On June 26, 2026, the Niccolini Theatre will host the EBRAINS AccelNet Joint Day, a full-day event dedicated to the intersection of neuroscience, meditation, music, dance, and visual arts.
The event, organised locally by Francesco Pavone’s lab, is a joint initiative by EBRAINS, the European research infrastructure for brain science, and AccelNet, an international research network focused on the relationship between movement, music, and brain health. Open to the public, the event aims to present scientific research in an accessible, live, and deeply interdisciplinary format.
The afternoon program will focus on mind, consciousness, and meditation, featuring His Eminence Khangser Rinpoche, from the Thangkar Institute, and Professor Marcello Massimini from the University of Milan. A key moment of the program will be a live meditation session led by Lobsang Kunchen, monitored through EEG and biosensors to observe what happens in the body and brain during meditation. The session will be followed by a roundtable discussion bringing together contemplative traditions, neuroscience, and consciousness research.
The evening program will explore the relationship between art, data, and perception. With NeuroRhapsody, the stage will transform into a live neuroconcert created by Pavone’s Lab, Conservatorio Luigi Cherubini and ISIA: the performers’ brain signals will be captured in real time and translated into visualizations, creating a dialogue between music, brain activity, and imagery.
Following this there will be a neuroballet performance created by Professor Jose Contreras-Vidal lab (University of Houston) and Capacitor. Dance, music, and neuroscience converge through EEG systems worn by the dancers. The data collected during movement will be transformed into visual projections, making visible the relationship between body, brain, coordination, and creativity.
A full day designed to bring audiences closer to brain research through an immersive experience where meditation, sound, and movement become tools for observing the mind in real time.
The event is free and open to the public. Seats are in limited availability. To register and access the full program, visit https://firenzeonstage.com/events/the-brain-on-stage/
