Prime Minister Robert Abela insisted that his government has the art sector’s interest at heart, just after Malta’s Culture Minister claimed that “business is not in the IQ of artists”.

“We believe in the arts sector. We’ve just inaugurated the Valletta Design Cluster with millions of euro of investment. It is so close to our heart that the measures announced today will benefit them too,” Abela replied to a question posed by Lovin Malta.

“We never left them alone and won’t in the future. We believe they are a crucial part of our economy,” he insisted.

His comment comes a day after Culture Minister Jose Herrera was accused of belittling artists who were left devastated by pandemic lockdowns.

Responding to press questions, Herrera said that “the majority of artists are not business-minded”, a statement that disappointed the Malta Entertainment Industry and Arts Association, which later demanded a public apology.

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