New technology that will show the impact art has on the brain is set to arrive in Scotland later this month with organisers hoping it will show people just how important it is for mental wellbeing to attend museums and galleries throughout the country.
The groundbreaking technology shows brainwaves in real time and in 3D and is being brought to Scotland by the national charity for art – Art Fund – as the final stop on its UK wide tour. It will be in Edinburgh for two days on Thursday July 25 and Friday July 26 at the National Galleries Scotland: National on the Mound.
Anyone in Edinburgh will be able to test the technology out for themselves and will be available to try over the course of the two days next week.
It will only be for a few hours each day though, with the tech available to try between 10am and 1pm on Thursday and 10am and 5pm on Friday.
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Visitors to the gallery who want to take part will be asked to view art or artefacts while wearing a headset, which is then connect to an electroencephalogram (EEG) monitor. That will then visualise the outputs of their brainwaves as they react to the art on screen in 3D and in real-time.
The number of people who visit museums in Scotland is relatively low with around 18% of Scottish adults saying art has no impact on them at all, while 37% of people in Scotland visit museums less than once a year. That’s despite research commissioned to accompany the project showing that 96% of all adults in Scotland agreeing that visiting museums and galleries is beneficial.
That figure rises to 99% in Edinburgh but still people aren’t attending as much as museums and galleries would like.
Art Fund Director, Jenny Waldman, is hoping the technology being used in Edinburgh can encourage more people to visit the museums and galleries that are all around Scotland if they can see how much art does improve wellbeing and emotions.
She 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 that by bringing the experience to Edinburgh, we can inspire more people to visit the amazing museums and galleries we have on our doorsteps, such as the National Galleries of Scotland.”
By illustrating the impact of art on people’s brains and emotions, the Art Fund is hoping to encourage visitors to attend museums and galleries with a National Art Pass. That gives you free entry to hundreds of museums, galleries and historic houses across the UK as well as making major exhibitions half price, while it can also save you money in museum shops and cafes.
The project will highlight how your brain is stimulated when you experience art in museums and galleries. In turn, it is then hoped it will allow you to understand the fundamental value of art and the impact it has on you in your day-to-day life as well as when you go to visit the galleries.
It is the final stop on its UK tour with the brainwaves experience already having been in Bath, Cardiff, Guildford, Wakefield and Warwickshire over recent months throughout the spring and summer.
Anne Lyden is the director-general at the National Galleries of Scotland and is excited to welcome the project to the country.
She’s excited to see how the people of Edinburgh react to the project and is hopeful it can continue the trend of people feeling that a visit to the galleries can have a positive impact on their health and wellbeing.
She said: “It is a real pleasure to be able to host this world-first technology here in the new Scottish galleries at the National, and it is fascinating to see the impact that art can have on us all.
“National Galleries of Scotland carried out research recently which showed that around 86% of our visitors felt that visiting the Galleries had a positive impact on their wellbeing, and we can’t wait to see this reflected in brainwaves.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming local residents to the gallery to test out this exciting technology, and to see the incredible art that belongs to the people of Scotland.”
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