# Event Details - **Event Name**: Unlikely Collaborators Spark Salon: Is Imagination Real? - **Event Start and End Date**: Wed, 26 Aug, 2026 at 05:00 pm – Wed, 26 Aug, 2026 at 08:00 pm - **Event Description**: A Conversation with Cassandra Vieten, Jonathan Schooler, and Stephen Asma, moderated by Elizabeth R. KochAbout this EventWhat if imagination is one of the most powerful forces shaping your reality?Join Elizabeth R. Koch as she moderates a conversation with Cassandra Vieten, PhD, Jonathan Schooler, PhD, and Stephen Asma, PhD, on the science of imagination and its extraordinary role in how we experience ourselves and the world around us.Far more than creativity or fantasy, imagination influences how we perceive reality, construct meaning, make decisions, solve problems, build relationships, and envision the future. It helps shape the stories we tell ourselves, the possibilities we can see, and the lives we ultimately create.Drawing from psychology, neuroscience, philosophy, mindfulness, and consciousness research, this conversation explores imagination as a fundamental human capacity that expands resilience, fuels innovation, deepens empathy, and opens the door to new ways of seeing.Together, the panel will invite us to reconsider imagination not as an escape from reality but as one of the primary ways we make sense of it, and how understanding this remarkable capacity can help us expand the walls our Perception Box. 5:00 p.m.: Doors open, reception6:00 p.m.: Program begins promptly, doors close no late admittance7:00 p.m.: Book signing and receptionPrior to the event you will receive an email from Unlikely Collaborators’ building registration system (coming from: no-reply@envoy.com) to confirm your attendance and to offer pre-check in for the event. During the in-person check in process each attendee will be required to:Present a government-issued IDTake a photo for the building registration systemReview and sign a general liability waiver and a house rules agreement (can be completed during pre-check in)Wear an event badge that displays your first nameNo exceptions.Attendance is complimentary, full and completed registration is required. Admission is granted on a first come, first served basis until capacity is reached. Doors open at 4:00pm and close promptly at 5:00pm. Late entry is not permitted as the event is being filmed and livestreamed.Attendance is limited to individuals aged 16 and older.No pets allowed (except for service animals), no outside food or beverages allowed.Cassandra Vieten is the author of the forthcoming book Imagine That: Transform How You Think, Feel, and Live with the Science of Imagination. (Releasing August 11) Stephen Asma is the author of The Evolution of Imagination. https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events1/banners/b3ce7c30-9bf6-11f1-80bb-ebfa6612c095-rimg-w490-h740-dcf8f8f8-gmir.jpg https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events6/banners/b407b4a0-9bf6-11f1-80bb-ebfa6612c095-rimg-w493-h740-dcf8f8f8-gmir.jpg - **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/santa-monica/unlikely-collaborators-spark-salon-is-imagination-real/100001996064300054 - **Event Categories**: art, literary-art, science-fair, fine-arts - **Interested Audience**: - total_interested_count: 0 - **Event Highlights**: - Age Limit: 13+ - door_time: 2026-08-27T00:00:00Z - Duration: 3 hours - Location: 1520 2nd St - Languages: English ## Ticket Details - **Ticket Price Range**: min: 0, max: 0, currency: USD ## Event venue details - **city**: Santa Monica - **state**: CA - **country**: United States - **location**: 1520 2nd St - **lat**: 34.0129862 - **long**: -118.4952006 - **full address**: 1520 2nd St, 1520 2nd Street, Santa Monica, United States ## Event gallery - **Alt text**: Unlikely Collaborators Spark Salon: Is Imagination Real? - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events2/banners/6e8dc9a056afc0d7c83bb544bfa921897f47e16b1a06ef8a7deab2121c0407af-rimg-w1200-h600-dcd8d8c8-gmir.jpg?v=1785821878 ## FAQs - **Q**: When and where is Unlikely Collaborators Spark Salon: Is Imagination Real? being held? - **A:** Unlikely Collaborators Spark Salon: Is Imagination Real? takes place on Wed, 26 Aug, 2026 at 05:00 pm to Wed, 26 Aug, 2026 at 08:00 pm at 1520 2nd St, 1520 2nd Street, Santa Monica, United States. - **Q**: Is there an age restriction for Unlikely Collaborators Spark Salon: Is Imagination Real?? - **A:** Unlikely Collaborators Spark Salon: Is Imagination Real? is strictly for guests aged 13 and above. Valid government-issued photo ID is required for entry. Guests under 13 will not be admitted. The event will be presented in English. - **Q**: Who is organizing Unlikely Collaborators Spark Salon: Is Imagination Real?? - **A:** Unlikely Collaborators Spark Salon: Is Imagination Real? is organized by Unlikely Collaborators. - **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me? - **A:** Unlikely Collaborators Spark Salon: Is Imagination Real? is ideal for art lovers, collectors, creatives, and anyone inspired by visual arts, installations, and exhibitions. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in Santa Monica, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. If Unlikely Collaborators Spark Salon: Is Imagination Real? sounds like your kind of event, don't wait - spots fill up fast. ## Structured Data (JSON-LD) ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Event", "name": "Unlikely Collaborators Spark Salon: Is Imagination Real?", "image": "https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events2/banners/6e8dc9a056afc0d7c83bb544bfa921897f47e16b1a06ef8a7deab2121c0407af-rimg-w1200-h600-dcd8d8c8-gmir.jpg?v=1785821878", "startDate": "2026-08-26", "endDate": "2026-08-26", "url": "https://allevents.in/santa-monica/unlikely-collaborators-spark-salon-is-imagination-real/100001996064300054", "location": { "@type": "Place", "name": "1520 2nd St", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "1520 2nd Street", "postalCode": "90401", "addressLocality": "Santa Monica", "addressRegion": "CA", "addressCountry": "US" }, "geo": { "@type": "GeoCoordinates", "latitude": "34.0129862", "longitude": "-118.4952006" } }, "eventAttendanceMode": "https://schema.org/OfflineEventAttendanceMode", "description": "A Conversation with Cassandra Vieten, Jonathan Schooler, and Stephen Asma, moderated by Elizabeth R. Koch", "offers": [ { "@type": "AggregateOffer", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "priceCurrency": "USD", "availabilityStarts": "2026-09-02", "availabilityEnds": "2026-08-26", "validFrom": "2026-09-02", "lowPrice": "0.00", "highPrice": "0.00", "price": "0.00", "url": "https://allevents.in/santa-monica/unlikely-collaborators-spark-salon-is-imagination-real/100001996064300054" }, { "@type": "Offer", "availability": "https://schema.org/SoldOut", "priceCurrency": "USD", "availabilityStarts": "2026-09-02", "availabilityEnds": "", "validFrom": "2026-09-02", "url": "https://allevents.in/santa-monica/unlikely-collaborators-spark-salon-is-imagination-real/100001996064300054", "price": 0, "name": "General Admission" } ], "organizer": [ { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Unlikely Collaborators", "url": "https://allevents.in/org/unlikely-collaborators/26409852", "description": "Unlikely Collaborators is a nonprofit organization fostering transformative storytelling, human connection, and internal conflict resolution. We support projects challenging assumptions, sparking dialogue, and inviting self-awareness in community, based on the Perception Box framework." } ] } ] ```