Creative Minds: An Interdisciplinary Workshop on Artistic Creativity

This one-day meeting will bring together arts professionals and psychologists to develop a multidisciplinary understanding of creative processes and how they can be nurtured. A series of speakers will present recent research on creativity and reflections on the nature and facilitation of creative practice. At the end of the day a plenary session will seek to draw together insights from practice and scientific research.

Target Audience: The workshop is aimed at creativity researchers, creativity educators and arts practitioners who want to deepen their understanding of creative processes.

Refreshments and lunch will be included and the first 60 tickets are free (please do not reserve a ticket unless you will definitely attend). Tickets will also be available on the day of the workshop for a fee of £15.

Confirmed Speakers:

Neil Bob Herd – Singer-Songwriter/Guitarwrangler
As well as singing with the Dirty Little Acoustic Band, Neil also steps out as a solo act, performing original material in the roots/Americana vein, but with a distinct brogue – (some years ago the venerable Proclaimers convinced the young NBH that he should sing in a geographically non-specific Scots accent). Neil performs original songs which include wry humour and sideways observation of the human condition. Until 2018 Neil was a key member of the “Alt. Bluegrass” group the Coal Porters, touring extensively across the UK, Europe and North America and releasing 6 albums. He’s also worked with comic and provocateur Mark Thomas, written songs for BBC radio 4 and composed for films.

Graham Hudson – Visual Artist
Graham Hudson’s artwork relates to the field of psychology and the philosophical and scientific questions of mind and body. How is behaviour constructed around the making and viewing of art? His work includes installations, objects, audio-visual works and social/performance projects.

Karen Wallis – Fine Artist
Karen Wallis draws and paints the everyday world. She is curious about the role of images and how they are perceived by the viewer, in particular how visual rhetoric influences their perceptions through historical reference, methods of display and curatorial input.  Recent work has been investigating how art can facilitate conversation and whether it is possible to contribute to the research activity of other disciplines.

David Westley – Associate Professor of Psychology
David Westley is Associate Professor of Psychology and Director of Programmes for Psychotherapy & Counselling Psychology at Middlesex University. David designs psychological interventions to help people to build emotional resilience, and to improve focus and creativity. He has conducted and published research on a range of psychological topics including creativity, imagery, memory and psychological resilience.

Dominic Wilcox – Artist, Designer and Inventor
Dominic Wilcox works between the worlds of art, design, craft and technology to create innovative, thought provoking and surprising objects. He exhibits his work internationally and has been commissioned by brands such as BMW MINI, Kelloggs and Paul Smith. His work includes the world’s first GPS shoes, a stained glass driverless sleeper car of the future and tiny sculptures balanced on the hands of watches.