Blumenthal Arts expands its reach and strengthens community ties with immersive entertainment. Here’s a look at what’s next.
by Michael J. Solender
When Immersive Van Gogh wrapped its Charlotte run in January 2022, Blumenthal Arts President and CEO Tom Gabbard was struck by one key data point: 78% of tickets were purchased by first-time Blumenthal attendees.
The exhibit, a 360-degree immersive projection featuring the works of Vincent Van Gogh, was staged at Camp North End. Its run was extended three times, ultimately totaling more than 1,600 performances and selling more than 300,000 tickets.
“That [statistic] really got my attention,” says Gabbard. “We realized we weren’t offering the right things in the right places. Once we did, people showed up in big numbers. Some of that was timing — Van Gogh arrived just as we were emerging from Covid — but it confirmed that different products, places and experiences are essential to broadening our reach.”
For many arts-goers, sitting in a fixed seat for two hours isn’t appealing. Instead, audiences — especially younger ones — seek cultural experiences that are interactive, mobile and self-directed.
In fall 2024, Blumenthal launched Blume Studios, a venue dedicated to experiential entertainment located at the former Charlotte Pipe and Foundry site, now part of uptown’s Iron District.
Stage 1, set in a 30,000-square-foot warehouse, debuted with Space Explorers: The Infinite, an immersive VR journey aboard the International Space Station that sold over 44,000 tickets. Stage 2, in an adjacent building, offers flexible space for intimate events like Faulty Towers, a comedic dinner-theater experience that ran last fall.
This November, Blume Studios will host the North American premiere of The Magicians Table, an intimate, London-born magic experience centered around a legendary (yet fictitious) illusionist and showman.
A new frontier in entertainment
“Immersive is the new wild west of entertainment,” Gabbard says. “This is like a startup in high tech … A research-and-development lab. No one has the full road map yet, and the world is watching what we’re doing.”
Postpandemic, people reevaluated how they spend their time. Immersive shows offer flexibility, often with fuller schedules than traditional performances, Gabbard says. An event like Immersive Van Gogh or Space Explorers might have a dozen timed entries a day vs. a Broadway show with a single daily performance.
“Interest is exploding — not just in Charlotte or the U.S., but globally. This gives us a way to connect with audiences who previously had no reason to engage.” Blume Studios is seeking to forge partnerships with major players like digital-arts center IDEAL Barcelona and Alfa5 XR, one of the world’s largest augmented-reality gaming hubs. Blume is also collaborating with the World Experience Organization (WXO), a global networking group for professionals focused on the “experience economy.” Through WXO’s weekly “campfires,” Blume staff connect with peers worldwide to share projects and insights.
Photograph courtesy The Magicians Table
More than a ticket
Blume Studios also adds value beyond ticketed events, by hosting local artist showcases, singalongs and educational experiences.
“We work hard to attract different audiences, even beyond those coming to our immersive shows,” says Bree Stallings, Blumenthal’s director of artistic experiences. “While a ticketed event may be the anchor, people crave communal space — ‘third space’ — to connect before, during and after the experience.” Stage 1 boasts a social gathering space with a bar, pool and foosball tables, and seating for guests to connect and engage before and after programs.
To foster this, Blume hired Sally Stokes, founder of PLAY MORE Charlotte, as its “Minister of Play.” Her programs include silent discos with local DJs, nostalgia-driven crafting sessions, epic singalongs with the Residency Music Experience and SkillPop classes — mahjong, anyone?
According to Stallings, demand for these activities is growing fast.
“Our singalongs and nostalgia nights are selling out. People want to share experiences with their friends. We’re leaning into that.”
Blume also collaborates with other Charlotte arts organizations. A recent partnership with Charlotte Symphony Orchestra produced Become Ocean, a 360-degree immersive symphonic performance that sold out its two-day run. On Sept. 6, Blume Studios will host ArtPop Street Gallery’s annual Upcycled fashion show.
Educational and vocational training are key goals for Blume Studios. Blume Studios Lab, launching soon, will offer vocational training to youth and career-minded individuals exploring the new wave of technical and creative jobs emerging alongside the entertainment content. Digital mapping, stage management and technical tradecraft all present hands-on learning, and Blume Studios Lab looks to develop homegrown talent to fill the growing need for this expertise.
“There’s no shortage of creative and artistic talent in Charlotte,” Stallings says. “Blume Studios sits at the intersection of arts and technology. We’re helping grow this emerging field and, in the process, attracting top talent and programming to our city. At the heart of it all is community — and that’s what drives us.” SP
The Magicians Table: runs Nov. 19–Jan. 11 at Stage 2, Blume Studios. Over two hours, performers deliver mind-bending illusions, storytelling, comedy and music, tableside and on stage. Guests can enjoy pre- and post-show cocktails as magicians and mentalists mingle among the crowd. Tickets start at $79.99.
