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Velocity Arts & Entertainment Creative Director Marcelo (left) and Artistic Director Gregangelo

Resilience Through Creativity: How San Francisco’s Velocity Arts & Entertainment is Reinventing Immersive Corporate Experiences in the Age of AI and Uncertainty

​Velocity Arts & Entertainment sees opportunity in emerging event trends

By Laurie Armstrong Gossy Media Liaison

San Francisco — In an era where AI is transforming the workforce and reshaping human interaction, Velocity Arts & Entertainment, an artist-driven San Francisco Bay Area leader in immersive corporate entertainment, is doubling down on what machines can’t replicate: human connection, imagination, and storytelling.

Velocity has weathered countless economic storms since its founding, including the dot-com crash, 9/11, the Great Recession, and now the dual impact of a global pandemic and widespread AI job displacement. Most recently, the company has seen a cautious return to in-person events, even as tech industry giants like Google, Oracle, and Cisco scale back due to layoffs and restructuring.​​​​​​​​​​

“We’ve been through downturns before,” says Gregangelo Herrera, Founder and Artistic Director. “But every slowdown has given us the space to innovate, and reaffirm our belief that creativity is not just recession-proof, it’s essential.”

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Trends & Opportunities in Experiential Events

 

Alongside Creative Director Marcelo Defreitas, Gregangelo is tapping into new event trends for tech, biotech, and creative companies that seek meaningful engagement without excess.

 

“Opulence feels out of touch in today’s climate. We’re designing events that are purposeful and people-focused, without sacrificing wonder,” Gregangelo explains.

 

Instead of one-size-fits-all performances, Velocity’s experiences are custom-built to reflect each client’s mission and message, whether that’s celebrating innovation, building trust, or simply reawakening joy. From undersea galas to enchanted forests, each environment fosters connection among guests, something many haven’t experienced since before the pandemic.

 

“People are emerging from their Zoom bubbles, often meeting colleagues in person for the first time,” Defreitas notes. “We create settings where they can interact playfully, meaningfully, and memorably.”

 

Examples include performers prompting light-hearted personal reflection: a juggler might ask, “How do you keep all your balls in the air?”, while Poseidon might go fishing, not for fish, but for compliments.

 

“These unscripted moments lead to real laughter, genuine conversations, and stronger bonds,” Gregangelo adds. “We’re not just entertaining. We’re restoring a sense of humanity in corporate culture.”

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From Legacy Circus to AI-Age Creativity Hub

Velocity’s headquarters is more than an office; it’s a destination.

 

The Gregangelo Museum, a kaleidoscopic 1920s home nestled in Balboa Terrace, has officially been recognized as San Francisco Historic Landmark 318 and is a certified Legacy Business. For over 30 years, it has served as an incubator for interdisciplinary artists, performers, and creators.

 

“What began as a personal renovation project evolved into an interactive art labyrinth,” says Gregangelo. “Every room has become a portal into wonder; just like our events.”

 

Known to many as a “connectatorium,” the house is part residence, part artistic sanctuary, and part creative laboratory. It’s where original immersive productions are brainstormed, tested, and brought to life by a growing community of emerging artists, students, and performers.

 

“Many of our artists are the very people being displaced by AI and automation,” Gregangelo says. “But in our space, their creativity becomes their power, their relevance, and their livelihood.”

The Human Future of Events

As industries evolve and companies search for AI-proof ways to inspire, engage, and retain talent, Velocity Arts & Entertainment offers a timeless solution: fully custom, bespoke team-building experiences designed by real artists for real humans.

 

“You can’t automate wonder,” Gregangelo says. “And you can’t replace human connection with code.”

 

About Velocity Arts & Entertainment

Velocity Arts & Entertainment is a San Francisco-based creative agency specializing in immersive, interactive, and human-centered event experiences. Founded in the mid-1990s as Gregangelo’s Velocity Circus, the company has grown into a nationally recognized force in the experiential entertainment industry, collaborating with Fortune 500 companies, tech startups, universities, and cultural institutions. Its creative hub, the Gregangelo Museum, is now San Francisco Historic Landmark 318 and a certified legacy business, serving the city and beyond for over three decades.

 Learn more at velocityartssf.com and gregangelomuseum.com

Media contact:  Angelica Irreno

velocitysf@gregangelo.com

415-664-0095

SAN FRANCISCO PERFORMING ARTS

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