Art by the Seaside Gallery

Art by the Seaside Gallery is a small, welcoming exhibition space on the Senglea waterfront, one of Malta's Three Cities across Grand Harbour from Valletta. It shows work by emerging, established and international artists in a homely setting, and it sells selected pieces both in person and through an online shop.

For a UK visitor, it makes a pleasant change from the big museums. The programme is a calendar of changing shows rather than a fixed collection, so a return visit can mean a completely different gallery. This page explains how it works, what is on sale and how to find it.

A gallery that changes every few weeks

Exhibitions in the gallery change every two to three weeks, so visitors see a wide mix of work over a season. The gallery sets out to curate shows that engage, educate and inspire, and it values dialogue between artists and visitors. It welcomes a range of styles, mediums and perspectives, from figurative studies to abstract pieces, and it gives a platform to both established and newer artists.

The aim is to be a catalyst for creativity, a platform for artistic voices and a destination for collectors and art enthusiasts alike. The setting is deliberately personal rather than corporate: a homely space that still runs to professional standards, where the people running the shows are on hand to talk about the work and the artists behind it.

Beyond the exhibition programme, the gallery offers promotion and curation services, mainly in its own rooms and occasionally in other venues. Artists who would like to join its list can get in touch, and the gallery is open to hearing from them. Evening events have also taken place in the space, including a wine and art pairing night and a solo exhibition by a single artist.

What you can buy

The gallery has extended its physical space online, so selected works by different artists can be bought from its shop. The catalogue is large, with well over a hundred works across many categories. Media include oil on canvas, acrylic on canvas and on board, oil on panel, charcoal on paper, ink, watercolour, gouache, etching, mixed media, photography, ceramics and metal sculpture. Some pieces are by international artists, and a collaboration with an Armenian artist produces hand-made sculptures, with other pieces available on request.

Alongside paintings and drawings, the shop also lists collectables by contemporary artists and a featured line of jewellery. Works that have found a buyer are marked as sold, so it is worth checking what remains. The shop can be browsed by medium, which helps if you already know whether you prefer oils, charcoal, photography or sculpture, and each listing shows the artist and the price where one is given. If you are weighing up a purchase, our Malta art galleries directory lets you compare other places, such as the Arthall gallery page.

Finding the gallery in Senglea

The gallery is at 65 Triq il-Mina Tax-Xatt in Senglea (L-Isla). The easiest approach is along the Senglea promenade: the entrance is a couple of steps up from the first kiosk on the promenade. Inside, the rooms have white walls, patterned floor tiles and a quiet, homely feel.

Senglea is part of the old fortified harbour area, and our Three Cities guide explains how the towns fit together, while the Vittoriosa guide covers neighbouring Birgu. Many visitors combine a gallery stop with a day in the capital, and our Valletta guide and things to do in Malta pages help you plan around it.

Visiting and getting in touch

Because the exhibitions rotate, it helps to ask what is currently on and when the next show opens before you travel. You can also ask about buying a work, discussing a commission or placing an exhibition of your own.

To make an enquiry, use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message to the gallery.