Barbara Groth
The Nomadic Wonder Seeker
Barbara Groth is a quiet legend in the experiential world. Her stacked resume includes a stint as SVP of Creative for immersive experiential juggernaut Meow Wolf. And before that, Barbara helmed her own full-service creative studio focusing on participatory and immersive experiences for more than 20 years, specializing in next generation consumer experiences for retail venues, theme parks and museums. She’s worked with Disney, Google, Vulcan, and the LA Dodgers (to name a few). Barbara came up with the idea for the Nomadic School of Wonder (NSOW) by sitting bedside with three loved ones who were dying. Overcome with the awe and wonder at being human, she created NSOW to embody play, joy, celebration, creativity and connection with ourselves. Her innovation and imagination are boundless, allowing her audiences to access the “wonder” inside themselves they didn’t realize existed.
Projects
Every Nomadic School of Wonder retreat is unique and site specific. Rooted in nature, art, community and play and taking those who participate out into the world, sometimes to remote locations, she and her “traveling troupe” of artists and experience designers create bespoke, joyous adventures that awaken the “childlike wonder inside all of us.” These journeys — traveling from Fogo Island, Newfoundland, to Ivans, Utah, to Galisteo, New Mexico — are high-concept, high-ticket experiences and are built for small audiences who seek authenticity. Ask anyone who’s been struck by the Wonder and they will tell you they’ve been transformed. Next up? A project called Wild Horses & Holy Cows. We’re waiting on the hillside.
