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Meet Karolina Rostkowska, The Polish Woman Celebrating Maltese Craft Through Il-Lokal

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You’ve probably heard of il-lokal – but you might have not heard about Karolina Rostkowska, the inspiring polish woman that came to Malta for a holiday and ended up founding one of the country’s leading online platforms dedicated to local artists.

Fueled by a need for a drastic change in surroundings, Karolina came to Malta with very different prospects in mind than what she ended up venturing out on.

Lovin Malta sat down with Karolina to hear more about who she is as a person, how her journey brought her to the island of Malta in the first place, and the ways she ended up being the catalyst for Malta’s local artists to easily showcase and sell their works. 

So, how did you end up in Malta?

“I arrived in Malta in the early summer of 2017 with one suitcase full of flowy, summery dresses and a leaving date in mind. At that time I was ending a decade long relationship and I felt a strong need for a drastic change of surroundings to rewire my mind,” she said. 

“A friend of mine told me about the EU program that facilitates an exchange of skills between aspiring entrepreneurs and the established business owners across Europe. So I put a business plan together, applied and almost instantly connected with a German guy who was running a small business in the arts and design sector here in Malta,” she explained. 

While Karolina’s training was only meant to last six months, halfway in she already knew that she wanted to stay here for longer.

“I’m originally from Poland, so the concept of almost permanent summer completely blew me away.”

“Those first few months were one of the most fun and empowering periods of my life. And just when I started to look for the opportunities to extend it, my host shared that he’s selling his business to an emerging local art studio and there could be a possibility for full-time employment for me. Now, how lucky is that!”

“This is why I always joke that Malta chose me. And I’m very glad it did!”

 

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How was il-lokal born?

“The idea for il-lokal, including the name, came to me quite early on, definitely in the first year of my Maltese chapter.”

Karolina explained how having a creative background herself, as well as being a newcomer to the island of Malta, she was immensely curious about the local creative scene.

“At that time the fine arts, photography and creative jobs within the film industry were quite highlighted, but I found myself struggling to learn what’s out there in terms of graphic and object design, illustration, pottery…” she said. 

“It’s not that the people and work weren’t there. I was close with Te fit-Tazza founders, I knew about 2point3, Maltatype and a couple of other established names but really in order to learn about someone doing something cool locally, you had to first make friends with someone who knew someone who’s doing something,” she said. 

She emphasised the fact that as an expat, you had to put real effort and sweat into managing to establish a name for yourself. 

“I felt a growing need to share this personal directory with other newcomers to Malta to help them see a different side of the islands. It was a bit later when I realised that locals would benefit from such an initiative as well,” she explained. 

“In the middle of 2019, I was hired as a Sales and Marketing Manager at Valletta Contemporary and since my desk was quite close to the entrance of the gallery I had a chance to meet and befriend a lot of local artists and visitors.”

“During this period I realised the boiling frustration within the community and a pulsating need for something fresh. I truly value meaningful motivation and that was the kick I needed.”

 

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Il-lokal was launched on Instagram with the idea of publishing mini-portfolios of local creatives, curated in terms of the quality of the work, but inclusive in terms of discipline.

“I wanted to show that the creative game on the islands is strong, that there are Maltese artists, designers and makers with an original voice and that there are foreigners living here who find inspiration beyond the Maltese Cross and the notion of the sea.”

Karolina had also previously worked as a costume designer since her University days, and she can well understand that creative pursuits can prove to be financially difficult.

“So one of the pillars of il-lokal is to help artists get exposure and hopefully for them to create a full-time living out of work that they are good at. This sector is not receiving much support or recognition from the government and even with the locals, it has been up-and-coming only since recently.”

“I can not understand buying a mass-produced candle from an international chain brand if for almost the same price you could purchase a sustainably produced soy wax candle hand-poured in Rabat. It actually makes a difference and simply, it’s just a better product.”

Karolina also expressed that this situation had a lot to do with issues of accessibility, and that’s why il-lokal had to transition into an online shop and a physical location.

“Creative community in Malta needs to be heard, but like with all independent initiatives, this can happen only if we are together.” 

 

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Where’s il-lokal now?

“As a shop, we started online with slightly over 20 creatives on board. I was gifted with an impressive level of trust by people who believed in the concept and shared the enthusiasm of doing something new as a collective.”

“Now we’re a group of over 70 and even though our shop in Valletta is rather small, everyone has a fair space to showcase their works and products!”

“Il-lokal is very much a bridge between these talented individuals and people who find value and joy in supporting them. I witness this exchange of passion and energy every day and believe me, the local creative scene is booming!” 

With this same mindset, il-lokal and 2point3, a graphic design studio based in Valletta, organised a Nice Things Market this last Christmas season.

“We felt that the limited space of a retail shop is not capable of providing an honest representation of what’s currently happening in Malta in terms of creativity. The momentary hype that such big scale events can provide gives an opportunity to reach people, who perhaps wouldn’t consider themselves as buyers of creative works.”

“Someone coming back home from such an event with a print, handmade jewellery or homemade jam, is what fuels me.”

 

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il-lokal are always on the lookout for fresh new local talent, and they’ve got some really exciting things in store coming up next.

If you’re interested in visiting il-lokal for yourself and familiarising yourself with some leading artists in Malta, check out their website or else visit the newly opened shop in Triq it-Teatru l-Antik, Valletta!

Images credit: Matt Thompson

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Sasha is a writer, creator, and podcast host interested in environmental matters, humans, and art. Some know her as Sasha tas-Sigar. Inspired by nature and the changing world. Follow her on Instagram at @saaxhaa and send her your stories at [email protected]

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