Notte Bianca, Malta’s nightlong arts and culture festival, is all set to take over Valletta on Saturday the 1st of October. Organised by the Notte Bianca team and the Arts Council Malta, this year’s festival will once again see the capital’s streets and cultural venues come alive thanks to a carefully designed programme of events offering a variety of entertainments and experiences. As 2016 marks the three-year journey towards Valletta 2018 – European Capital of Culture, this year’s Notte Bianca has been organised in collaboration with the Valletta 2018 Foundation.

This year will see Notte Bianca take a big shift into the world of new and digital media in order to present a more immersive edition.

Among the digital events is Fil-Kju – an augmented reality city experience. By scanning specially placed codes into their smartphones, visitors will discover hidden stashes of poetry littered all around Valletta. The city has never been more poetic.

Interactive installation Ġejja Dgħajsa will explore meaning and symbolism attributed to boats. The installation will use floating paper boats attached to metal stalks, which glow and move at the slightest touch. Taking inspiration from the fragility of boats, the aim of the installation is to initiate a discussion about hope, fear and tolerance.

Planċieri Diġitali is a virtual reality painting experience that will combine art old and new. A number of traditional artists from different backgrounds will be thrust into the digital world in order to explore their art in three dimensions. Paint will float and glow in the air.

FestaFestun is an interactive light installation by Andrew Schembri regarding an icon of Maltese culture: the festoon. It will allow members of the public to control an array of 1,000 individually addressable light bulbs along Republic Street to create grandiose visuals full of movement and colour.

Other digital events include Bieb il-Bombi – an all-night intelligent light installation and live DJ playing on Porte de Bombes in Floriana.

Design4DCity shall present an experiment in the sharing of knowledge and common space. Berlin-based activists Urban Action will be holding a four-day workshop that will culminate in a presentation concerning ideas for a more engaging urban environment. The project will see Paris-based Nanotak Studio make their Malta debut. The duo has become renowned for creating ethereal, immersive and dreamlike sound and light atmospheres.

Maltese musician Mario Sammut, known as Cygna, will be contributing his own brand of symphonic ambient soundscapes to the project. In 2011 he launched his album Opus Enaat the National Museum of Fine Arts. He has participated at numerous international art festivals around Europe such as the Glastonbury festival in UK, Aurora in Greece, Sun festival in Hungary and Hadra in France.

ŻiffaŻfin also returns with a focus on contemporary dance. And as 2016 saw the passing of two monumental music legends, music fans can enjoy a unique guitar tribute to David Bowie and Prince in Saħħa Bowie, Saħħa Prince.

Please visit www.nottebiancamalta.org for more information.

Notte Bianca is organised by Arts Council Malta under the Ministry for Justice, Culture and Local Government, with the support of Valletta 2018 Foundation, Valletta Local Council, TVM and MSV Life.