Inside Voices
Participatory art project and exhibition | Malta, 2026
Inside Voices is a participatory art project directed by Pep Walls and Duška Malešević, developed with young people at CoRRS, Malta's juvenile detention centre.
Between January and February 2026, we conducted twelve artistic workshops involving 25 young people in detention. Through photography, painting, collage and writing, participants explored themes of identity, confinement, vulnerability, memory and hope, using artistic expression as a way to communicate their personal experiences and emotions.
The process culminated in a public exhibition at Valletta Contemporary, inaugurated in September 2026. Every artwork presented was created by the young participants, including a five-metre-long collective installation in the shape of a crocodile, symbolising the contrast between the protective armour we develop and the vulnerability hidden beneath it.
Beyond the artistic results, Inside Voices seeks to challenge conventional ideas of artistic authorship, placing participation and collective creation at the centre of the process. The project brings voices and experiences rarely represented in contemporary art institutions into a public cultural space, while advocating for access to art and culture as a fundamental right, regardless of individual circumstances.
Artistic direction: Pep Walls & Duška Malešević
Exhibition: Valletta Contemporary, Malta · September–October 2026
Supported by: Arts Council Malta – Right to Culture programme.
