Blumenthal Arts, a not-for-profit arts organisation in the US that presents live entertainment, cultural programming, and immersive experiences across multiple venues in Charlotte, North Carolina, has announced an ongoing partnership with Layers of Reality, creator of Barcelona's acclaimed digital arts centre IDEAL.
This new agreement will see the North American debut of a series of the Barcelona-based company’s highly acclaimed experiential productions to Blume Studios beginning this autumn and continuing through 2027.
The long-term partnership establishes Blume Studios, under Blumenthal Arts President and CEO Tom Gabbard, as Layers of Reality's first ongoing North American presence.
Although Layers of Reality, led by CEO Jordi Sellas i Ferrés, aims to expand globally in the future, Charlotte will serve as the company's inaugural North American partner.
This development signifies a milestone for both organisations and enhances Blumenthal Arts' reputation as an international arts destination, while also opening new avenues for education, workforce development, and cultural tourism.
Leonardo Versus Michelangelo: The Immersive Challenge
The partnership between Blumenthal Arts and Layers of Reality extends beyond a standard presenting agreement. It reflects a shared commitment to advancing experiential storytelling through innovation in art, technology, education, and community involvement.
To showcase Leonardo versus Michelangelo: The Immersive Challenge in Charlotte, Blume Studios’ 32,000-square-foot Stage One will be redesigned to mirror the layout of IDEAL Centre d'Arts Digitals.
Key features include a large digital projection room, immersive gallery spaces, and dedicated virtual reality zones. Ultimately, this will create a venue that can host a rotating schedule of Layers of Reality’s diverse experiences.
Launching in November, Leonardo Versus Michelangelo: The Immersive Challenge turns one of history's legendary artistic rivalries into an immersive, educational experience.
Leonardo Versus Michelangelo: The Immersive Challenge invites visitors to vote at the end of the immersive, educational experienceImage credit Layers of Reality
It combines 360-degree projections, museum-quality educational content, theatrical storytelling, virtual reality, and an interactive, gamified finale where visitors vote to decide which artist earns one of the Renaissance's most coveted commissions.
This production by Layers of Reality has gained acclaim for inviting audiences not only to appreciate the works of two of history's greatest geniuses in a new way, but also to step into their lives and explore how they thought, worked, and faced the realities of life as artists during the High Renaissance.
A shared commitment
The collaboration between Gabbard and Layers of Reality began four years ago, when Gabbard visited IDEAL Barcelona to experience its innovative, immersive version of the Broadway musical Next to Normal.
Impressed by the company's distinctive storytelling style, Blumenthal Arts and Layers of Reality developed a creative partnership over the following years, which has since grown into a continuous international collaboration.
"This is one of the most significant international partnerships in Blumenthal Arts' history and further establishes Blume Studios as North America’s leader in the field of immersive experiences," says Gabbard.
"Jordi Selles and Layers of Reality have already played a big role in helping to shape our vision in creating Blume Studios. Our focus on Arts, Technology and Community was inspired by learning and observing their work in Barcelona and working on ways to pursue those goals uniquely in Charlotte.
“Layers of Reality is a true innovator. Their storytelling creatively employs multiple technologies in the same presentation to create shows that are fun and informative. They also deeply engage the community, ranging some school groups to the creative and business communities.
"The fact that they selected Blume Studios as their first major North American home for multiple exhibitions is an extraordinary vote of confidence in our organization, our city and the alignment of our shared vision."
Education and entertainment
Layers of Reality is now a prominent experiential studio with permanent digital arts centres in Barcelona, Madrid, and Valencia. It has showcased productions in over 50 cities worldwide.
Its most acclaimed productions feature Dalí Cybernetics, Tutankhamun, Frida Kahlo, The Last Days of Pompeii, Titanic: An Immersive Voyage, Tomorrowland Immersive Experience, and Jules Verne 200, drawing millions of visitors.
In Leonardo Versus Michelangelo: The Immersive Challenge, guests see two of history's greatest high renaissance geniuses.Image credit Layers of Reality.
"Our ambition has always been to create experiences that do more than entertain; they should spark curiosity, encourage learning and bring people together through culture and technology," says Sellas i Ferrés, who serves as founder and artistic director of IDEAL Barcelona and CEO of Layers of Reality.
"Leonardo Versus Michelangelo: The Immersive Challenge perfectly reflects that philosophy by combining history, art, immersive technology and active audience participation into a single experience. We searched carefully for the right partner to introduce this vision to North America, and we found that partner in Blumenthal Arts.
"Together, we are creating a model that we believe will redefine how cultural experiences are shared around the world."
Blumenthal Arts has led the non-profit sector in immersive presentations since 2021, when Charlotte became the second US city (and first non-profit) to showcase Immersive Van Gogh in the Ford Building.
In 2024, Blumenthal leased Charlotte Pipe and Foundry’s warehouse and has since hosted global immersive experiences and other events, transforming the industrial site into a community arts hub.
