Art, Neuroscience, and Relationships: The Contribution of Accademia Teatro Dimitri to HCIM

From March 11 to 13, 2026, the Healthcare Clowning International Meeting (HCIM) will bring together healthcare professionals, artists, and researchers from over 30 countries in Lausanne, Switzerland. What began as a spark has grown into a true international movement, and this year HCIM stands as the most important event of the year – a celebration of art, humor, and care.

Nestled between lake and mountains, Lausanne, home to EPFL (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology), offers an ideal setting where science and art meet, and where beauty and purpose merge to inspire innovation and reflection. With the theme “Shaping the future of healthcare together”, HCIM 2026 invites participants to reflect, exchange experiences, and discover how laughter, creativity, and compassion are transforming care across diverse cultural and clinical contexts.

Among the many international contributions, there will also be ours: Mathieu Horeau, Demis Quadri, and Angela Calia, bringing the experience of Accademia Teatro Dimitri to the dialogue between theatre, research, and healthcare clowning practices.

Reconnecting heart and brain through humour and play

Plenary Session 1b – Auditorium A

Mathieu Horeau, teacher and researcher at Accademia Teatro Dimitri, will participate in the plenary session “The Art of Re-Connecting Heart and Brain”, together with neuroscientist Solange Denervaud (Center for Biomedical Imaging).

The session explores how humor, play, and healthcare clowning can:

• Strengthen emotional resilience

• Re-connect cognitive and emotional processes

• Create a safe and meaningful relational space even in complex clinical contexts

An approach that unites art and neuroscience, demonstrating how theatre can play a concrete role in promoting well-being and human connection.

The Shared Space

Dynamics of presence, distance, and personal boundaries – Room 1B

Also on March 11, Demis, Angela, and Mathieu will lead the workshop “The Shared Space”, dedicated to developing body awareness, empathy, and personal boundary management through practices derived from physical theatre.

The workshop is aimed at artists and healthcare professionals and offers practical tools to:

• Understand dynamics of proximity and distance

• Train relational sensitivity and presence

• Improve management of shared space in patient care

Art, Research, and Care: The Value of Accademia Teatro Dimitri

The contribution of Mathieu, Demis, and Angela confirms the Academy’s commitment to integrating artistic training and scientific research, demonstrating how theatre and healthcare clowning can positively impact therapeutic relationships and emotional well-being.

At HCIM 2026, Accademia Teatro Dimitri is not only present as an observer but brings concrete and tested methods, helping to redefine the role of art in contemporary healthcare and establishing itself as an international reference pointfor those working at the intersection of performing arts and care practices.

With the beauty of Lausanne as a backdrop, and the theme “Shaping the future of healthcare together”, this event becomes a unique opportunity to reflect, exchange ideas, and celebrate the power of human connection and creativity in care – a moment in which our team also contributes, making a difference on an international level.

Full program available here.