Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience opens in Belfast, where is it and how to get tickets

Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience will be based at Carlisle Memorial Church into the New Year, following huge success across a number of European cities and the United States.

The 360-degree digital art experience, by entertainment producer Exhibition Hub together with Fever, the leading entertainment discovery platform, offers visitors ‘total immersion’ in the life and work of Van Gogh.

The digital production invites visitors to step into more than 300 of Van Gogh’s sketches, drawings, and paintings by using floor-to-ceiling large-scale digital projections in an expansive central projection area.

Named a “must see” attraction by CNN, the exhibition also includes hands-on drawing activities and a one-of-a-kind Virtual Reality (VR) experience in separate galleries within the 10,000 square foot experience.

In the drawing studio, guests’ work becomes a part of the show, while the multi-sensory VR experience lets visitors explore the unforgettable 10-minute journey “A Day in the Life of the Artist”, in which the inspiration behind some of Van Gogh’s most beloved works are revealed, including Vincent’s Bedroom at Arles, and Starry Night Over The Rhone.

The exhibit showcases state-of-the-art video mapping technology, available to only a handful of companies in the world, to create a truly immersive experience that provides its audience with a new, intimate understanding of the post-impressionist genius and his work. The stunning animated visuals were created in collaboration with the world-renowned digital media artists Dirty Monitor whose work has been the centerpiece of events such as the Bordeaux Wine Festival, the Beijing International Film Festival, and the new year’s celebrations at the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the world’s tallest structure.

The exhibition strikes a careful balance between immersion and education and guests are treated to an experience that is rich with dynamic animation and visuals, and equally rich with meaning. Premiering in Belfast, for the first time across all the exhibit locations, will be the latest version of all the video content including the VR experience.

Planning for Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience began in 2016, and it first premiered in a cathedral in Naples, Italy, in November 2018 before touring multiple European cities and across the United States. The experience welcomed more than 3.5 million visitors in 2022.

Mario Iacampo, CEO and Creative Director for Exhibition Hub said: “We are delighted to open Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience in Belfast . Our focus on total immersion starts from the moment you enter and stays with you long after you leave. This wholly new way to experience art, provides our guests with a deeper appreciation of Van Gogh’s genius in a truly transcendent environment.”

For further information and to book, go to www.vangoghexpo.com/belfast/#info

What is Carlisle Memorial?

Carlisle Memorial was built between 1872 and 1875 as James Carlisle’s memorial to his children who died and a gift to his adopted city. It was designed by WH Lynn, one of Belfast’s pre-eminent Victorian-era architects, and became known as the ‘Methodist Cathedral’.

Since 2015, Carlisle Memorial has been a venue for a range of engagement activities and public events involving people from across Belfast. Community and cultural activities use the building, including dancing, public lectures and exhibition space. Belfast Buildings Trust (BBT), a charity that uses and reuses the buildings and stories that make Belfast special, acquired Carlisle Memorial in 2011. It has since raised over £1.7m to prevent the building’s collapse and then, in 2015, to complete a first phase regeneration scheme.