The project of a conference on Beauty and Change started in 2022 following an agreement between the Giorgio Amendola Foundation and the Brain Plasticity and Behaviour Changes (BIP) research group at the Department of Psychology, University of Turin. The common aim for both partners was to develop and promote research activities, scientific and cultural dissemination and scientifically-informed projects of urban regeneration. The choice of the conference theme stemmed from an understanding of the key value of beauty and art as means of personal and social transformation and as means of support in times of change and uncertainty. While the BIP research group has been exploring these issues for years in the field of cognitive neuroscience, the Amendola Foundation is a leading player in urban regeneration and an important venue for artistic and cultural events.
The First International Conference on Beauty and Change, held on 17-19 October 2022, explored the theme of Beauty and Change through the lenses of many different disciplines including neuroscience, neurocomputational modeling, experimental and clinical psychology, philosophy and educational science. Following the great success of this first conference (100 registered participants and numerous international guests), the Giorgio Amendola Foundation and the BIP research group have decided to turn the conference into an annual event, establishing a stable forum for circulating cutting-edge research on relevant topics.
The Second International Conference on Beauty and Change will be held from 2 to 4 November 2023. This year’s theme is “Aesthetic Experience: Philosophical, Psychological and Neuroscientific Perspectives”. The conference builds on the success of the first event and greatly extends its results by including a new lineup of renowned international speakers and thematic panels on the latest developments in the science and philosophy of aesthetics. As per PNRR guidelines, we will encourage the participation of under-40 researchers and give special attention to the theme of climate change and to how beauty can support dynamics of constructive social change.
Details on the Second International Conference on Beauty and Change are available at this page.
