Leonardo Publishes Focus Section Artful Minds Exploring Neuroarts Research
In its December 2025 issue, the journal Leonardo published by MIT Press, the leading international peer-reviewed journal on the use of contemporary science and technology in the arts and music and the application and influence of the arts and humanities on science and technology, has published a Focus Section called Artful Minds. This special section of the journal, guest edited by Susan Magsamen, Director of the International Arts and Mind Lab Center for Applied Neuroaesthetics and Co-Director of the NeuroArts Blueprint Initiative, and Dr. Emmeline Edwards, Director of Research for the NeuroArts Initiative, explores the impact and importance of rigorous interdisciplinary research in the field of neuroarts through a curated collection of peer-reviewed articles.
In their introduction to this groundbreaking Focus Section, “Neuroarts: At the Intersection of the Arts, Research, Technology, and Practice,” Magsamen and Edwards delve into the scientific foundations of the field, evidence creation and “ways of knowing,” and the trajectory of different aspects of neuroarts—research, methods, practice, and policy—and highlight the articles in this special issue that are advancing the wide range of evidence in the field.
“The publication of this Focus Section Artful Minds is a significant step forward for the scholarship of the neuroarts research and practice community. It represents dedicated progress in working across all sectors and domains to coalesce the field over the last five years,” said Magsamen. “This special issue lays additional groundwork that is essential to the continued efforts to build the field of neuroarts and ensure it is recognized as a translational, research-to-practice discipline with a strong workforce, sustainable policies and funding streams. Furthermore, it lays the groundwork for the launch of a global neuroarts research strategy, developed to provide an interdisciplinary research approach for the field.”
The Artful Minds section within the current issue of Leonardo marks a pivotal moment for neuroarts scholarship as it brings to the fore innovative and interdisciplinary work. The six articles in the Focus Section showcase work ranging from clinical and public health research to translational and practical applications, to methods, to editorial commentary. In fact, the Leonardo Editor-in Chief, JD Talasek, and Board Member, Felicia Cleper-Borkovi, noted in their issue introduction that the community response to the call for papers was so robust that they will be launching additional digital content and more issues in the topic area.
“We see this as a testament to the vitality and relevance of these fields, and we are committed to continuing the conversation through additional online content and future issues,” wrote Talasek and Cleper-Borkovi. They have already put out a call for submissions for a Focus Section on “Architectures of Care: Inspiring and Supporting Health and Healing.”
“The publication of the Artful Minds Focus Section and the outpouring of submissions for consideration, signals that the field of neuroarts is rapidly expanding. Yet, there is still a need to continue to articulate and implement shared research objectives regardless of the sector or domain,” said Edwards. “For example, we have seen with existing programs, such as the Renée Fleming Neuroarts Investigator Awards, a need for researcher support and mentorship to help build the next generation of interdisciplinary research-practitioners. To address such needs, we plan to share our global neuroarts research strategy with the community in early 2026 and are excited to see where this new phase of neuroarts research and evidence development will drive the field.”
Magsamen and Edwards are excited to invite the broad community of researchers, practitioners and professionals, arts and community leaders, and policymakers to visit the Focus Section Artful Minds and explore the topics covered in the featured articles. Read the special issue here.
