Birżebbuġa Hosts New Artist Residency Exploring Public Coastal Space

Coastal Commons runs from 18 June to 27 June 2025 in Birżebbuġa.

Unfinished Art Space is happy to announce its latest art residency program titled Coastal Commons. Welcoming two artists, Maltese artist Sheldon Saliba and French artist Joachim Romain, alongside curator Elyse Tonna, the 10-day residency will focus on our relationship to public space in coastal areas with a specific focus on Birżebbuġa.

The residency forms part of a European project happening across Spain, Greece, France and Malta. Titled, OTRart, the project brings 6 duos of international artists together to connect community, public space, and respect for our environment through the exchange of knowledge and artistic practices.

Residency curator, Elyse Tonna, shares that, ‘the residency hopes to generate an open dialogue around our idea of common space.’ She adds, ‘it is more than just shared spaces – they are living, experimental and contemporary art should be an integral part of society, enriching lives, contributing to debate and empowering social change.’

Taking place from 18 June to 27 June 2025, the artist duo will immerse themselves in the community of Birżebbuġa throughout the two weeks. Coastal Commons, which has the support of the Birżebbuġa local council, seeks to enliven discourse surrounding contemporary art and environmental advocacy through artistic production, curatorial experimentation, and public engagement. It kicks off with a community workshop on the 20th, which aims to collect stories, memories and knowledge of the area.

Working in collaboration with the environmental NGO Żibel, known for its environmental clean-up actions, the residency’s peripheral activities will encourage participants to engage directly with ecological issues and local communities. On the 21st this collaboration will take shape through a clean-up from 9am till 12pm, near the sailing club of Birżebbuġa.

Joachim Romain

The initiative reflects Unfinished Art Space’s commitment to cross-sector collaboration, artistic research, and ecological awareness, furthering its belief that experimental and contemporary art should be an integral part of society, enriching lives, contributing to debate and empowering social change. An end-of-residency exhibition will take place on the 27th to showcase the work created by Sheldon and Joachim, which ultimately hopes to draw attention to concepts of repair, resonance and re-use.

On the 20 June 2025 there will be a community workshop, inviting people to share stories, memories and ideas, registration and meeting point linked here. A clean-up in collaboration with Żibel will happen on 21st June from 9am till 12pm near the sailing club of Birżebbuġa, and a final event is planned for 27 June for more information follow Unfinished Art Space on instagram.

About Unfinished Art Space
Unfinished Art Space is an independent, artist-run, nomadic space, showing experimental and contemporary art in Malta. It is a sustainable, independent organisation, that believes in the development, creation and dissemination of contemporary art and artistic research and knowledge. The organisation is dedicated to providing a supportive and creative environment where artists can take risks and develop their ideas, alongside supportive communities and collaborators. Unfinished believes that experimental and contemporary art should be an integral part of society, enriching lives, contributing to debate and empowering social change.