The Center was excited to join Flourishing Through the Arts & Science Initiative, a collaboration of Denver arts and cultural organizations for the 2025 Denver Arts Week, November 5-16, 2025. We kicked off this weeklong series with a panel discussion, "Harnessing the Arts to Promote Wellbeing." Held at the Fulginiti Pavilion on November 6th at noon, the event explored how neuroscience, architecture, and the arts come together to promote human health and wellbeing.
For Ekshika Patel, a third-year medical student at the CU School of Medicine, the panel sparked her curiosity and provided inspiration to see real-life integrations of the arts into an academic career. She was impressed that it went beyond how art can impact neural networks.
“Learning that a physician found a way to use the arts as a tool to address dehumanization in medicine was refreshing. In a world that feels increasingly fast-paced, the realization that art can be part of our daily lives and work rather than something to relish in on the side felt like a sigh of relief,” said Patel.
Emmeline Edwards, PhD, Research Director of the NeuroArts Blueprint, shared new research on how music engagement supports Alzheimer’s patients. She also discussed how architecture that integrates nature into buildings can reduce stress and improve wellbeing by fostering an innate connection to the natural. Edwards emphasized the importance of rigorous, reproducible research to fully integrate the arts into healthcare, highlighting creative therapies such as mask-making for veterans with PTSD and dance therapy for Parkinson’s patients.
Marc Moss, MD, distinguished professor at the CU Anschutz School of Medicine and a pulmonary critical care physician, reflected on his ICU experiences during the pandemic and introduced the Colorado Resiliency Arts Lab (CORAL), a program using creative arts therapy to help healthcare professionals manage burnout and trauma.
Don Ruggles, Director of Classical Studies, College of Architecture and Planning at CU Denver, architect and author of Beauty, Neuroscience, and Architecture, explored how design influences wellbeing, advocating for environments that balance comfort and stimulation. He reminded the audience that beauty itself plays a vital role in neurological health and healing.
The panel’s moderator and chair of the Flourishing Through the Arts & Science Council, Shannon Robinson was excited to join forces with the Center for this new collaboration.
“We were thrilled to launch our arts and wellness series at the Center for Bioethics and Humanities at CU Anschutz, a fitting place to see firsthand how science and the arts come together to inspire healthier, more connected communities," Robinson said.
At its core, the panel reflected a growing recognition of the arts as essential to human flourishing. The event wrapped up with announcements of upcoming art tours, museum talks, and a ballet-inspired finale, reinforcing the message that art is not just decoration, but a vital force for healing and wellness.
Want to learn more?
Watch the Harnessing Through the Arts Panel Discussion Video
Check out the Flourishing Through the Arts Guide—a concise collection of research highlights, quotes and references compiled by Shannon Robinson, Chair of the Flourishing Through the Arts & Science Council.