The Thing: An arthaus blacklight bodypaint experience where you become the art — save $5

Bodypaint.Me is presenting the second installment of The Thing. The Thing is an arthaus blacklight bodypaint experience where you become the art. This is unlike anything you’ve experienced in Charlotte…unless you attended the first installment of The Thing!

It takes place Saturday, July 11, 2026, from 7 to 11 p.m., at Studio 1212, 1212 E 10th Street, Charlotte, North Carolina.

Admission is $20, but you can save $5 with our promo code, FIVEOFF. Don’t delay, as tickets may sell out. Purchase tickets here.

Jump to:

• Photos from the first The Thing
• How it works
• Important to know

Photos from First Event

How It Works

• The Space: When you arrive, the room is already alive. The studio glows with blacklight, sound, and movement, and the artwork begins with the guests. There are no spectators here. The room evolves as you evolve.
• The Entry Ritual: Everyone who enters receives a swift, ceremonial bodypaint marking. This is your initiation into the artwork.
• The Evolution: Once inside, you are encouraged to move, connect, and explore. Bodypaint.Me artists are stationed throughout the studio. Over the night, you flow from painter to painter, collecting small to medium glowing accents that build over time. Think symbols, linework, contours, textures, and color highlights. The experience stays in motion.
• The Sound: The music is built for movement. Expect a high‑energy dance set from GAVI with house, tribal, rhythmic, fun, and body‑driven tracks. The goal is simple: get the floor moving and keep it moving.

Important To Know

• Absolute Consent: Photos are allowed, but you must ask before taking someone’s photo.
• Physical Boundaries: Enjoy the energy, respect the space. No touching without explicit, verbal permission.
• Photography Policy: Personal phone photos are welcome. No professional cameras, detachable‑lens cameras, or external lighting rigs are allowed without prior approval, and anyone wishing to shoot with pro gear must register in advance and receive written confirmation.
• Paint Etiquette: Your entry marking is free. It is your initiation into the artwork. After that, all additional bodypainting works on a tipping‑based system. Each artist has their own rhythm and creative flow, and guests are expected to tip generously for the glowing accents that become part of their look. Only Bodypaint.Me artists may paint others. Guests may not bring or use their own paint, markers, or materials. This keeps the artwork cohesive, safe, and true to the vision of the night.
• Expression & Attire: This is a judgment‑free space of radical expression. Wear something expressive you feel great in. White, neon, mesh, metallic, textured, and sculptural pieces glow beautifully under blacklight and give painters something to build on. Underwear is fine if it is part of your look. This night is about intentional bodypainting that complements your clothing and silhouette, not full‑body pieces. There’s no secure storage in the studio. Travel light and keep your essentials with you as you move through the space. For health, safety, and hygiene, bottoms are required.