Morris Arts Presents: Your Brain on Art

Morris Arts Presents: Your Brain on Art

Unfortunately, Your Brain on Art has been postponed due to an unforeseen circumstance beyond our control. We expect to reschedule in early 2025 and we will let you know as soon as we set a new date.

We appreciate your interest in the healing power of the arts and we hope to see you at the rescheduled event.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.


Step into a world where the arts are not just entertainment, but essential elements for a fulfilling and healthy life.

Join us as Susan Magsamen, coauthor of New York Times Bestseller, Your Brain on Art, shares insights from her groundbreaking work, focused on how the arts and aesthetic experiences can have positive, lasting impacts on our health.

As the Director of the International Arts + Mind Lab (IAM Lab), Center for Applied Neuroaesthetics at Johns Hopkins University, Susan’s work which lies at the intersection of brain sciences and the arts is truly groundbreaking.

Whether you’re a healthcare professional, an educator, an arts advocate, or simply looking to improve your wellbeing, you’ll gain a wealth of knowledge and actionable practices during this evidence-based and art-enhanced program.

The event is free, but space is limited, and registration is required.

Registration will re-open once we have a new date. If you registered for the original date, you will have to re-register once registration opens again. 

Interested in becoming a sponsor? Click below to learn more and to make your contribution. 

Keynote Speaker: Susan Magsamen

Susan Magsamen is the founder and executive director of the International Arts + Mind Lab, Center for Applied Neuroaesthetics, a pioneering initiative at the Pedersen Brain Science Institute at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Her body of work lies at the intersection of brain sciences and the arts—and how our unique response to the arts and aesthetic experiences can amplify human potential.

Magsamen is the author of the Impact Thinking model, an evidence-based research approach to accelerate how we use the arts to solve problems in health, well-being, and learning. She is also an assistant professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins and serves as co-director of the NeuroArts Blueprint project in partnership with the Aspen Institute.

An award-winning author, Susan has published seven books. Her latest book, Your Brain On Art: How the Arts Transform Us was written with Ivy Ross, Vice President of Design for Hardware at Google. It is a journey through the science of neuroaesthetics that offers proof of how our brains and bodies are transformed when we participate in the arts and aesthetic experiences, and how this knowledge can improve our physical and mental health, help us learn and flourish, and build stronger communities.

Magsamen is also a strategic advisor to several innovative organizations and initiatives, including the Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture, the American Psychological Association, the National Association for the Education of Young Children, Brain Futures, Learning Landscapes, and Creating Healthy Communities:  Arts + Public Health in America.

Our Arts in Health Initiative

Bringing the healing power of the arts to our communities is core to our mission. As we face a national mental health crisis with unprecedented demand for health services, we are undertaking an Arts in Health Initiative to find new ways in which the arts can address these pressing community needs.

We are excited to build on the latest research in the field of Neuroaesthetics and explore how the arts and aesthetic experiences measurably change the body, brain, and behavior.

Collaborating with community partners and seeking guidance from leaders in the field will drive this initiative and help us lay the groundwork to establish a Morris County Coalition, influenced by Community Neuroarts Coalitions.  The success of our transformative Arts in Education program has shown us that working collectively provides opportunities and engagement in the arts that are truly life-changing for everyone, from Pre-K to senior citizens.

The arts offer inspiration, solace, healing, learning, joy, and meaning for all of us. As we navigate our ever-changing and complex world, we’ll rely on community and the power of the arts to help us create lasting change in Morris County.

Thank You to Our Sponsors!

Special thanks to the New Jersey State Council on the Arts for making funding for this event possible.

Thank you to Community Builders for graciously sponsoring this event.

Interested in becoming a sponsor? Reach out to Dominique Tornabe, Director of Development, or click below to learn more and to make your contribution.