The second edition of the żigużajg International Arts festival for Children and Young People was launched yesterday.

This year the festival is celebrating its first birthday or “quċċija” between the 19th and 25th of November at the St James Cavalier Centre for Creativity, during which Valletta will once again be transformed into a haven for the arts. Music, story-telling, animation, film, dance and theatre are just some of the exciting ingredients of a festival designed to capture the imagination of the young and young at heart.

The festival programme boasts a rich variety of Maltese and international productions designed for young audiences, including specially commissioned works, which will make for an exhilarating and unforgettable experience. Festival director Toni Attard explains that “żigużajg is proposing no less than twenty-five productions brought to us by some of the best in the Maltese arts scene, as well as performers from Australia, the UK, Italy, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Portugal”.

In a drive for enhanced accessibility for patrons attending performances during the festival, the żigużajg Arts Festival this year also features an inclusive platform, including a selection of performances in sign language. The festival programme has also been tailored for schoolchildren to attend performances in the morning, while all shows will also be taking place during the evenings throughout the week of the event, including the weekend.  żigużajg venues include St. James Cavalier, the Auberge de Castille, the National Library, the Manoel Theatre, the Italian Cultural Institute, the Mediterranean Conference Centre and the MITP. St. George’s Square will host Frulli Frilli, a walk-through experience inspired by the popular Maltese book ‘Il-każ kważi kollu tal-aħwa De Molizz’. A celebratory puppet parade will animate Republic Street on the last day of the festival bringing together youth groups, professional dancers and musicians to creatively mark Valletta’s title of European Capital of Culture in 2018. 

żigużajg will also be introducing a Fringe Festival between the 16th and 18th of November, which will be a platform for young bands, ensembles, theatre groups and artists eager to present their work to young audiences.

Tickets to the żigużajg Festival are free of charge but subject to booking via the festival website at www.ziguzajg.org. Tickets can be collected from St. James Cavalier Centre for Creativity in Castille Square, Valletta.