Part of the Brisbane Festival’s BOQ Festival Garden, IMAGINARIA is designed as an explosion between imagination and technology.

It is comprised of 10 multi-sensory and interactive rooms which house AI projections, an anti-gravity sunset, an electronic hall of mirrors, and giant silk parachute canopies to name a few.

IMAGINARIA first opened in Melbourne in late-2020 and racked up 100,000 visitors across its six-month season and can be experienced as a 15-minute walkthrough or an hour long immersive art experience.

Creative Director of IMAGINARIA Nick Ennis said the combination of light and sound installations, inflatable architecture, and digital renderings were designed to unstick people’s perceptions of reality.

“IMAGINARIA builds a constant sense of anticipation. Each room is slowly revealed as you move through the space and a different atmosphere and mood is presented,” said Ennis.

Ennis emphasised that self-directed exploration was central to the experience.

“You can play, chill, explore and engage at your own pace,” he said.

“There are chairs and lounges throughout the experience to encourage lingering when the moment feels right.

“We want each visitor to leave with a revelation, but we’ll settle for a small shift in your thinking. We’re playing with the idea that reality is relative when you’re looking through a wide-angle lens – like outer space wide.

“We’ve designed IMAGINARIA for all ages from young families to early twenties, we’ve really worked hard to create an experience that talks to both adult and child in the same breath.”

Brisbane Festival Artistic Director Louise Bezzina said she was thrilled to welcome an all-new iteration of IMAGINARIA to Brisbane Festival following its successful Melbourne pilot season.

“IMAGINARIA is modern and magnetic, combining cutting-edge technology and emerging trends with the timeless attractions of a thrilling light and sound show to produce a fully immersive experience unlike anything Brisbane has seen before,” Bezzina said.

IMAGINARIA will be located by the Queensland Maritime Museum underneath the Goodwill Bridge in a purpose-built enclosed playground as part of BOQ’s Festival Garden festival hub.

“It is so wonderful to once again give our visitors and artists a place where they can come together to connect, play and rediscover what they love about this city and this Festival,” Bezzina said.

“Community and celebration are at the heart of this year’s Festival and BOQ Festival Garden will keep it pumping with art, dance, music, connection and joy.”

IMAGINARIA opens 3 September as part of Brisbane Festival at BOQ’s Festival Garden, for more information visit their website.