Meow Wolf Is Coming To Denver
By Jeff Todd
DENVER (CBS4)- A unique art experience is coming to a blighted part of Denver, but it's not easy to properly describe Meow Wolf.
"I love that actually people can't always describe it. It's a difficult thing to pitch something that you just have to see to believe. But, I describe it as an immersive art experience that is similar to walking into a science fiction novel. So there's story to experience, there's space, there are climbable and crawl-able elements," said Meow Wolf COO Sean Di Ianni.
Meow Wolf started nearly a decade ago as pop-up art installations, but found a permanent home in Santa Fe.
Since it has gained in popularity in New Mexico and become known worldwide, Meow Wolf decided it was time to expand.
"Denver's just always been a close, kind of like a sister city to us, especially in the arts community," said Di Ianni. "People really want to immerse themselves directly in the work of artists and see the original vision of artists."
An old Elich Gardens human resources facility underneath the Colfax Avenue viaduct exit from Interstate 25 is going to be torn down and Meow Wolf will rebuild a 90,000 square foot facility. The new location will also have a store, café/bar, and theater.
"We'll work with local artists here to get their work into the exhibition and collaborate with them in the exhibition. And then there'll be ongoing opportunities after we open for activations, performances to sell work in the gift shop," said Di Ianni.
Construction will begin later in 2018 and an expected completion in 2020. Meow Wolf is already selling tickets to the opening night gala.
LINK: Meow Wolf
Jeff Todd joined the CBS4 team in 2011 covering the Western Slope in the Mountain Newsroom. Since 2015 he's been working across the Front Range in the Denver Headquarters. Follow him on Twitter @CBS4Jeff.