Thinking Creatively at The Church

The Annual Creativity Conference returns to The Church on Saturday, April 6, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Join in for the third-annual full-day gathering of ideas exploring creativity in the arts and sciences, featuring six outstanding thought leaders. This year program delves deeply into the life sciences. The speakers are: Dr. Mark Epstein, psychiatrist and author presenting on “Buddhism, John Cage and Pyschotherapy,” Dr. Rachel Herz, the world’s leading expert on the psychological science of scent, presenting on “Scent and Wellness,” Dr. Heather Lynch, director of Stony Brook Collaborative for the Earth presenting on “In Defense of Anthropocentrism in the Anthropocene,” Dr. Seth Ruffins, director, Optical Imaging Facility at the Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine on “The Intricate Art of Nature,” Dr. Scott A. Small, director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at Columbia University on “Forgetting and the Creative Process,” Sarah Thornton, sociologist and author on her new book “Tits Up: What Sex Workers, Milk Bankers, Plastic Surgeons, Bra Designers, and Witches Tell Us About Breasts.”

The day begins with a light breakfast, followed by a full day of individual presentations. Each speaker will reflect on their own practice and life, sharing insight and inspiration. Following the presentations there will be a group panel with all the speakers and a Q&A with the audience. The conference promises an intimate and in-depth look at how the speakers are changing and shaping the sciences and arts through creativity — and invites participants to discover how to cultivate their own creative flow. The day concludes with a reception, giving attendees the opportunity to converse with the lecturers and reflect upon their full day of curiosity, intrigue and creativity.

Tickets are $115 ($95 members) at thechurchsagharbor.org and include breakfast and reception. Attendees are welcome to come to as many talks as their schedule permits. No tickets will be sold for individual talks or partial parts of the day. The Church is at 48 Madison Street in Sag Harbor.