Your Brain on Art: sold out for science!

The Branch Out Neurological Foundation shared cutting-edge, scientific research through art and theatre at the first ever Your Brain on Art. The event was hosted by Daily Planet’s Jay Ingram.

Highlights from the evening:

• As a 2-day event hosting over 300 Calgarians, Branch Out expects to raise more than $50,000 for alternative brain research.
• Executive Director, Crystal Phillips, welcomed the audience with an inspirational story of her journey with a neurological disorder and how Branch Out plans establish Alberta as the leader in NeuroCAM research.
• Audience members were taken on an emotional journey on what it’s like to experience deteriorating neurological function in Eugene Stickland’s play, The First Dance.
• Live demonstration by Dr. Bin Hu, MD. Ph.D. neuroscientist for Parkinson’s Disease research and inventor of “Ambulosono” (a bio-feedback app that uses music to help Parkinson’s patients walk). With funding from Branch Out, Dr. Hu exhibited the immediate and profound effects this device has on one of his patients. The audience was floored when Randy, a sufferer of Parkinson’s “freezing”, went from small and shuffled footsteps to smooth walking as soon as the music device was turned on.
• Branch Out paired local artists with neuroscientists and challenged them to create a piece of art based on scientific research. Some of the artists and neuroscientists attended the event to explain their creative collaboration and how their science and art worlds are not so different after all. Proceeds from the art auction support both artists and research funding.
• Guests were treated to ‘mindful’ food from Fork + Farm catering paired with complimentary wine and beer from Canmore Wine Merchants and Last Best Brewing Co.