Meow Wolf keeps moving
Boy, Meow Wolf has come a long way — from a small arts collective of young people with big ideas to creators of temporary but grand exhibits to the establishment of one of Santa Fe’s most popular spots for visitors and locals alike. Then there are seductive hints that the growing arts cooperative had big ideas for the country.
Now, the expansion plans are being made public. First the collective announced it was planning a 90,000-square-foot space in Denver. Then, last week, Meow Wolf said it will become a permanent part of Las Vegas, Nev., in a new development called AREA15 (as opposed to Area 51, the legendary base in Nevada). CEO and co-founder Vince Kadlubek was on hand to make the Las Vegas announcement, remarking on Facebook before the news was made public, “I have really learned to love Las Vegas.”
To anyone reading, the actual announcement came as no surprise; after temporary installations in Las Vegas by the collective, a permanent exhibit was the logical next step.
These are heady days for the collective, creators of the indescribable immersive arts space with its magical exhibit, the House of Eternal Return. Part art museum, part experience, Meow Wolf Santa Fe has attracted tens of thousands of visitors and contributed millions to the local economy, in addition to donations to nonprofits and support for other fledgling artists. They are creating a new model for both business and artistic accomplishment. Santa Fe is proud of these trailblazers. Now, the rest of the country will be exposed to the world of Meow Wolf, where diligence, creativity and excellence are celebrated. This is a group filled with people who don’t mind getting their hands dirty. They work hard. They feed off one another’s energy. They succeed.
Because of Meow Wolf, Santa Fe is a better place — more inviting for young people and a whole lot more fun. No wonder the lines can be long to get in.
The artists of Meow Wolf remind us all that working collectively can produce a synergy in which the whole becomes greater than its parts. Private money, especially initial contributions from Santa Fe writer George R.R. Martin, public dollars from the state and the city of Santa Fe, individual donations and investments — all have combined to help turn a deserted bowling alley into an otherworldly exhibit.
Visiting Meow Wolf is about more than looking; it’s an experience in which the story and art draw in the viewer, leaving an unforgettable memory and, for many, draw them back again and again. Now, that world is traveling to Denver and Las Vegas. Interested investors or potential visitors already can buy tickets for the first week, the opening night gala or even purchase a lifetime pass at the two announced expansion sites. When Meow Wolf moves, it moves fast.
May Meow Wolf continue to be successful, while always remembering that Santa Fe is home sweet home.