“There is no easy way to break this news,” started an email by Meow Wolf CEO Jose Tolosa.
Meow Wolf had the luxury of blaming the pandemic when it was forced to lay off 201 employees in 2020 (although this turned out to not be the whole story). It’s not as lucky this time around. An internal email reveals that it must cut 165 members of its staff across its New Mexico, Colorado, and Nevada locations.
According to the memo sent out by Meow Wolf CEO Jose Tolusa, the layoffs are necessary as part of a “reorganization” intended to put the company back on a path to expansion. “There is no easy way to break this news,” he wrote, per to the Santa Fe Reporter. “On Wednesday, Meow Wolf will be announcing that we are cutting expenses by approximately 10% and reducing our workforce in order to right size the business, fund our growth and continue driving our future success.”
Tolusa’s email notes that 111 of the staff members belong to Meow Wolf’s exhibition and corporate teams. The remaining 54 are collective bargaining unit employees from the Meow Wolf Workers Collective in Las Vegas.
“Over the past three years, we’ve developed a better understanding of our guests and what we need to staff and support our exhibitions in order to make the most of the growth opportunities ahead, including our Houston location that opens later this year,” wrote Tolusa. “Saying goodbye to friends and colleagues who have been a big part of Meow Wolf’s success to date will not be easy. We are grateful for their contributions, both creatively and to our community. And we are committed to supporting everyone through this transition as we move forward.”
Founded in 2008, Meow Wolf started out as a grassroots art collective that introduced an immersive art and music exhibition concept in Santa Fe. In 2018, the company announced its plans to open locations in Denver and Las Vegas.
Meow Wolf has said that it will break the news of each employee’s termination to them during meetings today, April 17.
