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immersive experience project

Funded by the City of Bellingham and Tourism to enhance Downtown activation & beautification, Paper Whale is activating vacant storefronts in our City center.

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The Immersive Experience Project

Like a vacant house, vacant storefronts are challenging for an urban neighborhood. We want people to feel the vibrancy of city life, pedestrians moving between businesses and accepting invitations to explore new possibilities for our future. So, we asked ourselves, why let these spaces sit empty? 

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We present "The Immersive Experience Project," a project born from the brain of Paper Whale (inspired by the Art House Project in Japan), a moment in time with a goal to utilize vacant spaces in the interim during (what we hope to be) a short-term vacancy. Each immersive experience is temporary, inspiring our community to take pause and look more closely, while also helping property owners secure a long-term tenant.​​

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Dive Into the Experience

Launching in Spring 2025, Paper Whale has matched four artist proposals with four vacancies in downtown Bellingham, challenging each local artist to transform a vacant storefront into an alternate reality. Several public openings will include:

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  • May 2, 5:00 - 9:00pm | Opening Release Party & First Friday Art Walk (all locations; FREE)

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  • May 9, 5:30 - 9:00 pm | Wine Walk (1329 N. State)

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  • June 6, 5:00 - 9:00pm | First Friday Art Walk (all locations; FREE)

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  • June 7 | Punk Rock Prom (1015 N. State, alley level): all ages, $10 cover at door

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  • June 20 | Ticketed event, details TBA (1015 N. State, main level and alley level)

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  • July 3, 5:00 - 9:00pm | First Thursday* Art Walk (*holiday weekend) (all locations; FREE)

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  • July 16 | Movie Night: The Labyrinth (1015 N. State, alley level): FREE, bring a lawn chair

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  • July 19 | Rose Reverie (1329 N. State): details TBA

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  • July 23 | Luminous Sounds (215 Prospect)

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  • July 25 | HALO LAN Party (1015 N. State, alley level): details TBA

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  • July 30 | Luminous Sounds (215 Prospect)​

More release dates announced soon!​​​ Follow Paper Whale on Instagram to track new event dates as they go live. During First Friday Art Walks, look for the sandwich board signs on the sidewalk outside of each immersive location.

The Immersive Spaces

Each of the four Immersive Experience Projects are temporary pop-up galleries, and the spaces they are occupying are FOR LEASE, so we encourage you to visit them before they're gone—like all good things in life, opportunities like these come and go. 

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  • Digital Extrusions | 1015 N. State St. (main street entrance) | Leasing contact

  • The Age of Nostalgia | 1015 N. State St. (alley entrance) | Leasing contact

  • Sylvan Passage | 1329 N. State St. | For Leasing info, contact (360) 676-4866

  • Luminous Growth | 215 Prospect St. | Leasing contact

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Meet the Artists

2025 -  Paper Whale

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