From Work
to Wonder

9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Registration and Credential Pick-Up
Lobby (Under Big Blue Bear) at Main Summit Venue
Please bring identification.

6:30 PM – 8:30 PM

Host City Reception (City Summit Registration Required for Entry) 

LOCATION: Denver Art Museum, 100 W 14th Ave Pkwy, Denver, CO 80204

Don’t miss the opportunity to visit the Denver Art Museum, one of Denver’s iconic cultural institutions, host venue for the Cities Summit of the Americas’ Opening Reception.  Explore the Museum’s Indigenous Arts of North America, one of the most comprehensive collections of this art in the world and the gallery of European and American Art before 1900 . The Museum’s architecture is also a work of art, with buildings designed by Gio Ponto and Daniel Libeskind, and a beautiful renovation completed in 2021, which includes a Welcome Center with enhanced education space and a spectacular glass-paneled event venue overlooking the city.

DAY AT A GLANCE

• 10:00 AM–12:00 | (INVITATIONAL) SCIENTIFIC WORK SESSION

• 12:00-2:15 | LUNCH ON YOUR OWN  |  BOXED LUNCHES (ALL DIETARY NEEDS) AVAILABLE FOR PICK UP IN THE FOUR SEASONS BALLROOM OF THE CONVENTION CENTER  

• 2:15 PM–4:45 PM | (OPEN TO ALL/PUBLIC) WONDER WORKSHOP 

• 4:45p–7P | (OPEN TO ALL/PUBLIC)  ART GALLERY EXHIBITION OPENING

• 6:30P – until your tired | FUN-FOOD-MUSIC-ART at Fábrica de Arte Américas.
  THE SLATE DENVER WAREHOUSES, 1250 WELTON ST, DENVER, CCO. When not at the convention center, this is home base for the summit and a cultural warehouse curated and produced by Fábrica de Arte. We will attend together but dinner is a “choose your own adventure” where you can taste your way around North and South America with our curated roster of food trucks and pop-up bars throughout Fábrica de Arte Américas. Enjoy diverse and exciting cuisines, libations, and refreshments in one place!
  (IF YOU WANT SOMETHING MORE TRADITIONAL – THERE ARE A NUMBER OF GREAT RESTAURANTS IN THE AREA, RESERVATIONS ARE RECOMMENDED)

Location: Champa Commons (right next to Summit Venue at the Colorado Convention Center 

Hosts:  University of Colorado Denver’s Imaginator Academy | Brain Capital Alliance | City of Denver Economic Development & Opportunity Office (Thursday Venue Host) 

Organizer Contact: Theodore.Edmonds@ucdenver.edu 

SESSION ONE
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

(INVITATIONAL)
SCIENTIFIC WORK SESSION: BEYOND THE INDIVIDUAL – QUANTIFYING CREATIVITY IN GROUPS, COMPANIES & NATIONS
Location: Champa Commons (for those in Denver) & Virtual

Structured, science-focused session around how to globally measure creativity for an “apples to apples” comparison among nations

Limit: 15 people (invite only). RSVP HERE TO RECEIVE ZOOM LINK

INVITATIONAL SCIENTIFIC WONDER WORK SESSION AGENDA

Part One: 10a-11:15a MDT

• Welcome and introduction (15 min)  (Theo Edmonds & Brain Capital Alliance Leadership)
• State of the Science Flash Talks (15 min each)
  • How do we measure creativity at the team/group/organizational scale? Now + Future Directions – Dr. Roni Reiter-Palmon
  • How do we measure creativity at a large scale? (e.g., nation, industry sector, generational, etc.) (Computational methods) Now + Future Directions – Dr. Yoed Kenett

• Structured discussion (30 min) facilitated by Hannah Merseal, Penn State Cognitive Neuroscience of Creativity Lab, on the following topics:
  • What are appropriate proxy metrics that already exist? ( E.g., Wikipedia, web crawl data, large language models)
  • What could change to improve measurement at a global scale? (Hybrid model)
  • What do we have at the corporate, national, and global levels?
  • What will the scientific community accept to be incorporated into the economic + human flourishing/well-being/health model?
  • What metrics do we have for some areas but not others (i.e., PISA)?

Part Two: 11:15a-12:00p 

• Summary of findings from the first working group meeting, including other indexed metrics of sustainability and democracy to interrelate with creativity metrics
• Things we don’t want to miss – building intentional bridges that connect the organizational and large scale (national, industry, etc.) to the state of the science creativity methods in measuring creative thinking (e.g., using AI)? – Dr. Roger Beaty
• Discussion on appropriate proxy methods for assessing creativity at organizational and national levels (30 min)
• Wrap-up and next steps (15 min)

12:15-2:15 | LUNCH ON YOUR OWN  |  BOXED LUNCHES (ALL DIETARY NEEDS) AVAILABLE FOR PICK UP IN THE FOUR SEASONS BALLROOM OF THE CONVENTION CENTER  

SESSION TWO:
WONDER WORKSHOP
PUBLIC EVENT: 2:15PM – 4:45PM
Location: Champa Commons (w/ some virtual presentations) 

Who Should Attend: People in Health & Wellbeing Research, Creative Industries, Corporate Social Impact, City Planning / Economic Development

View the Full Wonder Workshop Agenda Here

 

VENUE CHANGE:
Approximately 5m Walk from Champa Commons to the CU Denver Gallery

Out of Many, More: Voices of the Americas
(ART EXHIBITION OPENING) –  Until 6PM
Location: CU Denver Experience Gallery 

Information:
Co-curated by CU Denver students and will feature artists with cultural ties to countries participating in the Summit. Our opening will be Thursday, April 27, from 4-6pm. Four CU Denver College of Arts & Media singer-songwriter students will also perform new original work at the opening. Several of the artists will be there along with a good group of CU Denver students. 

Exhibited Artists

• Quintin Gonzalez, CU Denver faculty
• Chelsea Kaiah, Ute and Apache/Irish settler
• Kristina Maldonado-Bad Hand, Sicangu Lakota and Cherokee from Taos, NM
• Rafael Maldonado-Bad Hand
• Steven Yazzie, Laguna Pueblo and Navajo Nation
• Alejandra Abad, Venezuela & CU Denver adjunct
• Diego Zavala, Zapopan, Mexico, CU Denver Comexus Scholar
• Gregg Deal, Pyramid Lake Paiute
• Camila Galofre, Columbia and Ecuador
• Eugene Tapahe, Navajo Nation
• Suchitra Mattai, Indo-Carribean
• Victor Escobedo, Mexican American

6:30 PM until your tired | FUN-FOOD-MUSIC-ART at Fábrica de Arte Américas.

THE SLATE DENVER WAREHOUSES, 1250 WELTON ST, DENVER, CCO. When not at the convention center, this is home base for the summit and a cultural warehouse curated and produced by Fábrica de Arte. We will attend together but dinner is a “choose your own adventure” where you can taste your way around North and South America with our curated roster of food trucks and pop-up bars throughout Fábrica de Arte Américas. Enjoy diverse and exciting cuisines, libations, and refreshments in one place!
(IF YOU WANT SOMETHING MORE TRADITIONAL – THERE ARE A NUMBER OF GREAT RESTAURANTS IN THE AREA, RESERVATIONS ARE RECOMMENDED)

DAY AT A GLANCE

• 7:30 AM
  Plenary Group ONLY – Planning Breakfast
  (HE/KNS/JS/JVF/TE/JM/UN/AG) The Corner Office Restaurant
  1401 Curtis Street, Denver, CO 80202

• 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
  PUBLIC for all Cities Summit of the Americas Attendees
  Plenary Main Track
  Main Venue Convention Center

• 1:30-4:30p
  INVITATIONAL WORK GROUP
  Private Sector Leaders + Imaginator Academy Guests
  Prep for the Brain Capital Summit in Silicon Valley
  Future of Work and Emerging Opportunities for Arts-Science + Corporate Collaboration
  Denver Chamber of Commerce – 4th Floor Boardroom

• 5:00 PM
  (Optional for Invited Guests)  Dinner Reservations at The Kitchen
  Just a block from our meeting at the Chamber. For our out-of-town and invited guests, we have reserved two tables at one of Denver’s favorite restaurants. Glass of wine and appetizers are on us… beyond that, everyone should plan to cover their own costs.  We highly recommend that you consider staying for dinner at this fabulous eatery. 

7:30 AM Plenary Group ONLY – Planning Breakfast
(HE/KNS/JS/JVF/TE/JM/UN/AG)
The Corner Office Restaurant
1401 Curtis Street, Denver, CO 80204

11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Cities Summit of the Americas Plenary Main Track
IMAGINATOR ACADEMY/BRAIN CAPITAL ALLIANCE
PLENARY SESSION AGENDA

Vibrant Cities Track Session – Brain Health, Work Environment, and Human Creativity

PUBLIC: For those who have approved registration for the Cities Summit of the Americas

LOCATION: Colorado Convention Center (Main Summit Venue) / Mile High Ballroom 4C-D

HOSTS: University of Colorado Denver’s Imaginator Academy & Brain Capital Alliance

Organizer email:
 THEODORE.EDMONDS@ucdenver.edu 

PANELIST

Theo Edmonds, JD,MHA,MFA (Host)
Culture Futurist & Directing Co-founder, Imaginator Academy | Research Associate Professor |Master of Humanities/Master of Social Science Program | College of Liberal Arts & Sciences | University of Colorado Denver |Americans for the Arts, National Board of Directors | Energize Colorado, Lead Culture Strategist Small Business Resiliency Index

Harris Eyre, MD, PHD (Host)
Lead of the Brain Capital Alliance, Fellow in Brain Health at the Center for Health and Biosciences part of Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, and Senior Fellow for Brain Capital at the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute

Rym Ayadi, PhD (Host)
President, Euro-Mediterranean Economists Association, Professor, Bayes Business School, City University of London, Co-lead, Brain Capital Alliance, Chair and Academic Expert, Banking Stakeholder Group, European Banking Authority

Upali Nanda, PhD
Global Practice Director, Research / Partner, HKS Architects (Global firm w/ Offices in Mexico City), Brain Healthy Workplaces

Kristina Newman-Scott
Executive Director, WNYC’s The Greene Space, National Arts and Culture Leader, Artist & Policy Maker

Jessica von Farkas
Regional Network Organizer, North America, (Based in Berlin/Mexico City), BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt, Responsible Leadership, ESG, Corporate Philanthropy, Equity & Belonging, Community Building

Julio Salazar
Cofounder of Cirklo,Cirklo / FUN, Mexico City, Purpose Driven Innovation

Julie Rusk (Moderator)First Chief of Civic Wellbeing in U.S., (Santa Monica, CA), Founder/Principal at Civic Wellbeing Partners, Civic Engagement · Nonprofit Management · Leadership · Community Development

SESSION AGENDA

According to the World Bank, approximately 56% of the world’s population – 4.4 billion individuals – live in cities. Therefore, city-level approaches that balance brain health, built environment, and human creativity are emerging as important new vectors for maximizing inclusive innovation. 

During this summit panel session, the focus will be on exploring how cities can prioritize human flourishing as a primary driver of economic growth in the future of work. The session will be organized around three intersecting areas – brain health, creativity, and work/built environments – and will feature presentations by experts from science, business, and the arts.

10m – Welcome and Frame Setting for Earth, Creativity & Opportunity (ECO) (Theo Edmonds) 

15m – ECOnomies of Brain Capital (Harris & Rym; Co-Presenters)
The first presentation will examine how the growing stakeholder economy leads to new opportunities for cities and the private sector to produce economic and social value through brain health and skill development. This discussion will highlight the importance of brain health in sustainable city development, which requires innovation, systems thinking, and ultimately, mass human behavior change. 

• Will cover topics such as investing in resilience for sustainable innovation and growth.
• How can cities and the private sector produce economic and social value through brain health and skills development?
• The growing stakeholder economy and new opportunities for sustainable city development. Reimagining Cities, Investing in Resilience for Sustainable Innovation/Growth
• USER INTEREST: Mayors, Finance/Investors, Media Industry, Governmental Agencies, Researchers, Impact Investors, Green Venture Capital, CFOs, Economic Developers, Economists

20m – ECOtypes of Creativity in Leadership (Kristina, Jessica and Julio, Presenters)

The second presentation will explore how creativity is a key brain skill that everyone will need in the future of work. Creativity is, perhaps, the most important and least understood brain skill for leaders and workers alike. Self-determination, openness to the ideas of others, and inclusion have all been shown in research to enhance creativity. Aided by exponential growth in technology and neuroscience research, the global, interdisciplinary field of creativity will transform cities and industries in the coming years. Cities are the critical infrastructure for harnessing this innovation potential. Understanding how to weave artistry and scientific discovery into sustainable growth requires deep, respectful leaders who know how to build inclusive partnerships between artists, scientists, and businesses.

Will cover topics such as:

• Creativity as a key brain skill for the future of work
• Generational shifts in values at the intersection of creativity and inclusion
• Creative leaders as powerful levers of change for social and cultural well-being
• Weaving artistry and scientific discovery into sustainable growth
• USER INTEREST: Corporate Social Responsibility leaders, Arts & Culture Leaders, Human Resource Managers, DE&I Executives, Democracy Advocates, Educators, Digital Economy Developers

15m – ECOlogies of Brain-healthy Work Environments (Upali; Presenter)

The built (and virtual) work environments, directly and indirectly, affect our brains. The third presentation will explore how natural and built environments to support brain health and skill development at work. Collaboration, socially supportive relationships, and restoration from stress and fatigue are all affected by the properties of the work environment. In 2022, the United States Surgeon General issued an advisory on Workplace well-being. The work environment influences almost all of the World Economic Forum’s critical brain skills that every city and company will need to compete in the future of work. 

Covers topics such as:

• How the intersection of natural and built environments supports brain health and skills development at work
• Environmental sustainability, brain-healthy environments, and built environments for work
• The effects of the work environment on collaboration, socially supportive relationships, and restoration from burnout
• USER INTEREST: Architects, City Planners, Natural Resource Managers, Sustainability-based Industries, CEOs

30m – Full Panel Discussion + Audience Q&A (Julie Rusk, Moderator)
Following the presentations, there will be a full panel discussion using the EARTH CREATIVITY OPPORTUNITY (ECO) discussion guide, exploring how this work could help cities reimagine the future. The panel will include a Q&A session. Overall, this session aims to explore how cities can maximize inclusive innovation by balancing brain health, built environment, and human creativity.

LUNCH & VENUE CHANGE

BOX LUNCH IN FOUR SEASON BALLROOM FOR PICKUP
Approximately 15m Walk from Colorado Convention Center
to Denver Chamber of Commerce (direction link below)

1:30-4:30p

Session Three: INVITATIONAL WORK GROUP W/ Private Sector Leaders + Imaginator Academy Guests

Future of Work and Emerging Opportunities for Science + Arts + Corporate Collaboration

Hosts: University of Colorado Denver’s Imaginator Academy, Brain Capital Alliance
Venue Host: Sherman & Howard | Mark W. Williams, Member | Chamber of Commerce
Organizer Contact: THEODORE.EDMONDS@ucdenver.edu
Location: Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce – 4th Floor Conference
1445 Market St, Denver, CO 80202 | website

TOTAL INVITED GUESTS: 20

Agenda:
(INTERNAL WORKING GROUP) 1:30-3p
Overview of Long-Term Research and Impact Goals 

• Introduction and Welcome by Theo Edmonds 
• Brief overview/recap of the research proposal and objectives 
• Open discussion among participants on the potential impact 
• Breakout groups to discuss how research aligns with their organization’s long-term goals 
• Report back from breakout groups and Q&A 
• “Must Be True” – Participants brainstorm and share their insights on what factors are critical for the success of the research project 
• Discuss how these critical factors can be addressed

(JOINED BY INVITED EXECUTIVES) 3p-4:30p

• Invited corporate leaders and economic policymakers will join the group to provide development guidance on the proposed work
• Identify key investment opportunities for private sector actors
• Identify key benefits of Denver-Barcelona as international thought leaders in corporate creativity and brain capital
• Q&A session with corporate leaders
• Discuss potential collaboration opportunities and next steps for Brain Capital Summit in Silicon Valley 

VENUE CHANGE
Approximately 15m Walk to Fábrica de Arte Américas at the Slate Hotel

CITIES SUMMIT CONCLUDING BLOCK PARTY 

Fábrica de Arte Américas

A cultural warehouse curated and produced by Fábrica de Arte to take place during this April’s Cities Summit of the Americas. Immerse yourself in cultural experiences curated by tastemakers across the Americas, all happening in one place. Fábrica de Arte Américas will feature live musical acts, electric DJ sets, dance performances, fashion shows, visual arts, food truck lineups, tasty libations, and so much more in store.

AT THE SLATE HOTEL
1250 Welton St, Denver, CO 80204

https://www.biennialoftheamericas.org/fabricadearteamericas