School of Performing Arts UM partners with Intellect Books

The University of Malta's School of Performing Arts is proud to partner with Intellect Books, a leading international academic publisher with a deep heritage in the arts, humanities and, historically, artificial intelligence research, for the 'Vanishing Acts: AI, Performative Knowledge, Sustainable Memory' conference from 25–27 March 2026 at Valletta Campus, with additional activities on Saturday 28 March.

To celebrate its 40th anniversary, Intellect’s Managing Director, Mark Lewis, reflects on the company’s historical roots in AI, noting that although the publisher moved beyond early AI into broader arts and humanities scholarship, artificial intelligence has never left its orbit and continues to influence what Intellect publishes today. AI’s evolution from expert systems and robotics to generative tools like ChatGPT and DALL-E underscores its growing impact on creative practice, research and academic publishing. Read online.

Through this partnership, conference participants will have access to Intellect’s curated collection of books and journals that bridge AI, performance, media and creative research. Delegates can:

-Explore Intellect’s publications on AI’s role in creative and performative knowledge;
-Use the promotional code INTELLECT30 for a 30% discount on selected titles;
-Book dedicated meetings with Intellect’s representative, Jess Lovett, to discuss publishing opportunities, collaborations and research projects (please send an email).

This collaboration enriches 'Vanishing Acts' by connecting attendees with a publisher that has long-standing experience publishing across disciplines where AI intersects with arts, culture and technology.

Please note that registration for the conference is open until 20 March. To register and secure your place at the conference, visit the dedicated page on the conference website.

Further information about the conference is available online.