Planetarium Hosts Adults Only Immersive Music and Visual Art Night
The Harry C. Vaughan Planetarium at the University of Wyoming presented Dome After Dark on Nov. 8, a ticketed adults only event that combined live electronic music with fulldome visuals and creative installations. The program signals a growing use of campus science spaces for community oriented arts and experiential programming, offering Albany County residents a new late night cultural option at an accessible $12 ticket price.
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On the evening of Nov. 8 the Harry C. Vaughan Planetarium opened its dome to an adults only crowd for Dome After Dark, an experimental arts event that ran from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Doors opened at 8:30 p.m. The program featured Colorado electronic artists Tom Hoch Jr. and Scott Everett alongside artists from the UW Innovation Network and installations by the SciDIY Makerspace, blending live electronic soundscapes with immersive fulldome visuals.
The ticketed event, available to adults 18 and older at a advertised price of $12, drew a late night audience seeking an unconventional cultural experience on a University of Wyoming campus stage. Organizers framed the evening as part of an effort to expand the planetarium beyond traditional astronomy shows into community oriented arts and experiential programming, making a science facility available as a venue for creative practice and public engagement.
For Albany County residents the event represents both expanded cultural opportunity and questions about access and planning. A low ticket price can make specialized arts programming more affordable than many off campus performances, while locating events in a university facility leverages public assets for broader community benefit. At the same time the late night schedule can present transportation and safety barriers for some residents, including those who rely on public transit, have caregiving responsibilities, or are concerned about returning home after midnight.
Public health considerations are relevant when institutions turn to late night experiential programming. Planners can increase accessibility and equity by coordinating safe transportation options, clearly communicating venue accessibility, and scheduling occasional daytime or earlier evening alternatives that welcome families and older adults. Using university spaces for arts also raises equity questions about outreach to underrepresented groups in Albany County and about whether programming will reflect diverse voices and budgets.
The collaboration with the SciDIY Makerspace and the UW Innovation Network underscores a trend toward interdisciplinary partnerships that merge technology, art, and community engagement. Such collaborations can create learning opportunities for students and local artists, while adding new cultural offerings to the county calendar. For local policymakers and civic leaders, events like Dome After Dark highlight the potential of institutional assets to contribute to community vitality, and the need for supportive policies that address transportation, safety, and inclusive outreach.
As the planetarium continues to explore creative uses for its dome, Albany County residents gained a new kind of late night event this fall, one that points to broader possibilities for campus community connections and for making science spaces sites of shared cultural life.
