Intersections of Arts & Health: A Research/Creative Activity Symposium
Agenda
8:30 AM – Welcome & Breakfast
Join us for breakfast (RSVP required) as we open the symposium with introductions to the power of creative practice in healthcare contexts. Learn about the vision of Arts & Health from our hosts, the structure of Creative Link's research initiatives, and explore some of our facilities. This informal gathering sets the stage for the day's deeper conversations and features guided tours of the building with our team.
9:30 – 10:30 AM – Panel I: Community Outreach
Image, Games & Gamification
How do visual narratives shape healthcare engagement? This panel explores the transformative power of imagery, structural approaches to visual interaction design, and the role of game mechanics in fostering collaboration between researchers and creative practitioners. Panelists discuss how games can democratize healthcare knowledge, make complex concepts tangible, and create meaningful interactions that bridge clinical and creative communities.
Panelists: Amanda Glueck – Department of Neurology, College of Medicine; Kristi Bartlett – Department of Product Design, College of Design; Kuan Chen – Creative Link, College of Fine Arts; Teresa Almeida – Department of Fine Art, Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Porto
10:30 – 11:30 AM – Lightning Round
Discover the breadth of Arts & Health work already flourishing across UK's campus. In this dynamic rapid-fire session, researchers and artists from multiple disciplines present brief snapshots of ongoing projects: from artwork about health to arts in medicine, from community-engaged research to innovative therapeutic applications and more. This session showcases the diversity of creative approaches to the varied ways that the Arts & Health intersect; and catalyzes conversations for potential future partnerships.
Presenters: Luke Bradley, Renee Gallagher and April Hatcher from the College of Medicine, Frances Griffith, College of Arts & Sciences, Amber Bruce and Felice Salmon UK Healthcare, Laneshia R. Conner, College of Social Work, and Hannah Smith, Rae Goodwin, Timothy Moyers, Leah Hamilton, Paul Rodgers, and Michael Baker from the College of Fine Arts
11:45 AM – 1:30 PM – Lunch & Informal Networking
Meal provided (RSVP required). Continue conversations from the morning sessions over lunch on the 2nd floor, with opportunities for informal tours of our production labs and creative spaces. A visiting artist talk will be a part of our gallery programming during lunch.
1:30 – 2:30 PM – Panel II: Devices & Design Process
Hardware, Community Connection & Implementation
This panel examines the journey from concept to implementation, showcasing specific case studies of successful projects and exploring the iterative feedback between clinical partners and designers. Panelists discuss how thoughtful design methodology can address genuine community needs, bridge global perspectives, and create devices that are both technically sound and culturally responsive.
Panelists: Paula Farrell & Rupin Sharma – Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine; Mark Suckow – Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering; Pat Kitzman – Department of Physical Therapy, College of Health Sciences; Bruno Giesteira – Department of Design, Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Porto
2:30 – 3:30 PM – Presentations: Local Possibilities & Futures
This closing session honors the institutional support that made this symposium possible and amplifies the voices of partners working in rural healthcare contexts. We explore the history of the grant from the Office of the Vice President for Research that catalyzed Creative Link's work, and we look forward to emerging opportunities for collaboration across Kentucky and beyond.
Presenters: Lou Hurst and Jeff Haines – Proposal Development Office, Caleb Williams – Center for Excellence in Rural Health, Kendra Hargis Stenzel – UKInnovate
Presented with support from the College of Fine Arts, the School of Art and Visual Studies, and the Office of the Vice President for Research.
