Event(s) Summary
Number of Events Organized During Brain Awareness Week:
4
Year:
2022
Type of Events Held:
- Lecture/Briefing
- Online/Virtual
- School Program
- TV Show
- Workshop
Target Audiences:
- Elementary school students (1-5)
- General Public
- Patients & Caregivers
- Professionals
- Seniors
- University students
Approximate Number of People Reached:
140
Details of Major Brain Awareness Week Events/Activities:
BrainFM is an educational tool that uses dance to learn about the brain. BrainFM stimulates community engagement while simultaneously reinforcing the concept into action.
4 days of events highlighting the neuroscience behind three modifiable risk factors for dementia were co-facilitated by Magda Kaczmarska, dance artist and Dr. Anusha Mohan, postdoctoral researcher at Trinity College Dublin. While Dr. Mohan explained the didactic content covering the neuroscience, Ms. Kaczmarska facilitated creative dance and movement activities tailored to reinforce the content.
Each session targeted a different audience in Ireland and beyond:
● In-person: Multi-disciplinary and international attendees of Creative Brain Week. The audience expressed that material learnt was valuable to help their support of people living with dementia.
● Online: People living with dementia + care partners. The audience was inspired to seek out more dialogue around brain health, dementia, and neuroscience.
● Online: 1st-grade class St.Paul’s Primary School, Navan. Aim was to accelerate the exposure and encourage conversation of these topics amongst the next generation.
● In-person: General public of Dublin Docklands. Raising these topics with intergenerational groups encouraged discussion and awareness of proactive brain health to not only increase overall health but significantly reduce the risk of developing dementia.
BrainFM was featured in television and print promotions + summaries of Creative Brain Week 2022. The co-founders of BrainFM spoke on March 15, 2022, in a hybrid panel on “The Creative Brain on Arts, Health and Wellness”. Over the week, BrainFM was able to engage a diverse multicultural audience and continue to grow in impact.
Event Planning & Publicity
Publicity Methods Used:
- Calendar Listings (newspapers, radio, television)
- Emails
- Posters/Flyers
- Website
- Social Media
Which of These Publicity Methods Was The Most Successful?
Resources
Which BAW graphic materials did you use in publicizing your events?
- Brain Awareness Week Logos
Feedback & Keys to Success
How do you feel BAW participation benefited your organization and the local community?
All participants reported a heightened awareness and interest in proactive brain health and a feeling of community with fellow participants. Prominent clinical professionals engaging in co-creative experiences with artists and peers commented on how their understanding of an embodied connection was growing and influencing how they perceived other events of the week. Fostering interdisciplinary understanding supports innovation and solidarity around brain health in the community.
Please share any suggestions or lessons learned that may help others plan future events:
Connect with local organizations to support design, implementation and marketing for the events.
