Lighthouse Immersive, the company behind a Van Gogh immersive art experience across the US, has filed for Chapter 15 bankruptcy.
Via Bloomberg News, the Toronto-based company submitted the legal filing on 28 July in Delaware along with its affiliates. While insolvency proceedings take place in Ontario, the filing protects Lighthouse Immersive’s US assets.
On its website, Lighthouse Immersive says it has “revolutionized how people encounter art with blockbuster immersive experiences that have sold millions of tickets”.
Artainment trend in attractions industry
These include Vincent van Gogh, Frida Kahlo, Gustav Klimt and Claude Monet immersive exhibits, and a Disney Animation experience.
According to the website, the company operates in 21 cities in North America and has sold more than 7 million tickets to its exhibitions. It has 24 permanent Lighthouse ArtSpace venues.
“Lighthouse Immersive Inc. and the affiliate Lighthouse Immersive USA, Inc. are currently undergoing restructuring in Canada,” Nick Harkin, a spokesperson for Lighthouse Immersive, told the Los Angeles Times.
“This in no way impacts the operations of our venues or the presentation of currently scheduled shows. Our goal is to emerge from restructuring a stronger company and continue to offer incredible shows to the public.”
Harkin added, “All of our Lighthouse ArtSpace venues currently operating are still open to the public.”
Lighthouse ArtSpace venues still open
Immersive art experiences are a burgeoning trend in the attractions industry, with groups such as Meow Wolf, Culturespaces and teamLab combining art with technology or entertainment.
Some of these spaces use digital projectors, holography and virtual reality (VR), and others offer secret passageways, interactive experiences and installation rooms.
Lighthouse Immersive‘s Van Gogh exhibit is one of many similar Van Gogh experiences. Its legal filing, however, suggests the trend could be a fleeting one.
‘Immersive Van Gogh’ is still on view in Las Vegas, Detroit and Toronto.
