Since its grand opening in September 2020, AREA15, the world’s first purpose-built experiential art and entertainment district, has quickly become one of the most heralded new attractions in the United States. After executing a successful opening in the middle of a global pandemic, AREA15 announced it would be the first U.S. venue to stage the global sensation, “Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience,” created by European producer Exhibition Hub. The news release revealed exclusive details about the exhibit, such as the inclusion of more than 300 of Van Gogh’s works and the collaboration with voice actors to share poignant quotes from Van Gogh’s letters to his brother, Theo.
In advance of its wider North American release to at least eight cities this year, including Atlanta, New York, and Boston, AREA15 opted to have an exclusive preview for select journalists and community influencers the evening before the public opening. The event marked the first such high-profile opening event in Las Vegas since the start of the pandemic. In addition to the digital exhibit, guests had the opportunity to enjoy the virtual reality experience “A Day in the Life of the Artist in Arles, France,” a virtual stroll alongside Van Gogh himself to explore the countryside settings that inspired his artwork.
Nearly 300 people attended the event, demonstrating enormous enthusiasm for seeing the highly anticipated show—and many reported being delighted to be invited to attend such an event again after more than a year of pandemic-induced restrictions.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal and Las Vegas Sun covered AREA15’s “Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience,” as did the Los Angeles Times (serving Las Vegas’ No. 1 inbound visitor market). The Times’ coverage was syndicated in partner newspapers around the country. National outlets covering the exhibit included the travel publication Travel Weekly and CNBC.
AREA15 exceeded its ticket sales goals for the Van Gogh exhibit. As a result, the immersive art experience has been extended twice and remains on display at The Portal inside AREA15.
