Skift Take
In an era where corporate events can be as predictable as the morning commute, Meow Wolf offers something different.
At the intersection of art and enterprise, Meow Wolf’s unique creative approach turns the business event experience on its head. The company aims to ignite innovation and radical inclusivity in the corporate sphere.
Meow Wolf Co-founder and Director Vince Kadlubek describes Meow Wolf as “an immersive storytelling experience built by the hands of artists.” This seemingly simple description unpacks layers of creativity that have propelled a scrappy art collective into a 5,000-person company leading the way for transformative experiences.
Kadlubek will be sharing some of the key and his thoughts on creativity, identity and art in the business world in a candid interview as part of the upcoming “Future of the Events Industry 2024” virtual summit, live and online on Wednesday, February 28 from 11 am to 1 pm (ET)
Meow Wolf venues excite and inspire; they catalyze collective creativity. The distinct environments provide a canvas for group experiences surpassing typical conference room confinements. This is why Meow Wolf is positioning itself as a premier destination for private events and off-sites. Furthermore, it doesn’t just provide the venue; it can also help book special performances and musical acts.
What sets Meow Wolf apart in business events is its approach to creativity. Kadlubek explains, “We at Meow Wolf tend to think in conceptual containers that allow for flexible collaboration.” This philosophical tenet establishes frameworks that artists can freely navigate. It also ensures the end product is cohesive yet filled with spontaneous creative energy.
From Art Collective to Award-Winning Attraction
Meow Wolf has come a long way from being an art collective in Santa Fe to a multi-million dollar company. It has raised over $300 million and now welcomes 3 million visitors each year. The company has solidified its brand as a creative powerhouse.
“The average consumer these days wants something they’ve never seen before,” Kadlubek notes. In an increasingly homogenized world, the thirst for uniqueness drives consumer behavior. This fact is not lost on Meow Wolf, nor should it be ignored by the broader business community.
Kadlubek believes that art elevates the mundane, drives innovation, and nurtures a radical inclusivity that could redefine corporate culture as we know it. “There are opportunities for folks to step outside of the norm, think differently, spark inspiration, spark their imagination, and that’s all the stuff that Meow Wolf is designed to do,” said Kadlubek.
Meow Wolf’s Las Vegas venue Omega Mart, offers a surreal shopping experience. It welcomes visitors inside a grocery store where nothing is what it seems. In a highly competitive city, Las Vegas Weekly’s readers voted Omega Mart as 2023’s best immersive attraction.
Meow Wolf’s growth path is looking strong. It will soon open an anticipated project in Houston and is looking to venture into other markets, possibly abroad.
Impactful Experiences
The nature of Meow Wolf’s experiences promotes a sense of agency, as no two visitor’s experiences are the same. Everyone gets to create their own adventure. How Meow Wolf makes visitors question what is real and what is possible often profoundly impacts visitors. When nothing is what it seems, one starts to question labels and one’s sense of identity. This alone can lead to deep introspection that leaves a lasting mark.
Meow Wolf presents a vibrant alternative as businesses try to captivate staff increasingly immune to the allure of cookie-cutter conferences and predictable panel discussions. With remote work pushing companies to gather teams regularly in purposeful ways, it’s clear that immersive experiences resonate with a global audience hungry for the unique.
Go deeper on these topics with Vince Kadlubek at the “Future of the Events Industry 2024” virtual summit on Wednesday, February 28, from 11 am to 1 pm (ET).
Photo credit: Meow Wolf / Meow Wolf
