Immersive Cultural Experience
The Immersive Cultural Experience will be a most unique experience and will leave a lasting impression as there is nothing like it available anywhere.
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General Information
The Immersive Cultural Experience will be located in the International Cultural Center. Get more information about the International Cultural Center here.
The Immersive Cultural Experience will be open to the public and will offer a family friendly experience. It will offer a fully immersive cultural experience that rotates to represent a different world culture every two weeks. The core feature will be a live presentation of music, other special performance, or educational presentation about the represented culture or a combination. It will end with a crafted meal that is authentic to the represented culture. It will also feature artwork, educational materials and other items representing the culture displayed throughout the venue with many being available for purchase. The ambiance will be complimented with live or recorded music from the culture played in the background when appropriate. The front-end staff will be in authentic attire that reflect the represented cultures. The conclusion of the Immersive Cultural Experience will be a meal that is authentic to the represented culture including beverages offered.
Detailed Information
The 11,150 square feet Immersive Cultural Experience will have a separate public entrance that will be accessible following its own business hours, otherwise viewings will be available by appointment. There will be a separate private worker and vendor entrance.
A special 1,300 square foot lobby area with an interactive electronic kiosk to provide information and make reservations would be permanently open inside the Appalachian Live Crafter’s and Artisans’ Mall and will have windows to view inside. The lobby will have a direct public connection accessible during the Immersive Cultural Experience hours. Special wooden menu boards will be displayed at the main entrance and the entrance into the Appalachian Live Crafters’ and Artisans’ Mall. The lobby will feature permanent displays upon completion from each cultural cycle that will consist of the following: one set of attire, one menu, one artwork, one book, educational material about the represented cultures, and promotional materials for the sponsors of the items. It will also have two public restrooms available for its patrons. It will have a stand alone website featuring a listing of scheduled cultural experiences, a reservation and membership page, and special pages for sponsors and contributors.
The Immersive Cultural Experience will be by reservation only (unless seating is available) as the meal is carefully crafted with authentic ingredients. Monies raised from activities will go to support its operational expenses with surpluses supporting the International Cultural Center with a designated percentage donated quarterly to local food bank programs.
It will accommodate up to 68 participants per session with bench seating facing the 340 square feet presentation area. It will open to the public one hour before each scheduled presentation to allow time to view the decor and materials. The host(s) will provide information upon check-in and a coat check will be provided. There will be a gift store space to purchase materials and mementos. The cultural rotating timetable will operate on a 14-day cycle, be open for 12 days total each cycle, and then closed for the last two days to allow for each reset. Each new cultural cycle will start anew every other Wednesday.
Some featured artwork, materials, and attire utilized will be available for purchase via a bidding process during the two-week cycle. The monies raised will either be donated to the Immersive Cultural Experience or will directly benefit the artist, business or school (class) that created it. Front-end staff outfits may be available for direct purchase from the school (class) or creator that made them.
The food for the meal will be sourced locally when possible (farm-to-table). The head chef will either be from the represented culture or experienced in the represented culture’s food. The on-site 2,830 square feet kitchen will be an open design style that will be visible so participants can also watch the food being prepared. Each different culture menu will feature 2-3 preset meal options to choose from when making a reservation with 3 different dessert options also provided. There may be limited alcohol available for purchase with a two-glass limit that will be authentic to the culture represented, if appropriate for the culture. Attendees without a reservation may have reduced or no options for the meal and desserts (pricing will reflect differences).
Each Sunday there will be 2 reservation-only cooking classes available for up to 24 participants each given by the head chef that will follow the current menu. Each participant will be able to enjoy the fruits of their labor and consume the meal they made at the end of the class. This will be an informal setting with no kitchen or front-end staff. Participants will utilize a counter area open to the kitchen that will have over 3 feet of width per person for instruction and prep before moving into the kitchen area for cooking. Waivers will be required to participate. Minors are welcome but must be accompanied by an adult with a legal guardian/parent waiver.
Tickets will be available to purchase for individual presentations. Membership plans will also be available for multiple cycles at a time, for individuals or groups and payable monthly, quarterly or annually.
Security will be provided by the on-site security for the International Cultural Center. The location will have panic alarms that will directly alert the on-site security.
The top position will be the General Manager who will report directly to the Institute for Natural Philosophy administrative President and the board. Workers may be paid, volunteers, or part of a work/study/credit program. The Institute for Natural Philosophy is the owner and it is legally registered under a doing business as registration.
