If you are in Malta with children this November, put ŻiguŻajg on your list. Malta’s international arts festival for children and young people returns for its 16th edition from 13 to 22 November 2026, with ten days of theatre, music, dance, film, art and hands-on workshops. It is produced by Fondazzjoni Kreattività, the team behind Spazju Kreattiv in Valletta.
What’s on this year
The 2026 programme has around 15 projects spread across theatres, studios, cinemas and cultural spaces in Valletta, Msida, Birgu and Gozo. Highlights announced so far include:
- Chalk & Cheese: a visual comedy about an unlikely friendship
- Il-Ħajja Ħolma: a Maltese-language show about freedom and fairness
- Sweet & Sour: a dance piece about being different and finding unity
- Myths Across the Sea: storytelling that links Malta and Greece
- Ċaff Ċaff and Up, Up, Up: gentle shows for the youngest audiences, including a theatre experience for babies and their carers
- Dream. Dare. Do.: a visual arts exhibition made for children
- Family film screenings, including The Pout-Pout Fish, plus drawing and mime workshops
Some works for older children deal with deeper themes, so check the age guidance for each show before booking.
Tickets and times
Exact show times, venues and ticket prices for each event had not all been published when we wrote this. Bookings are handled through the official ŻiguŻajg website, and popular shows for small children often sell out, so book early once the full schedule is live.
Tips for families
- Shows are short and child-friendly, so they fit easily around naps and school days.
- Pair a Valletta show with the start of Christmas in Valletta later in the month, or a visit to the Malta Book Festival earlier in November.
- Many Valletta venues are a short walk from the bus terminus at the City Gate.
How to get there
Most Valletta events are easy to reach by bus, as almost every route ends at the Valletta terminus. Birgu can be reached by the ferry across the Grand Harbour, and Gozo shows are reached on the Gozo Channel ferry from Ċirkewwa. For more family ideas, see Malta This Week.