Engaging through the Creative Arts

FutureNeuro is delighted to use the powerful medium of the creative arts to communicate in new ways with new audiences about our research.

A Head with Harmony (September, 2023)

The brainchild of our dedicated PPI Panel Contributor, Colette Delahunt, this event blended science and music to engage the public and policymakers with the importance of diagnosing neurological conditions and the impact of involving patients throughout the research journey. Colette, a professional opera singer, shared her family’s personal journey to diagnosis for her son Sean, who received a genomic diagnosis for a rare form of epilepsy, from the FutureNeuro clinical genetics team. By aligning the recital with the ILAE International Epilepsy Congress (IEC) in September 2023, we show-cased our research to an audience including international clinicians, scientists, patient advocates, local patient groups, and the public. National media coverage helped to spark an open conversation on genetic epilepsies and helped to highlight the importance of making research accessible to the wider public.

‘My Unique Brain’ Art Competition 

We are thrilled to announce the “My Unique Brain” Art Competition, an exciting initiative that builds on the momentum of our “Head with Harmony” fundraising event, by encouraging children and young adults to creatively express what makes their brain unique. Open to all children and young adults who are residents in Ireland, including a category for those with additional needs, this competition is a fantastic opportunity for young artists to showcase their talent. Participants can use a variety of materials and techniques, from drawings and paintings to collages and prints, to create their original artwork. 

Fantastic prizes are up for grabs, including vouchers and the chance to have your artwork featured in a special publication and displayed at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. The competition is open until October 10, 2024. For more details and to enter, visit My Unique Brain Art Competition. 

The Wernicke’s Area  (October, 2022)

This powerful collaboration between Prof Mark Cunningham and artist Owen Boss draws on different media to communicate to the public the impact of seizures on a person’s life. Owen’s wife Debbie, who previously was a soprano singer, developed a tumour in the Wernicke’s Area of the brain which affects written and spoken word comprehension. The mixed media installation at Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA), included recording of seizures provided by FutureNeuro neurophysiolgist Mark Cunnigham alongside large-scale custom-made fabric pieces representing brain activity. These were accompanied by mezzo-soprano singer, Rosie Middeton, who provided an interpretation of living with epilepsy based on Debbie’s seizure diaries. This was a pivotal moment for us, marking the very first time that FutureNeuro explored the media of art to make the complexity of epilepsy accessible to the wider public. 

We worked closely with the researcher, artist and IMMA to build complementary communications and achieve national impact that would help to build the FutureNeuro brand. The installation was featured in the Irish Times, and other outlets, and each social post received an engagement rate of over 50%. This was a watershed moment that helped us to explore more creative partnerships, and to reach audiences that might previously have been beyond our reach.