Piece of Mind: Presenting the Lived Experience and Scientific Research of Parkinson’s Disease through an Artistic Lens

Abstract

Many of the important research advances in understanding and treating Parkinson’s disease never leave the academic sphere, as communication barriers limit accessibility for and engagement with broader audiences. To increase meaningful dialogue between academic researchers and community stakeholders, Piece of Mind: Parkinson’s brought together neuroscientists, people with Parkinson’s disease and artists to co-create a knowledge translation performance based on scientific research and lived experience. The filmed, feature-length performance engages the viewer emotionally and intellectually using circus, dance, music, poetry and patient testimonials. We provide an overview of our participatory process and a scene-by-scene description of the performance.