Sneak Peek: Construction is Officially Underway at Blume Studios, a Blumenthal Arts Experience

September 3, 2024) Charlotte, NC – Blumenthal Arts released new renderings of Blume Studios, an exciting new creative hub and event space located in the Iron District, former home of Charlotte Pipe and Foundry’s cast iron foundry. A sneak peek of the plans can be viewed here.

 

Welcome to Blume Studios, where art, technology, and community converge. This new creative hub from Blumenthal Arts will host everything from major immersive experiences from around the world to locally created multimedia events and shows. The studio environment provides the expansive, flexible spaces needed to support both current and new forms of entertainment that haven’t yet been dreamed of. Located in the recently announced Iron District, Blume Studios continues the legacy of Charlotte Pipe and Foundry, which for over 100 years on this site was home to talented and hardworking craftsmen. A new generation of creative workers will make Blume Studios a nationally acclaimed destination where every show is different and every visit unique.  

 

 

 

Blume Studios is Blumenthal’s major return to immersive programming on the heels of the record-breaking Immersive Van Gogh, which extended three times and sold more than 300,000 tickets in 2021–2022. Part of what made Immersive Van Gogh so unique was Blumenthal’s dedication to transforming the space at Camp North End from top to bottom with the help of hired local artists. Blume Studios will similarly feature local art around every corner, beautifying the space from the dumpsters to the dining room.

 

The new space will launch September 20 with a myriad of offerings across the spectrum of entertainment. All events beginning in September will be part of the Charlotte International Arts Festival (CIAF), which will take over the Queen City from Uptown to Ballantyne September 13–29. Blume Studios events will extend past the completion of the festival. For more information about CIAF, visit charlotteartsfest.com.

 

BLUME STUDIOS EVENTS

 

Ticketed Events

 

SPACE EXPLORERS: THE INFINITE
Stage 1 at Blume Studios

September 20–November 10
Tickets start at $29.95

 

A captivating immersive journey inspired by NASA missions aboard the International Space Station. Tickets are on sale now at blumenthalarts.org/infinite.  

Step into the extraordinary world of SPACE EXPLORERS: THE INFINITE, inspired by NASA missions, and join the esteemed few who have experienced space firsthand. Through the transformative lens of immersive VR, you'll be transported 250 miles above Earth into the International Space Station. This voyage offers more than just mere observation; it immerses you in the essence of space exploration without ever leaving the ground. From exclusive encounters with astronauts to serene moments of Earth-gazing, every sensation deepens your connection to the universe and your place within it. It's more than just a simple expedition, it's an emotional odyssey that leaves a lasting impression—it stays with you.

 

FAULTY TOWERS: THE DINING EXPERIENCE

Stage 2 at Blume Studios

September 26–October 13
Tickets start at $89.50

 

Dinner and a show like no other. Tickets at blumenthalarts.org.

 

A tribute to the iconic BBC series Fawlty Towers, Basil, Sybil and Manuel are serving up mayhem on a plate – alongside a three-course meal and two hours of non-stop laughter.

With over 70% of each performance improvised, anything can happen … and usually does!

 

A very limited amount of VIP tickets will be available for each performance. VIP tickets include a seat at the reserved VIP table, special interaction with the trio, and a welcome glass of bubbly.

 

Free Art and Events
Stage 1 at Blume Studios

 

GAIA
By Luke Jerram
September 20–November 10

 

An awe-inspiring structure, located harmoniously in concert with The Infinite.

 

Measuring six meters in diameter, the mesmerizing Gaia features 120 dpi detailed NASA imagery of the Earth’s surface. This beautiful artwork provides the opportunity to see our planet on this scale, floating in three dimensions. A fun fact is that the installation is 2.1 million times smaller than the real Earth and aims to create a sense of the Overview Effect, which was first described by author Frank White in 1987. Experience what astronauts have described as a feeling of awe for the planet, a profound understanding of the interconnection of all life, and a renewed sense of responsibility for taking care of the environment.

 

Programming Sponsored by Atrium Health

 

OF EARTH AND SKY

By Luke Jerram

September 20–November 10

 

Stroll through various Charlotte locations and enjoy the words, thoughts, and memories of local poets.

 

Of Earth and Sky is a large-scale poetry installation in which poetry and text created by Charlotte poets, through workshops and online submissions, are curated and installed across dozens of sites throughout Charlotte, forming a temporary sculpture trail for the public to discover. Whilst the landscape affects the interpretation of the text, the text animates and influences the interpretation of the landscape. 

 

The title “Of Earth and Sky” alludes to the expanse of the universe (and perhaps now, even the multiverse)–but at its core, it connotes this year’s theme, space–which can be defined in innumerable ways. 

 

GROUNDSWELL

By Matthias Schack-Arnott
Sponsored by Judy and Derek Raghavan

September 20–November 10

 

Fascinating for young and old.

 

A beautiful installation that cleverly combines auditory, sculptural and interactive elements to prompt a meditation on our relationships with the earth and one another. A six-meter platform sits atop a sea of some 40,000 illuminated steel spheres. It’s stunning to look at, so you climb on to investigate and quickly discover that it’s alive. As you walk, it tilts, causing rippling waves of subtly shifting or cascading ball bearings to summon a complex oceanic soundscape.

 

The sounds can be tranquil or visceral—it’s all up to you. Oh, and to those (co-operative or vexatious) others who share the space. Galumph or tread lightly, each moment is guaranteed to be different from the last.

 

 

UPCYCLED MOON MAN

By TuxedoKat

September 20–November 10

 

The Upcycled Moon Man, a towering space walk sculpture, embodies a striking fusion of sustainability and artistry. Katlyn “Kat” Cornelius, known as TuxedoKat—a state of mind marked by free-flowing imagination and unrelenting ambition—transforms discarded materials into this captivating piece. The sculpture features countless pop tabs collected from the community and a mosaic pattern created from scrap reflective vinyl, each element enhancing its visual impact. This artwork stands as a testament to the power of collaboration and creativity, merging recycled materials into a cohesive and thought-provoking form. Partnering with Pam Imhof, a Charlotte-based artist renowned for her whimsical fiber arts, Cornelius incorporates Pam’s meticulously crocheted pop tabs, adding unique texture and depth to the sculpture. Together, their collaboration highlights the transformative potential of art in celebrating sustainability and community.

 

DEW DROPS

By Meredith Connoly

September 20–November 10

 

Morning dew embodies purity and renewal, and this symbolism presents itself across many cultures. Celtic folklore says the drops were fairy footprints left after nocturnal dances; Greeks and Romans thought they were tears from the goddess of dawn; and Indigenous Americans saw them as source of life and fertility.

When designing Dew Drops, the artist was inspired by this ancient context and visually drawn to the way dew forms a perfectly convex and round orb on top of certain types of lichen. The work inspires viewers to ponder how something so seemingly small could act as a vessel for an entire microscopic world. There is so much life beyond what we see within a drop of dew.

 

Blume Studios will also include a café and bar and a shop, Blume Studios MKT, with merchandise designed by local artists including Linda Joy Weinstein, Melissa Stutts, Chris Hood, Joanna Henry, Jen Hill, Zulynette, Marcus Kiser, Krystallin Loudermilk, Ali Loncar, Elizabeth Palmisano, and Docklands Design.

 

 

Tickets and more information at  blumenthalarts.org.

 

For production photos of Blume Studios events, click here.

 

For high-res renderings of Blume Studios, click here.

 

Follow @blumestudiosCLT and @blumenthalarts for updates and exciting announcements.

 

 

 

 

 

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ABOUT BLUMENTHAL ARTS
Blumenthal Arts serves the Carolinas as a leading cultural, entertainment, and education not-for-profit. For more information, call (704) 372-1000 or visit BlumenthalArts.org. Blumenthal Arts receives support from the City of Charlotte Arts Fund and the North Carolina Arts Council. Generous support is also provided by PNC Bank, sponsor of the PNC Broadway Lights series, and Equitable, sponsor of the Equitable Bravo Series.

 

Follow Blumenthal Arts on Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube.
 

ABOUT THE IRON DISTRICT

The Iron District is a 55.5-acre area straddling Charlotte’s dynamic Uptown and South End neighborhoods. The land served as home to 122-year-old, family-owned Charlotte Pipe and Foundry’s cast-iron foundry for more than a century, and in 2023 the company relocated operations to a new state-of-the-art facility in Oakboro, North Carolina. The Iron District seeks to recognize the land’s industrious past and, with anchor tenant Blumenthal Arts’ Blume Studios and endless possibilities for the property, cast a promising future.