Stuart WoodRefinery29, a media and entertainment company for young women, has announced a partnership with IMG, an events company specialising in entertainment, sports, media and fashion.
The partnership will see the two groups expanding 29Rooms – an immersive experience of culture and creativity where artists and partners bring new and socially relevant ideas to life through interactive installations, performances and activities.
Starting in 2019, IMG will manage the production, operations and branded partnerships of 29Rooms’ events in New York and Los Angeles. It also plans to expand 29Rooms into other U.S. cities, and launch an international tour that will include Canada, Europe, and potentially Australia and Asia.
Previous collaborators for 29Rooms have included: Janelle Monáe, Demi Lovato, Jake Gyllenhaal, Kesha, Lena Waithe, Kali Uchis, Rupi Kaur, Snapchat, Google, Facebook, and more.
Executive creative director Piera Gelardi commented: “We’re thrilled to partner with IMG to expand 29Rooms to new markets, and scale the event globally for the first time.
“Since launching 29Rooms in 2015, we’ve seen huge demand for the experience both nationally and internationally as audiences look for meaningful, new ways to interact with art, culture, and each other. Through this partnership, we’ll continue to experiment and advance the live event space, sparking creativity and cultural dialogue in more communities around the world.”
Jacob Smid, senior vice president in charge of music and touring events for IMG, said: “We believe Refinery29 has created an incredibly unique, meaningful and engaging experience in 29Rooms, which has drawn in more than 100,000 international visitors and garnered a powerful following in only four years.
“There is so much potential for this series, and we are very excited to be working with them to bring 29Rooms to even more audiences in new cities.”