For nine years, Science in the City has been building bridges between researchers and artists to organise a night of wonder in Valletta, as part of European Researchers’ Night. With over 30,000 visitors every year, as well as 20,000 views during this year’s online festival, it is a fantastic opportunity for scientists and artists to collaborate and get creative. Every year we look for new and exciting ways to engage citizens with science and arts. Dazzling artworks, inspired by Malta’s most relevant research, have become synonymous with the festival’s magenta logo.

Science in the City 2020 was about Engaging, Empowering and Enabling citizens through science and the arts to equip citizens with creativity, innovation and critical thinking, introducing a spark of freedom and the promise of progress into the world of human action. For next year’s festival, we are expanding on that theme and ensuring that it takes root in our society: Science in the City 2021 – Sowing Seeds!

Sowing Seeds is more than just about introducing an element of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) among researchers and citizens. It’s about enabling citizens to take an active role in shaping their future. As always in Science in the City, we do it through the arts. RRI focuses on ensuring all citizens take responsibility for their future, and through the added element of citizen science, we hope to bring industry, government, citizens and researchers together to address the problems we face as a nation and as citizens of this world.  

If you’re an artist with an idea that you want to bring to life, then we just might be the platform for you! 

We are interested in performances, music, theatre, plays, stand-up comedy, exhibitions and art installations that are interactive, captivate the public’s imagination and challenge their perspective of science. We are also on the lookout for creative ways for researchers and students to communicate science to citizens through innovative demonstrations, workshops, busking, quizzes, competitions, treasure hunts, tours, and possibly more. We are looking for online and real world activities—ideally as hybrid events. 

Important Dates

The deadline for proposal submissions is midnight 27 December 2020. 

Applicants will be notified by beginning February 2021.

The festival will take place on the weekend starting the 24 September, 2021.

Please download and read through our Call for Proposals 2021 document before submitting your application (both below). The possibility of using the piece in other locations, on different dates can also be requested. Art Installations can be set up earlier and stay longer, if permits allow us to do so. Applicants should consider legacy by repeating activities and artworks in other places. For more information or any queries, please email [email protected]

Organisations make up a big part of Science in the City – from a group of individuals, to NGOs, companies, and government organisations. If you want to take part in next year’s Science in the City festival (2021), email [email protected] now or contact our organizer, Dr Edward Duca, on +356 99239974.

Each year, Science in the City recruits a large number of volunteers to help us bring the festival to life. Roles for volunteers range from photography and videography, research and evaluation, social media, crowd management, and so much more. If you want to volunteer and help out during next year’s festival, email [email protected]inthecity.org.mt now or contact our organizer, Dr Edward Duca, on +356 99239974.