Veteran actor and production house owner Hermann Bonaci has called for calm heads to prevail in the ongoing dispute between artists and Culture Minister Malcolm Paul Agius Galea following the Minister’s recent comments about the sector.

Mr Bonaci, a Simpatiċi actor who owns the theatre and broadcasting production company Hermann Bonaci Productions, said that while he understands the disappointment felt by artists, the situation should be approached more constructively.

“We need a Minister and artistic community who can work hand in hand, listen to each other and share the same vision for Malta’s cultural future,” he said.

“I believe that differences in opinion shouldn’t be an obstacle for collaboration but an opportunity to understand each other better and work towards a common goal.”

“Let’s calm down a bit, my friends. I think the time has come for us to listen to each other, allow our emotions to calm down and look to the future with more serenity and goodwill. Let’s build bridges, not walls. Our cultural sector needs dialogue, mutual respect and collaboration.”

Mr Bonaci said he has never met Dr Agius Galea but doesn’t believe a person’s character and intentions should be judged on the basis of a single speech. He also said the Minister’s comments – in which he questioned the reliance of some artists on public funding and said creativity should operate within certain norms – were probably not received as he intended them to be when he spoke out at the Festival of Ideas.