Inaugural Lecture - Professor Simon Procter

This event will be in person and online
Established in 2008, Converge is a unique collaboration between York St John University and the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV). Firmly rooted as part of the university campus, it’s a creative learning community for adults with experience of using mental health services – founded on, but not limited to, the arts.

In considering the added value that Converge offers both to the university and to York and North Yorkshire’s mental health ecosystem, I’ll also reflect on my own journey from being a socially engaged musician and music therapist to my new role within Converge, helping people to realise their creative potential as a means of thriving in life – and thinking about the particular contributions of curiosity, craft, hope, identity and community.

I will also briefly consider some of the questions that Converge leads us to ask, and may be well placed to help us answer – about socially engaged artistic practice, about creativity in mental health services, about the role of education in contemporary society, and about how nurturing (and revelling in) creativity might be good for all of us.

Biography:

Simon is a musician, music therapist, and music sociologist. As a music therapist, he has worked with people across the lifespan, particularly within mental health services. As a researcher he’s primarily an ethnographer, committed to understanding the meaningfulness and qualities of people’s ways of immersing themselves in artistic endeavour, including the work and skill they put into making creativity happen. Simon previously led the education and research activities of the UK music therapy Nordoff and Robbins. Since October 2024 he is delighted to have been warmly welcomed into the Converge community at York St John University, leading the work he will be talking about this evening.

Timings and Refreshments

This event will close at 7.00pm and will be followed by a drinks reception from 7.00pm - 7.45pm for all attending.

Venue: De Grey Lecture Theatre, York St John University, Lord Mayor’s Walk, YO31 7EX.

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