A unique art and dining concept one dozen years in the making is coming to East Austin starting Nov. 4.

Monkey Town 6 is a multi-course dining setup surrounded by a 27-foot cube that projects artistic videos during the meal. Guests are treated to dinner from local chef Sonya Coté of Hillside Farmacy and Eden East, and the pop-up dining experience remains open every night except Monday through Feb. 7.

The idea originated in New York City in 2003, according to Montgomery Knott, the project’s founder and director, and has since expanded for temporary stays in Denver and Barcelona, Spain.

Knott has considered bringing the concept to Austin for more than a year-and-a-half, he said, but was not able to start scouting locations until July. He found an 80,000-square-foot warehouse on East Sixth Street that he said was slated for demolition. The vast majority of the space goes unused, helping to create a more impactful effect, Knott said.

“It’s a pretty epic thing to walk into,” he said. “We tell people how the negative space around the cube is just as important.”

Work from 16 local and national artists is showcased during each dinner on a rotating basis and will include live action video, animation and still photography, said Knott, who partnered with The Contemporary Austin art museum for the pop-up event.

“To be surrounded by the works, one after another, makes for a unique, one-of-a-kind experience that hasn’t existing anywhere else ever before,” he said.

Past pop-up events for Monkey Town have attracted a wide range of people, Knott said, from millennials to older generations. The goal is to make the event accessible to anyone, he said.

“You may not love every [art] piece, but as a whole you will love the experience,” Knott said.

The food from Coté, either a four-course meal each Tuesday or a five-course meal each Wednesday through Sunday, is not necessarily linked to the art, according to Knott.

“The food is important on its own, and it all works together—and that’s the experience,” he said.

Guests must reserve tables in advance, with tickets costing $45 on Tuesdays and $65 on Wednesdays through Sundays. Wine and tip are included in the cost, according to the Monkey Town 6 website, and about 40 people are seated at each dinner, which occurs twice per night.

Monkey Town 6 trailer

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