The blooloop 50 Immersive Influencer List 2023

Bruce Peterson is founder and CEO of Grande Experiences, a leading global arts and culture immersive experience company that recently reached a significant milestone with the opening of its 250th display. The company began in 2006 and has since reached more than 23 million visitors across the globe with its unique immersive experiences. These include Van Gogh Alive, Da Vinci Alive, Monet & Friends Alive, Dali Alive, Street Art Alive and Italian Renaissance Alive, as well as Planet Shark. They have been shown in over 180 cities and translated into 33 languages.

Over the last 17 years, Grande Experiences has established itself as one of the world’s most successful and innovative immersive experience companies. Peterson, who worked as a teacher before founding Grande Experiences, told blooloop: “As an ex-teacher, I knew that if we wanted to educate, we had to engage. And to engage, you must entertain. In view of this, we wanted to develop a type of multimedia-based exhibition that no one had ever created before.”

“It took us two years to develop the technology and tourability, and we put that first experience on at the ArtScience Museum in Singapore in 2011. So, we really pioneered this whole movement of touring immersive experiences. Then, in 2017/2018, we introduced multi-sensory elements. We looked at how your kinaesthetic sense of space, audio, visual, taste, touch, smell and all those things synchronised together.”

Grande Experiences has also built a 3000-square-metre multisensory digital art gallery, THE LUME Melbourne, to serve as a permanent flagship venue. This opened in November 2021. It is the world’s largest digital art gallery, with 150 HD projectors shooting at four storeys high and a 99-channel spatial audio system.

Toshiyuki Inoko founded teamLab, a global group of artists, programmers, engineers, CG animators, architects and mathematicians with digital art experiences in Shanghai, Tokyo and Macao. The group exhibits internationally, exploring the relationship between the self and the world through art.

“Physical media is no longer the limit,” teamLab told blooloop. “Digital technology has made it possible for artworks to expand physically. Art created using digital technology can easily expand. So, it provides us with a greater degree of autonomy within the space. We are now able to manipulate and use much larger spaces.”

In an interview with Tatler Asia, Inoko said: “I hope that after people come and see the artworks, it expands how they perceive the world. Everything in this world exists in a continuity. We hope people realise that continuity itself is beautiful and life-affirming.”

teamLab Borderless first opened as a permanent museum in Tokyo in June 2018. This was followed by a teamLab Borderless in Shanghai. teamLab SuperNature Macao later launched at the Venetian Macao. 

teamLab’s latest venue in Abu Dhabi is slated for completion in 2024. Covering an area of 17,000 square metres, teamLab Phenomena will feature art installations that are unique to the emirate. Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi, CEO of Miral, said the space will use “cutting-edge immersive technology to interpret environmental phenomena”.

Ryan ‘Woody’ Atwood is an award-winning creative director with more than 20 years’ experience developing and directing extraordinary creative concepts. He has a background in graphic design, photography, art direction, render, and animation direction. Atwood’s unique skills and visual eye have resulted in incredible creative storylines across the globe.

Atwood serves as creative director for Frameless, the new immersive art experience in London. Located close to Marble Arch, Frameless is a space for interpretations of iconic artworks by Cézanne, Klimt, Kandinsky, Monet, Canaletto and Rembrandt. Rather than just looking at the painting, the venue immerses guests in every brush stroke and every splash of colour. “We’re multi-tech. Each of our galleries is using a different form of technology,” Richard Relton, chief executive at Frameless, told blooloop.

At Frameless, he is responsible for creating and implementing memorable experiences for global audiences. Working closely with industry leaders in technology and art, Atwood has guided the creative direction of Frameless’ first venue. The attraction is home to 42 masterpieces across four unique galleries. Atwood now leads on all things content and creative as Frameless looks to expand its digital art experiences worldwide.

Before joining Frameless, Atwood worked on the opening and closing ceremonies for Expo 2020 Dubai. These featured the world’s largest 360-degree projection screen, an immersive audio system, and multi-camera 4K augmented reality – a first of its kind. Atwood has also worked on the 2002 Winter Olympics, the London 2012 Summer Olympics, the 2014 Winter Olympics, the 2015 European Games, the 2018 Asian Games, and the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.

Mollie Dent-Brocklehurst, co-founder and CEO at Superblue, is a British art curator who served as the director of London’s Pace Gallery until 2015. At Superblue, she oversees the long-term vision and development of the company, spearheads its partnerships with artists, and curates Superblue’s experiential art centres, external collaborations and commissions. 

Superblue Miami launched in Florida in 2021 with installations including an immersive environment by Es Devlin, a transcendent digital experience by teamLab, and a light-based Ganzfeld work by James Turrell. “Each of these artists provokes us to see our relationship to the world and each other in completely new ways,” said Dent-Brocklehurst. “Superblue is at the forefront of how we experience immersive art.”

Superblue allows guests to enjoy art outside of traditional museums and galleries. It was designed to showcase large-scale works that immerse and engage visitors as part of the art experience, with experiential art spread across 50,000 square feet. The company plans to expand its art venues in the US and internationally.

Under Dent-Brocklehurst’s leadership, Superblue launched an innovative mixed-reality art and gastronomy experience with dishes including a “mousse of roasted hopes”. It also teamed up with The Atlantic magazine and artist Glenn Kaino to open an immersive show called ‘A Forest for the Trees’ in Los Angeles.

Therme Art, which is part of wellbeing organisation Therme Group, is a strategic investor in Superblue. Therme Art works with artists and architects to commission and develop projects for wellbeing resorts. The company combines digital art experiences with wellness attractions.

“There is a tremendous alignment of values and vision between Superblue and Therme Group in our shared belief in the role that artists play in our wellbeing as individuals and as a society,” said Dent-Brocklehurst.

Mark Grimmer is the executive chair and co-founder of Fifty Nine Productions. This Olivier and Tony Award-winning design studio and production company creates immersive media for a wide range of audiences, with exhibitions, events, digital work for screen and VR, projection mapping, and live performances among their oeuvre.

The creative team includes experts in animation, filmmaking, writing, set, sound, and lighting design, among other fields. These skill sets are accompanied by specialised design and technical expertise to produce captivating and cutting-edge works.

Significant projects have included video design for the 2012 Olympic Games opening ceremony, War Horse, and design and creative direction for the David Bowie Is exhibition at the V&A.

The studio also produces original theatrical productions, building on its experience in creating theatrical works for organisations such as the National Theatre, the Royal Opera House, The Metropolitan Opera and the Salzburg Festival.

In addition to assisting the board and management team in the expansion and development of the business, Grimmer directs projects and writes for projects across a variety of fields. His specialist interests include conceptual development and exploring new narrative techniques for three-dimensional spaces.

In 2023, Fifty Nine Productions created Lightroom in collaboration with the London Theatre Company. This space, located in Kings Cross, London, is dedicated to artist-led exhibitions and invites them to develop entirely new exhibitions using the extensive space and its ground-breaking technology.

Its programme launched with the acclaimed immersive exhibition Bigger & Closer (not smaller and further away) in collaboration with David Hockney. The Moonwalkers: A Journey with Tom Hanks will be on show from December 2023.

Following the success of the opening exhibition, Lightroom is expanding into international locations with its first new space opening in Seoul, South Korea.

Grimmer co-founded the company with Leo Warner in 2006, following a degree in English Language and Literature at Oxford University.

Amanda Clay is the chief development officer of Meow Wolf, an arts and entertainment company that creates immersive art experiences. As CDO, Clay oversees all creative, fabrication, and development of Meow Wolf’s permanent exhibitions. She started working at Meow Wolf six years ago as the general manager of the House of Eternal Return, the company’s first installation in Santa Fe. She has since overseen the operations teams in all four permanent exhibitions. 

Clay leads the team responsible for building Meow Wolf’s The Real Unreal, which opened this July, and is currently shepherding the development of Meow Wolf’s future exhibitions, including the upcoming exhibition in Houston opening in 2024.

Before joining Meow Wolf, Clay spent 13 years creating global and national campaigns in marketing and advertising for agencies including Havas, McGarry Bowen, and Berlin Camerson.

“Amanda’s contribution to Meow Wolf cannot be understated. Having joined the company at a pivotal moment in our evolution, her long-standing leadership is a key element of our success,” said one person who nominated Clay. “Her drive to ensure that we remain authentic to our identity is a key component of our growth, from 300,000 visitors in 2016 to nearly three million people in 2022.”

They added: “Without Amanda, Meow Wolf as we know it would not exist today. Her well-earned trajectory within the company reflects her capabilities, but it’s important to note that the trajectory of Meow Wolf is a direct result of Amanda’s impact on who we are.”

The House of Eternal Return, Meow Wolf’s first experience, opened in 2016. It was followed in 2021 by Omega Mart at Area15 in Las Vegas, Convergence Station in Denver, and The Real Unreal in Texas.

Alexis Scalice was appointed vice president of worldwide location-based entertainment at Universal Destinations and Experiences in 2022. She has over 15 years of experience in the sector, and formerly served as senior director of worldwide live entertainment for NBCUniversal and director of guest experience at DreamWorks.

Projects have included the touring immersive attraction Jurassic World: The Experience, which has been seen by audiences worldwide. This experience has been honoured with a number of industry awards, including the region’s first sold-out award from Ticketmaster for its showing at the Odysseum in Cologne, and winning Best Visitor Experience at the Access All Areas awards for its run at ExCeL London.

Scalice has also worked on the Minions touring exhibition, which was based on Despicable Me from Illumination - which holds the record as the highest-grossing animation franchise, and The Office Experience, among others.

Scalice is known for her leadership skills, forming highly motivated teams in fast-paced environments. Her focus on world-class guest experiences and service enables Scalice to drive business development, increasing revenue and reputation.

One person who nominated Scalice said: “We are seeing an uptick in the performance of touring exhibitions as a part of the immersive experience world and Alexis is truly highly regarded within this sub-genre and is incredibly knowledgeable and well connected.

“She really does all the work as well when it comes to getting out there and visiting anything that could be considered immersive entertainment. You could ask her about any experience worldwide and it's very likely she's been to it or has plans to go.

“On top of all of that, she is incredibly kind and generous. She is always willing to give advice or help make connections.”

Scalice was named Hospitality Ambassador of The Year in 2008, 2009, and 2011 by Caruso Affiliated, and won a Top 25 Business Women of the Year Award in 2014 for Glendale and Burbank.

Greg Lombardo is vice president and head of live experiences of Netflix. He joined the entertainment behemoth in 2019, bringing over 25 years of experience in entertainment to the role.

One person who nominated Lombardo said: “He singlehandedly has reimagined how studios approach IP in LBE. His strategy of testing and iterating on multiple experience types – from the immersive theater of Bridgerton to the immersive game play of Money Heist – has allowed him to really understand what works and what his audience wants. And his willingness to take risks and invent new formats – as he did with Stranger Things with the Mixed Tape area – is unparalleled.”

Prior to joining Netflix, Lombardo was CEO of OffShore Surf, a microdestination concept which offers an authentic deepwater breaking wave surf experience for a broad range of audiences.

Lombardo began his career as artistic director for the National Shakespeare Company, and written, produced and directed feature films and commercials, before moving into LBE.

Hi first LBE role was as creative director for BRC Imagination Arts, which he joined in 2008.

He told blooloop: “My location-based experience started with BRC Imagination Arts, a commercial production house in Burbank. I ran the brand group for them. This was a terrific learning experience, working on great branded entertainment projects.”

While with the firm, Lombardo worked with the US Department of State and 60 leading brands to present the USA Pavilion at Expo 2010 Shanghai.

Lombardo was appointed senior vice president, global location based entertainment at Fox Filmed Entertainment, where his projects included The Simpsons Springfield Lands at Universal Studios, the Avatar: Discover Pandora global exhibition, Ice Age: Live, and the Aliens: Descent VR attraction.

 “I think everyone at Fox recognised that LBE was a unique animal. We were going to live with the results for a very long time. If we got it right, it would be a really powerful tool for both marketing and driving additional revenue,” he told blooloop.

“If we got it wrong, people would not forget.”

In his role as creative executive for Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI), Jung is responsible for leading the creative development of entertainment experiences for Disney theme parks, resorts and Disney Cruise Line. Most recently, Jung worked on Drawn to Life, a Cirque du Soleil production at Walt Disney World’s Disney Springs.

For Pandora: The World of Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Jung led the creative development of the live entertainment program under Joe Rohde, and was also instrumental in the development of all new shows for the opening of Shanghai Disneyland. He spearheaded the creation of all the entertainment programmes for Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy, Disney Cruise Line’s latest ships.

Jung also helmed the creative development of Disney experiences and shows such as Happily Ever After, Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular, Disney Movie Magic, Rivers of Light, The Tree of Life Awakenings and The Jungle Book: Alive With Magic.

“It’s hard to imagine anyone who wields more global influence – in both the theme park industry and the world of immersive experiences – than Michael,” said one person who nominated Jung. “His impact and influence grow with every new season.”

Jung arrived at Disney as part of its reinvention of parks entertainment. Since then, he has grown from a creative director to a top creative executive. In recent years, Jung has worked alongside the Imagineering team to create bold new concepts for Disney that combine theme park attractions and immersive theatre.

Winston Fisher is chief executive officer of Area15, a collaborative venture between real estate development firm Fisher Brothers and creative agency Beneville Studios. Prior to joining Fisher Brothers in 2000, Fisher worked as an analyst at JP Morgan Chase. After completing his tenure at JP Morgan Chase, he joined Heller Financial.

Area15 is an experiential art and entertainment complex in Las Vegas, home to immersive activations, art installations, state-of-the-art technology, retail and F&B. Experiences include a permanent gallery that showcases artwork inspired by festivals, an ever-changing Japanese maple tree and canopy with more than 5,000 LED lights, and an interactive giant skull covered in 3D projection mapping. It’s also home to Meow Wolf’s Omega Mart.

“It’s a cool space; it’s entertainment, it’s amusement,” Fisher told blooloop. “We are a storytelling company. It’s a word that you hear a lot, though only a few people actually do it with authenticity.”

Opened in 2020, Area15 is already expanding by 20 acres. The anchor tenant will be a year-round eerie experience from Universal Destinations & Experiences inspired by Halloween Horror Nights. In an interview with blooloop, Fisher said the attraction is going to be “incredible and standout”. Halloween Horror Nights, he said, is a “30-year concept that has incredible brand awareness… it’s edgy, it’s cool, it’s fun”. He added: “It’s the right concept to be part of the Area15 district. It’s exciting”.

“We are very strategic about working with really strong partners and delivering on what we promise them and then building from there,” said Fisher. “We couldn’t be happier that Universal chose Area15. And it’s going to drive traffic. Our goal is that everybody who’s in the Area15 ecosystem prospers. We want everyone to be wildly economically successful.”

Fisher is serving as a judge for the 2024 blooloop Innovation Awards. Speaking about the awards in previous years, he said: “This collaboration is rooted in a shared philosophy; to celebrate the projects shaping the future of visitor attractions and immersive experiences.”