Dali Virtual Reality Experience Comes To Downtown Clearwater

CLEARWATER, FL -- A unique partnership between the internationally renowned Dali Museum in St. Petersburg and Clearwater's Community Redevelopment Agency has brought the museum's award-winning Dreams of Dali virtual reality experience to Second Century Studios.

The six-month installation is part of the Community Redevelopment Agency's
broader initiative to support high-quality, participatory arts programming that showcases the unique assets of downtown Clearwater and the surrounding area.

This free, immersive experience transports visitors into Salvador Dali's surrealist painting of Millet's "Angelus" through virtual reality technology. The limited-engagement installation
is open to the public through June 30, and is currently the only Dreams of Dali dedicated VR experience outside of The Dali Museum.

"This installation is a first-of-its-kind experience for Clearwater, providing residents and visitors alike an opportunity to engage in the arts through technology. We're thrilled to partner with The Dali Museum to celebrate our downtown," said Amanda Thompson, the city of Clearwater's CRA director. "With exhibits like Dreams of Dali, Clearwater is establishing itself as the next great place to live, work and play."

In conjunction with Dreams of Dali in virtual reality, the CRA will feature pop-up programming each month at Second Century Studios at 331 Cleveland St. starting in January. The sponsor of the VR equipment featured in the innovative Dali Museum installation is KnowBe4, a security awareness company located in downtown Clearwater.

Recognizing the power of digital technology to create new avenues for audiences to engage in the arts, Dreams of Dali originated in 2016 and is on permanent display in The Dali Museum. The installation in Downtown Clearwater for the first half of 2019 is part of the museum's commitment to community engagement.

"We are delighted to partner with the Clearwater CRA to provide the community with a glimpse of the fantastical and surreal experiences The Dali Museum has to offer," said Hank Hine, executive director of The Dali Museum. "The CRA is taking a progressive approach to invigorating their burgeoning downtown and we are thrilled to be one of their partners in showcasing the abundant cultural offerings in the Tampa Bay region. We hope Clearwater residents and visitors
enjoy the immersive Dreams of Dali virtual reality experience and are inspired to explore The Dali Museum in all its splendor."

"We're honored to be involved in this partnership to bring the Dreams of Dali exhibit to the downtown Clearwater area where KnowBe4's headquarters are located," said Stu Sjouwerman, CEO of KnowBe4. "Clearwater is a vibrant part of the Tampa Bay community and we're proud to see it showcased with inspiring art. I truly hope that the area's residents and employees enjoy experiencing the arts through technology."

The Dreams of Dali virtual reality experience at Second Century Studios is now open to the public and will continue through June 30. A public grand opening event will be held on Friday, Jan. 25, coinciding with downtown Clearwater's Blast Friday, where guests can enjoy food from local restaurants, live music and entertainment.

Click here for hours, directions and details.

Image via Dali Museum

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