In 2021, Blumenthal Arts, the Carolinas’ nonprofit hub for arts and entertainment, brought an exhibit to Camp North End called Immersive Van Gogh. The exhibition was a multi-sensory experience that sought to place viewers inside the artists’ inner consciousness while also evoking his most legendary works. And, it was a rousing success. In fact, it broke ticket sales records and exceeded $40 million in local economic impact.
Tom Gabbard, CEO of Blumenthal Arts, had long perceived a growing appetite for creative experiences that place audiences within the art, rather than just in front of it. The success of the Van Gogh exhibit confirmed his perceptions. He began to dream of a permanent installation space in the Queen City dedicated to immersive exhibits. In this space, the nonprofit could continue to develop and experiment with experiential programming.
Enter: Charlotte Pipe and Foundry. This family-owned business occupied a 55.5 acre swath of property between Uptown and South End for 122 years. In 2023, the iron foundry relocated to Oakboro. However, Charlotte Pipe retained ownership of the land, partnering with developers, architects, land planning firms, branding firms, and the city of Charlotte to create a new mixed-used space called the Iron District. Like Camp North End, the property eventually will host retail and office spaces, as well as residential areas. Currently, though, the Iron District has one tenant: Blumenthal Arts. Blumenthal has taken over two warehouses to create Blume Studios in Charlotte NC, the city’s new hub for immersive exhibits.
Blasting onto Charlotte’s Arts Scene
The larger warehouse, which sprawls across 32,000 square feet, is called Stage 1. On the other hand, the smaller, 12,734 square foot warehouse next door is called Stage 2. The two buildings will host not only interactive exhibits, but also art installations, shows, and multi-media events. In the fall, Stage 1 launched its inaugural program Space Explorers: The Infinite. Participants can expect to don a virtual reality headset. And then, through the magic of VR, wander the International Space Station. In doing so, discover the secrets of the greatest unexplored frontier. Produced by Felix & Paul Studios, the footage underpinning the experience was shot over two years aboard the ISS alongside eight astronauts as they experienced the wonder and danger of orbital life.
In addition to this ticketed VR experience, Stage 1 offers unticketed space-themed attractions as part of Space Explorers. Large-scale art installations from CHEEKS, TuxedoKat, Luke Jerram, Meredith Connelly, and Mathias Schack-Arnott are on display. The Stargazer Lounge will be open for business, mixing cocktails, brewing coffee, and dishing out small bites. And, of course, the excellent vibes that emanate from a place of creative innovation and artistic exploration are plentiful and complimentary.
Blumenthal’s Director of Artistic Experiences Bree Stallings and Gabbard see Space Explorers as just the beginning. With an arsenal of immersive experience ideas to keep Stages 1 and 2 bustling with activity in the years to come, Stallings and Gabbard hope that Blume Studios in Charlotte NC can continue to grow, ultimately becoming a national trailblazer for immersive arts.
