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Wake the Tiger accused of imitating American company
A bitter dispute has broken out between the Bristol-based Wake The Tiger and the American group Meow Wolf that has led to a lawsuit in which the latter accuses the former of copyright infringement.
Wake The Tiger has “strongly” disputed the claim and branded the lawsuit “unfounded and an aggressive tactic by a much larger business”.
Located in St Philip’s Marsh, Wake The Tiger is dubbed as the “world’s first” amazement park with “a complete dazzling wonder of the senses”.
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Meow Wolf is a Santa Fe-based immersive arts collective with flagship venues in New Mexico, Las Vegas, Denver and Austin who “imagine and create new immersive worlds to explore”.
Meow Wolf claims in its lawsuit that Wake The Tiger has copied elements of its immersive art experiences such as storytelling and art installations – which Wake The Tiger has denied.
Wake The Tiger was founded by the creative team behind Boomtown music festival. Considered as a post-Covid success story in Bristol, it opened its doors on Albert Road close to Sparke Evans Park in 2022.
The lawsuit has come as Wake The Tiger launched a busy autumn season with Halloween- and Christmas-themed immersive art productions on offer.
In its first year alone, Wake The Tiger attracted some 300,000 visitors and has built up its brand with an investment boost of £350,000 from local impact investors Bristol & Bath Regional Capital (BBRC) earlier this year.
On the ongoing dispute, a Wake The Tiger spokesperson said: “We take this matter seriously and want to clarify that we strongly dispute these claims.”
Wake The Tiger said that it has worked with numerous artists from Bristol over the years to create their “unique sensory experience” and said they are “confident that the case will demonstrate that we have not infringed upon any intellectual property”.
Wake The Tiger attracted more than 300,000 visitors in its first year alone – photo: Martin Booth
Meow Wolf say they “redefine the paradigm of art and storytelling to make a positive difference in the world” – photo: Meow Wolf
The Wake The Tiger spokesperson added: “As an independently-owned local attraction, we are deeply rooted in Bristol’s community and culture.
“Our vision has always been to create a unique, homegrown experience that reflects the innovation and artistry of the UK alternative art scene.
“While Meow Wolf is a large, US-based corporation, we are a passionate and independent team that proudly supports local artists and creators.
“The creative ideas and evolving narrative for Wake The Tiger were born out of an extension of 15 years of creative development within the UK’s underground art scene.
“We work extensively with artists from Bristol and further afield to create unique celebrations and experiences and have been making pioneering immersive street scenes, art from scrap, magical forests and secret doors into other worlds, all linked up by a continual narrative, for a long time.
“We believe this legal action is unfounded and an aggressive tactic by a much larger business who have made it very clear in their communications that they are poised for rapid expansion.
“We are confident that the case will demonstrate that we have not infringed upon any intellectual property and our focus remains on delivering an extraordinary and distinct experience to our visitors and continuing to celebrate the incredible talent within Bristol’s creative scene.”
Meow Wolf was approached for comment.
Main photo: Wake The Tiger
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