Malta Society of Arts

The Malta Society of Arts, usually shortened to the MSA, is the island's oldest institution for promoting the arts and crafts, and it has been based at Palazzo de La Salle on Republic Street in Valletta for around a century. Behind the elegant frontage are galleries, performance rooms and classrooms where visitors can see exhibitions, hear concerts and recitals, or sign up for classes that range from drawing to lace making.

For UK visitors it is an easy addition to a day in the capital, and it sits naturally beside the other listings in our directory of art galleries in Malta. The society is a not-for-profit organisation, and its stated mission is to promote the visual, applied, performative and literary arts while providing space and education.

A history that begins in 1852

The society grew out of a letter from the British Secretary of State in 1852, sent to colonial administrations to encourage associations modelled on the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce in London. Governor Sir William Reid, who had chaired the committee behind the Great Exhibition of 1851, founded the Malta Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce on 4 November 1852, and Baron Calcedonio Azzopardi became its first president.

The early years were itinerant. Palazzo Xara housed the society first, and an industrial exhibition held there in 1894 drew a good number of exhibits, although attendance was lower than hoped. The society later moved to Theatre Street in 1906 and then on again before settling for good at Palazzo de La Salle, which the government transferred to it by deed on 11 June 1923. Since 1880 the society has awarded medals of excellence to Maltese craftsmen and artists, and over time it has run competitions and exhibitions, joined overseas expositions and helped artists study abroad.

It also pioneered training. The MSA set up the first School of Lace in Malta, with lace classes organised under a technical director by 1908, and it introduced apprenticeship schemes. Today it describes a history of about 170 years intertwined with many Maltese and Gozitan artists, and its work has had the patronage of governors, presidents and archbishops. To place that story in its wider setting, our Malta guide and Knights of Malta history cover the centuries that shaped the island.

Palazzo de La Salle

The building itself is a draw. Palazzo de La Salle was probably built in the 1570s and was a residence of real distinction. In the late seventeenth century it belonged to the Prior of England and Venice, and early in the eighteenth it housed the family of Grand Master Raymond Perellos Roccafull. Around 1730 it passed to the De La Salle brothers, two French noblemen who served the Order as bailiffs, and their name has stayed with the palace ever since.

Through the nineteenth century a British merchant and later a wealthy Maltese widow lived there, and the building was altered for convenience rather than conservation. Its significance has since been formally recognised, and in 1992 the planning authority scheduled it as a Grade 1 property. Inside, you will find a painted ceiling, arched stone corridors and a staircase hall, which give exhibitions a dramatic setting.

If you are planning a wider sightseeing day, elsewhere in the city you can visit St John's Co-Cathedral and the views from Upper Barrakka Gardens, and our Valletta guide helps you build a route.

Exhibitions, events and venue

The MSA holds exhibitions by both established and emerging artists, and it stages cultural events including concerts and recitals. The programme has included solo and group art exhibitions, stand-up comedy nights, Maltese folktale sessions for children and chamber music evenings, so there is often something on whether or not you are an art specialist.

The palazzo offers more than 500 square metres of equipped exhibition, performance and music space, and the society lists spaces that can be used for events. Organisers who are thinking of holding an exhibition, recital or workshop in Valletta can ask about the rooms through the enquiry form on this page. If you are staying in the capital while you do, our guides to hotels in Valletta and where to stay in Malta cover accommodation.

Courses in art, craft and music

Classes are a core part of the society's role, and applications are open for the winter schedule in visual, applied and performing arts. The visual arts list includes art for kids and for ages 11 and over, art for leisure for adults and mature students, pencil and charcoal drawing, portraiture, oil painting, clay modelling for ages 16 and over, art workshops, sustainable art making with natural materials, a digital storybook course, an introduction to AI for artists and a companion to film.

Applied arts courses cover bookbinding, contemporary weaving, creative writing for ages 16 and over, crochet, dressmaking, knitting, lace making, sewing for beginners and sewing a vintage teddy bear. The performing arts programme includes double bass for beginners, guitar in electric, acoustic and classical styles to Grade 5, pianoforte, violin, and public speaking and presentation skills.

The course schedule runs by semester at the palazzo, so it suits residents and long-stay visitors more than a short city break. Anyone relocating can read our guide to relocating to Malta for the bigger picture.

Planning a visit

The palazzo is at 219 Republic Street, the capital's main thoroughfare, so it fits neatly into a walk through Valletta. The society keeps a public events calendar that can be exported to common calendar apps, and it runs a newsletter that is sent only to subscribers, who give their consent first, so it is worth subscribing before you travel if you want to catch a particular exhibition or concert. Events change from week to week, with shows often running for several weeks and one-off evenings scheduled in between.

Opening hours differ between the exhibition rooms and the office, and they change with the season, so check before you go rather than relying on a single set of times. Summer and winter timetables are published on the society's contact pages. If your visit falls in the warmer months, our Malta weather guide helps you decide how to pace a day on foot, and our overview of things to do in Malta suggests how to pair the palazzo with other sights.

London College of Music exams

The society is the Malta centre for London College of Music exams. The LCM is an international board offering graded and diploma qualifications in music, drama and communication, in a wide range of subjects and for all ages. UK families who are used to graded music exams at home will recognise the format, and candidates in Malta sit them at the palazzo.

Membership, medals and the book

The society has a membership scheme and a Gold Medal Award, both described on its website. It has also published a hardback, Palazzo De La Salle: Genesis and Evolution, to mark a hundred years at the palazzo. The 240-page volume, illustrated and bound as a keepsake for history lovers and art enthusiasts, edited by Caroline Miggiani and Gabriel Zammit and printed by Midsea Books, draws on the society's archives, including handwritten letters, music scores and announcements from the 1800s. The original price is €70, with members paying €49 and non-members €59.50 under the current offer.

To ask about a visit, a course, an exam, venue hire or the book, use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message to the Malta Society of Arts.