festival is especially captivating because many performances happen in unusual locations. Think underground Valletta, historic theatres, coastal public spaces, and cultural venues that make the performance feel tied to Malta itself.
For travellers who enjoy art, architecture, live performance, and meaningful experiences, MIAF is one of the best weeks to visit Malta.
Full List of Malta International Arts Festival 2026 Events
All prices are listed between 10€ and 30€ per venue. For more information, please contact MIAF event space holders.
| DATE | EVENT | TIME | PRICE GUIDE | WHAT IT IS |
| 12 TO 21 JUNE | SAND SCULPTURES | 09:00 TO 23:00 | FREE | Public sand sculpture displays across the festival period. |
| 12 TO 21 JUNE | PEGASUS, FLIGHT TO FREEDOM | 09:00 TO 23:00 | FREE | A large Pegasus-themed sand sculpture connected to freedom, sea imagery, and public art. |
| 12 JUNE | GRAINS OF … SOUND, PIANO & SAND ART | 20:00 TO 21:00 | $ | Piano performance paired with live sand art animation. |
| 13 JUNE | ASHES2ASHES | 20:00 TO 21:00 | $$ | Contemporary dance using earth, sand, body movement, and ritual-inspired imagery. |
| 14 JUNE | PIANISTS & COMPOSERS 1: JOSEPH VELLA | 10:30 TO 11:30 | $ TO $$ | Piano works by Maltese composer Joseph Vella. |
| 15 JUNE | UNDERGROUND VALLETTA: LAURA CIOFFI FLUTE SOLO | 18:00 TO 18:30 | $$ | Flute solo performance in Underground Valletta. |
| 15 JUNE | YOUNG CREATIVES IN MOTION: VIOLIN, PIANO & PERCUSSION | 20:00 TO 21:00 | $ | Young dancers perform with live music. |
| 16 JUNE | UNDERGROUND VALLETTA: LAURA CIOFFI FLUTE SOLO 2 | 17:00 TO 17:30 | $$ | Second flute performance in the underground venue. |
| 16 JUNE | YOUNG CREATIVES IN MOTION: FLUTE, CLARINET, PIANO, BASS, AND DRUM KIT | 20:00 TO 21:00 | $ | Dance and live music by young creatives. |
| 17 JUNE | UNDERGROUND VALLETTA: MYRGON | 18:00 TO 18:30 | $$ | Atmospheric performance in Underground Valletta. |
| 17 JUNE | M.A.D. MUSIC AND DANCE | 20:00 TO 21:00 | $$ | Dance and music residency performance. |
| 18 JUNE | UNDERGROUND VALLETTA: MYRGON 2 | 18:00 TO 18:30 | $$ | Second Underground Valletta performance by Myrgon. |
| 18 JUNE | M.A.D. MUSIC AND DANCE | 20:00 TO 21:00 | $$ | Second performance of the Music and Dance programme. |
| 19 JUNE | MYRGON & LABYRINTH | 20:00 TO 21:00 | $$ | Performance built around Myrgon, movement, and labyrinth imagery. |
| 20 JUNE | STRAVINSKY, BARTÓK, SCHNITTKE: MALTA PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA | 20:00 TO 21:40 | $$ TO $$$ | Orchestral performance with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra. |
| 21 JUNE | PIANISTS & COMPOSERS 2: ALEXANDER VELLA GREGORY | 10:30 TO 11:30 | $ TO $$ | Piano works by Maltese composer Alexander Vella Gregory. |
What artists will perform at MIAF 2026?
MIAF 2026 includes musicians, dancers, composers, visual artists, collectives, and companies throughout the programme.
Ruben Zahra
The festival’s artistic director. His role shapes the wider MIAF vision and the way the programme connects music, performance, visual culture, and place.
Michela Ciappini
The sand sculptor connected to Pegasus, a flight to freedom. Her work makes mythology, sand, sea, and public art part of the festival experience.
Erica Abelardo
A sand artist appearing in Grains of … Sound. Her work pairs live visual storytelling with music.
Jacopo Petrucci
A pianist is performing at the piano and sand art event. His performance gives the piece its musical structure.
Laura Cioffi
A flautist is performing in the Underground Valletta programme. Her event is one of the most atmospheric festival experiences for visitors interested in sound, space, and history.
Moveo Dance Company
The dance company behind Ashes2Ashes. Their performance connects body movement, earth, sand, and ritual themes.
Alessio Damiani and Jade Farrugia
Choreographers connected to the M.A.D. Music and Dance programme. Their work supports the festival’s focus on movement, collaboration, and contemporary dance.
Myrgon
A performance artist appearing in Underground Valletta and Myrgon & Labyrinth. These events are especially strong for visitors drawn to darker, symbolic, or abstract performance.
ŻfinMalta
A dance company connected to the Myrgon & Labyrinth programme.
Malta Philharmonic Orchestra
The orchestra is performing works by Stravinsky, Bartók, and Schnittke.
Michael Laus
The conductor and pianist are connected to the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra programme.
Joseph Vella and Alexander Vella Gregory
Maltese composers featured in the Pianists & Composers events.
One-day Malta International Arts Festival itinerary
If you only have one day for the Malta International Arts Festival, keep the plan simple. Start with the free public art installations during the afternoon, then make your way into Valletta for dinner before an evening performance.
A simple MIAF day could look like this:
Afternoon: Visit a free public art installation, such as the sand sculptures, and take your time exploring the surrounding area.
Late afternoon: Stop by Pegasus, flight to freedom, at Pretty Bay if it fits your route. The Pegasus theme is especially good for visitors interested in mythology, freedom, sea motifs, and art-inspired tattoo ideas.
Early evening: Head into Valletta and walk through the festival area. Take photos near the performance venues, historic streets, and cultural spaces that are connected to the programme.
Dinner: Eat near Republic Street, Strait Street, or the theatre district before your evening event. These areas make it easier to stay close to Valletta venues without rushing.
Night: Attend a music, dance, or Underground Valletta performance. Suitable options include piano and sand art, contemporary dance, flute performances, M.A.D. Music and Dance, Myrgon & Labyrinth, or the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra.
Next day: Book a tattoo consultation if the festival gave you a design idea worth keeping. Pegasus wings, soundwaves, piano keys, dance movement, Valletta arches, sand textures, and sea motifs can all become subtle custom tattoo concepts.
Get tattoo artwork to commemorate MIAF 2026
During Malta International Arts Festival 2026, We The Sinners Tattoo, one of the best tattoo studios in Malta, is offering a limited discount for tattoos inspired by MIAF themes. Book your MIAF-inspired tattoo consultation with We The Sinners Tattoo located at:
Coral Line, 3 Triq Il-Villegjatura, St Paul’s Bay, Malta
If you are attending MIAF events in Valletta or Floriana, the easiest option is usually to search the studio address in Google Maps, Bolt, Uber, or Waze and travel directly to St Paul’s Bay.
If you are staying near Bugibba, Qawra, St Paul’s Bay, Mellieħa, or nearby northern Malta areas, the studio is especially convenient for a festival-week tattoo appointment.
