EXCLUSIVE: It’s George R.R. Martin’s world and Meow Wolf wants to live in it. The Game of Thrones author is the new Chief World Builder for Meow Wolf, the Santa Fe-based arts and entertainment collective behind the House of Eternal Return and other next-gen immersive experiences and interactive exhibitions.

In the new role Martin will bring “unparalleled storytelling skills to the multiverse” of Meow Wolf by working with key members of the collective to “advise on building narrative and mind-bending ideas” that will yield “ambitious immersive installations.”

Martin, a Santa Fe resident, was an early apostle of Meow Wolf and, more than a decade ago, his backing helped secure the local bowling alley property, a site that would eventually house the 20,000-square-foot House of Eternal Return attraction. The multidimensional mystery house is the largest canvas to date for Meow Wolf’s artists, architects, and designers, and more than 1.5 million visitors have wandered the venue’s secret passages and surreal tableaus since its 2016 opening. The surrounding complex has a learning center, cafe, music venue, bar, and outdoor dining.

“Meow Wolf wouldn’t be what it is today without George’s generous support,” said Vince Kadlubek, CEO of Meow Wolf. “He took a chance on us and gave our artists the platform they needed to create the House of Eternal Return. It’s an honor to have him as part of our team and we can’t wait to see what he can help us accomplish as Chief World Builder.”

Kate Russell

The creator of the Seven Kingdoms, meanwhile, said Meow Wolf’s imaginative pursuits speak to his own creative quest to open up new worlds through transportive story and vivid possibility.

“From the very beginning, the Meow Wolf team captured my curiosity,” Martin said. “When Vince first approached me with the idea to buy and renovate a bowling alley, I wasn’t sure what to expect. However, they really sparked my interest and their vision pushed all my buttons — a sci-fi world spanning multiple universes — they delivered something we’ve never seen before. I look forward to continuing to grow the Meow Wolf storyworld for years to come.”

In April, Meow Wolf opened Kaleidoscape, an interactive art-themed attraction and ride in Denver’s Elitch Gardens Theme and Family Water Park. Kaleidoscape is in the “dark” ride tradition (it uses vehicles to convey passengers past indoor tableaus, a la Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion) but melded that mission with its aspirations as a multimedia piece of maximalist contemporary art.

Meow Wolf announced plans last year to open a permanent installation in Denver in 2020 as well as counterparts in Las Vegas and Washington, D.C., as well. The company’s ramping plans for Phoenix, meanwhile, is to open a 400-room hotel and exhibition in the heart of the desert city’s Roosevelt Row.