Salon North is back in Harrogate and it might just change your life

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In the first of three Salons coming up, Out Of Your Head… Out Of Your Mind… a trio of award-winning speakers will focus the mind on understanding the most mysterious object in the universe - the human brain.

Once again sponsored by Harrogate law firm, Berwins, and produced by Harrogate International Festivals, it is being held next Thursday, March 17 at The Crown Hotel.

Voted number six in the Top 100 Things to do in the World by GQ magazine, Salon North is hosted as always by its founder, award-winning writer Helen Bagnall who also set up Salon London.

Sharon Canavar, Harrogate International Festivals Chief Executive said: “After two years away, we are thrilled that Berwins Salon North is back – and back in style.

“For our first Berwins Salon North of 2022, we have lined up three amazing speakers who are looking at different facets of the human brain.

“Before Covid, these evenings of TED-style talks – where the speakers really do make the audience sit up, take notice and even question their own lifestyles - were a staple of the northern cultural scene.”

The first of next week's three speakers is scientist and historian Professor Matthew Cobb, who will reveal how we can create artificial memories in mice and build AI programmes capable of cognitive feats.

But what does this really mean for what we know about our own brain?

He is followed by Dr Pragya Agarwal, who will teach us about our own unconscious bias and how it has impacted our jobs, futures and even our romantic relationships, as well as what happens in our brains when we are biased and if we don’t know we are, how can we responsible for it?

Last up is David Robson who will take the audience on a tour of the cutting-edge research that reveals how our expectations shape our experience, from people who believe that ageing brings wisdom and how cultivating an indulgent attitude to food helps you lose weight.

Sharon Canavar, Harrogate International Festivals Chief Executive said: “I would like to say a huge thank you to headline sponsors, Berwins Solicitors.

“With their continued support, we are once again able to stage these fantastic evenings, ones that firmly establish Harrogate’s position on the cultural map, and ones that often change lives for the better.

“Later in the year, we will be relaunching our special partnership with Berwins. and announce our new programme.”

The next two Berwins Salon Norths will take place on Thursday, April 21 and Thursday, May 19.

Tickets are available from Harrogate International Festivals’ website.

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