For the first time ever audiences across the UK will have the opportunity to visualise the impact of art on their brainwaves as Art Fund, the national charity for art, will be touring technology that brings this to life in real time and in 3-D.
Following the highly successful trial of the brainwaves experience in November last year, Art Fund will be taking the technology to museums and galleries in England, Scotland and Wales between April and July.
By illustrating the impact of art on our brains and emotions, Art Fund hopes to encourage visiting museum and galleries with a National Art Pass, which allows members of the public to enjoy free entry to hundreds of museums, galleries and historic houses across the UK as well as 50% off major exhibitions and discounts in museum shops and cafes.
The project highlights how people’s brains are stimulated when they experience art in museums and galleries, and aims to help answer the question of the fundamental value of art and the impact it has on us. Visitors of all ages are invited to take part by viewing art or artefacts while wearing a headset that is connected to an electroencephalogram (EEG) monitor. The outputs of their brainwaves as they react to the art are then visualised on-screen in 3D and real-time.
The brainwaves experience will tour to:
- The Holburne Museum, Bath on 4-5 April
- Watts Gallery – Artists’ Village, Guildford on 14 April
- The Hepworth Wakefield on 31 May-1 June
- Chapter, Cardiff on 21-22 June
- National Galleries Scotland: National, Edinburgh on 6-7 July
- Compton Verney, Warwickshire on 19-20 July
Research commissioned to accompany the project found that whilst 95% of UK adults agree that visiting museums and galleries is beneficial, four in ten (40%) visit less than once a year and around one in six Brits (16%) believe that art has no impact on them. However, the technology allows users to see the clear and immediate effect art can have on the human brain.
Art Fund Director, Jenny Waldman, said: “This technology shows how art can improve our wellbeing and emotions. Audiences love seeing the visualisation of their brainwaves when they look at different paintings and objects in museums, so we are thrilled to take this technology on tour. We hope by bringing the experience to audiences across the UK we can inspire more people to explore the amazing museums and galleries we have on our doorsteps.”
For more information about the brainwaves tour, visit: www.artfund.org/brainwaves
For more information about National Art Pass, visit: www.artfund.org/national-art-pass
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