The performing arts served as a powerful medium for participation and engagement, playing a vital role in social and everyday life, despite the challenges they faced.
A conference organised by the University of Malta’s School of Performing Arts (SPA), in collaboration with the Creative Europe Desk, Malta, brought together a wide range of contributions—both theoretical and practical, historical and contemporary—across the disciplines of dance, theatre, and music. The event fostered interdisciplinary dialogue around participatory practices in the performing arts, spectatorship and audience engagement, and the dynamics of involvement within communities, educational settings, and various civic and social contexts.
The conference also explored the challenges and opportunities that emerged from collaborative processes across different sectors of the performing arts.
The event was convened by the Director of SPA, Professor Philip Ciantar, and Dr Jeremy Coleman, lecturer in Music Studies.
Attendees engaged with thought-provoking presentations by several members of the School of Performing Arts, recognised both locally and internationally, alongside keynote lectures by Dr Funmi Adewole Elliott, Professor Dr Alicia de Bánffy-Hall, and Professor Dr Peter W. Marx.
The detailed programme and additional information remained accessible online through the dedicated conference website.
