Figments of the Imagination conference
Monday 15 June 2026 from 9am to 7pm
This one-day conference explores the relationship between creativity and madness.
An excess of the imagination? The source of unique insight? Mental illness? The price of creative genius? A disease of the brain? A rebellion against social norms? A part of being human? Refusing to obey strict definitions, experiences of madness problematise meaning itself. They demand to be expressed on their own terms and in many voices – through exercising the imagination, challenging the boundaries of language, and recognising unexpected opportunities for connection and empowerment. In this conference, we will explore what these stories of madness might sound like.
A collaboration between the Medical Humanities Research Centre at the University of Glasgow and the Centre for Mad Culture UK, this event will bring together academics, mental health and Mad Pride activists, and medical professionals to explore the role of creativity in experiencing and understanding madness from cultural, historical, social, medical, artistic and philosophical perspectives.
You can access the draft programme here: Figments Draft Programme.docx