Popular immersive art experiences using legacy work have the benefit of familiarity: a promise to see world renowned work reimagined. It’s a straightforward sell, and the risk of mismanaging expectations is low. But if not done well, the immersive format can quickly become a gimmicky distraction or misappropriation of the original work, raising questions around the cultural worth and value for money that these events are really delivering.

Without opting for recognisable content, it can feel hard to quantify, communicate and market what you’re actually offering. The genre, as we have touched upon, is still relatively ill defined, where vague or overly technical descriptions may cause confusion or alienate potential visitors. Videos and photography also often fail to encapsulate what one ought to expect, or can even ruin any element of surprise.

But this isn’t necessarily a disadvantage. Without using a familiar body of work, visitors may be more open-minded and exploratory in how they navigate their experience, more willing to experiment, and be surprised. The priority lies in defining what ‘sort’ of experience one can expect – will it be relaxing, informative, moving, bizarre - using adjectives and terminology likely found more in performance media such as film or theatre. Along these lines, many immersive experiences we see today have been framed as therapeutic or educational. The popular Dreamachine, touted as a ‘drug-free psychedelic trip’, and Marshmallow Laser Feast’s VR experiences that illuminate and educate visitors on processes in our natural world are good examples of this. Setting expectations in this way gives people a better idea of what they’re coming for, but it also maintains a broad frame for visitors to navigate shows in a more holistic and curious way.

Alternatively, since the licensing of legacy content can end up being a financially prohibitive, it is possible to create a fantastic immersive experience on a much less onerous budget. Take, for example, the Luminarium by Architects of Air - a series of inflated spaces of natural and geometric forms that immerse visitors in vivid colour, the only light source of which is the daylight shining through the fabric of the structure. Upon entry, the experience is transportive, captivating, photogenic - everything you would expect from an immersive experience, whilst being surprisingly low-maintenance. The concept also tours well (seeing over 40 countries and amassing over 3 million visitors) and can undergo countless iterations, spreading cost and profit potential. For visitors, the Luminarium is only £4-5 to experience – a modest price to witness and enjoy a truly innovative event first hand.

Putting on an immersive experience to enhance or deepen the work of an existing artist has a level of value that people are clearly after. But so much focus on content could overshadow the real benefit of immersive experiences - creating a shared experience of being transported into a different world. This is something that most immersive experiences advertise, but behind all the phone screens it’s hard not to question how successful this actually is.

When we’re not there for a focal subject, we have to actively explore. We are more aware of our surroundings and more attuned to those around us. Immersive theatre experiences such as Punchdrunk’s productions embody this methodology. Their work requires you - for a moment - to to exist and interact in a crafted dimension as you must seek your own journey to enjoy and co-create the show. This choose-your-own-adventure type experience is difficult to replicate with a traditional exhibit or show. Any linear storyline, whether it’s a set list, exhibition text, film arc, renders us somewhat passive, and that can only deliver so much.

Works by Teamlab, such as the aptly named exhibit Borderless are a good example of rich interactivity. Although at first glance their format appears familiar, the experience goes much deeper than most large-scale projected shows. Creating maze-like spaces of constantly morphing, responsive original artwork, where no moment is the same, Teamlab are led by the motto: ‘You become the centre and the artwork changes with you’. Visitors become the drivers of their experience shaped by their own creativity, where possibilities can be limitless.