Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us

What if the key to reducing stress, sharpening memory, and even extending our lives isn’t found in a prescription bottle—but in a paintbrush, a piano, or a poem? We’ve long known that art can make us feel good—but what if it actually makes us healthier, sharper, and more resilient humans? Emerging neuroscience reveals that engaging with the arts isn’t merely a pleasant pastime or cultural luxury—it’s a powerful biological force that physically reshapes our brains, alters our body chemistry, and shows up in everything from reduced cortisol levels to stronger neural connections. Join us at our December meetup where we’ll dive into the remarkable science of what happens inside us when we encounter beauty, create with our hands, or lose ourselves in music.

Book: Your Brain on Art – How the Arts Transform Us by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross

In our book this month, Susan Magsamen, a professor and founder of the International Arts + Mind Lab at Johns Hopkins University, and Ivy Ross, Vice President of Design at Google, bridge the worlds of cutting-edge neuroscience and real-world design to reveal a compelling truth: engaging with the arts isn't just for enjoyment—it's a tool for transformation. Drawing on hundreds of studies and decades of research, they show us how painting, music, dance, theatre, and even looking at beautiful objects trigger measurable changes in our brains and bodies, from reducing inflammation to rewiring neural pathways.

But this isn't just a book about what happens in a laboratory. Magsamen and Ross take us into hospitals where patients paint their way to faster recovery, schools where music programs boost academic performance across all subjects, and communities where public art reduces crime and increases social cohesion. They make a convincing case that we've been overlooking one of our most powerful resources for health, education, and human flourishing—and they give us practical ways to harness it in our everyday lives.

As always, we strongly encourage you to read the book before attending. Having read it will enrich both your experience and our collective discussion—and this is one of those books that might just change how you think about your daily life. We've also included links below to presentations and podcasts with Magsamen and Ross that explain their research and ideas.

So join us for a drink (and optional meal) at 6:30pm on Monday, 1st December, on the 2nd floor of the Keg & Brew Hotel in Surrey Hills (i.e. up two flights of stairs). The venue is conveniently located near Central Station and the Light Rail.

We look forward to seeing you there!

P.S. Please adjust your RSVP if you have indicated that you will come but are no longer able to do so. This is courteous to other people if there is a waitlist.

P.P.S. Please adjust your email notification settings (particularly the 'Event updates from organizers' in the Big Ideas Book Club settings). This is useful for receiving any final details or late changes to the event.
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These are just optional links to consider. Feel free to pass on other useful links in the discussion section.

Audio-Visual
Presentations by the authors:
WiDS - Your Brain on Art (15mins)
BrainMind Summit - Susan Magsamen & Ivy Ross (14mins)
Summitt - Ivy Ross and Susan Magsamen (30mins)

Interviews and podcasts:
Adam Grant – Worklife Podcast
Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California (1hr)
Art2Life Podcast

Written
Material and articles by the authors:
The Next Big Idea Club – Five Key Ideas
Reader's Guide (Official Author's Site)
RSA – Our Brains on Art

Summaries and reviews of the book:
Sekar Writes - Summary and Review
JoCAT Summary and Review