Videogames: Perspectives from the Museum
Lead Research Organisation:
Victoria and Albert Museum
Department Name: Contemporary
Abstract
This project seeks to facilitate the development of new approaches to videogames design and the communities that make and play them. It also aims to define the 'objecthood' of videogames as complex, interactive, digital objects encompassing both tangible (hardware) and intangible (user content, interaction) elements. It will posit that UNESCO's current definition of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) as 'traditions or living expressions inherited from our ancestors and passed on to our descendants', including 'oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe or the knowledge and skills to produce traditional crafts' does not adequately take into account the inherently hybrid, networked and interactive nature of digital objects and - taking videogames as a case in point - will produce, in collaboration with colleagues at the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum (CHSDM), the draft of a new, critical framework for assessing, acquiring and documenting videogames into museum collections which will be trialled at both museums. This work will involve hosting closed workshops with practitioners and industry leaders in the UK and US, and staging two conferences to make public the work and findings of the Fellowship. This work and the insights generated will be tested and shared during the workshops and conferences and will be published broadly via the V&A's blog and Cooper Hewitt's public channels. The work will further form a case study for planned research into digital collecting at the V&A, and the prototype framework for videogames acquisition will also be published for a specialist audiences in both videogame and museum sector journals. This Fellowship is timely and urgent as both participating institutions acknowledge the pressing need to make informed decisions on the collection, preservation and documentation of intangible, complex, digital heritage.
Organisations
- Victoria and Albert Museum (Fellow, Lead Research Organisation)
- National Museum of American History (Collaboration)
- Anacostia Community Museum (Collaboration)
- Georgia OKeeffe Museum (Collaboration)
- National Gallery, London (Collaboration)
- National Museum of African American History and Culture (Collaboration)
- Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum (Collaboration)
- Smithsonian American Art Museum (Collaboration)
- Newark Museum (Collaboration)
People |
ORCID iD |
| Marie Foulston (Principal Investigator / Fellow) |
| Title | The Grannies |
| Description | A multi-channel documentary short film. A group of players venture beyond the boundaries of the videogame Red Dead Online (Rockstar Games, 2018). Peeking behind the curtain of the game's virtual world they discover a captivating and ethereal space that reveals the humanity and materiality of digital creations. The Grannie's premiered at the 2021 IDFA film festival in Amsterdam and was part of the official selection for the 2022 London Short Film Festival. |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Impact | The Grannies premiered at IDFA (International Documentary Festival Amsterdam) and has screened at London Short Film Festival. It is due to screen at further film festivals internationally. The work has received press coverage and interest including a review in The Guardian. There are ongoing discussions with a variety of cultural institutions and festivals internationally to further exhibit the work. |
| URL | https://www.tigershungry.co.uk/thegrannies |
| Description | This project identified a lack of research, writing and documentation on the methods, models and criteria used for the exhibition and interpretation of videogames within museums and galleries. Through research into recent exhibitions and displays of videogames across the UK and the east coast of the United States the project explored the 'objecthood' of videogames as complex, interactive, digital objects and the challenges these attributes pose to traditional models for exhibitions and their development. The research outcome proposes that curators approach videogames not as material objects but as ephemeral, time-based performances that encompass both tangible (hardware, environment) and intangible (user, interaction, social) elements. The research was able to identify practical and theoretical parallels between videogames and broader creative disciplines that also challenge traditional models of exhibition and display. In particular this included new media art, architecture and performance. These fields have a greater history of exhibition within cultural institutions and by examining these histories there are key learnings, ideas, models and best practices that videogame curators can draw upon. Looking beyond cultural institutions the research also recommends that curators and museums look towards sites of digital commercial entertainment such as new immersive experiences for alternative interactive and performative exhibition formats. Based on the findings a small scale publication entitled 'How to Exhibit a Videogame' was put together in partnership with colleagues at the Cooper Hewitt and the V&A. It incorporates exhibition case studies, key research findings and a series of provocations that challenge the 'objecthood' of videogames, existing exhibition models and the role of the videogame curator. This publication will be distributed in 2020. This research project enabled the convening of new specialist networks of videogame curators and event producers working both independently and across international cultural institutions. A series of international workshops provided space for knowledge sharing and the surfacing of key discussions impacting curatorial practitioners. The topics of discussion raised through these events were collated and reviewed to develop a sector map of the leading trends and challenges currently faced by curators engaged with the exhibition of videogames. This research project also supported "Parallel Worlds", a V&A public conference in January 2019. The event brought together creative communities, museum professionals, students and professionals from the videogame industry. This conference provided a public forum to connect discussions on videogame design and culture with those from other design fields, creative industries, and cultural heritage . Building on the exhibition and the research project, the V&A hosted a public-facing Friday Late event in January 2019 dedicated to videogames and playful media that attracted an audience of 4651 members of the general public. This event provided a forum to explore alternative interactive and performative display formats beyond 'temporary exhibitions' for videogames that foster public engagement and literacy. |
| Exploitation Route | The project outcomes provide new research, writing and documentation on the exhibition and interpretation of videogames within museums and galleries. It analyses existing exhibition formats and development models and also proposed new ones drawn from research into heritage and commercial entertainment sector. These formats and models are applicable for curators and cultural institutions looking to exhibit not just videogames but digital design and culture more broadly. The lens this research provides on the 'objecthood' of videogames will also be of benefit for institutions, curators and conservators engaged with the collection and preservation of videogames and complex digital objects. The sector mapping documentation developed through the specialist network workshops provides a new framework of leading discussions and challenges facing curators. This framework can be used to help provide structure for further subject specialist networks. It also highlights key areas and ways where the videogame industry, cultural institutions, funding bodies and arts organisations can provide sector support. |
| Sectors | Creative Economy,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| Description | Museums and galleries internationally have cited this research in shaping their approaches to new videogame exhibitions. These exhibitions to date include: MoMA, New York, USA. Never Alone (2022) ACMI, Melbourne/ Naarm, Australia. Out of Bounds: Exploring the Limits of Videogames (2022) |
| First Year Of Impact | 2022 |
| Sector | Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| Impact Types | Cultural |
| Description | National Lottery Project Grants - Electronic Voyages |
| Amount | £14,750 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | ACPG-00318079 |
| Organisation | Arts Council England |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 11/2020 |
| End | 05/2021 |
| Description | West of England Creative Freelancer Grant |
| Amount | £3,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | CFG209 |
| Organisation | West of England Combined Authority |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 08/2021 |
| End | 02/2022 |
| Description | Cooper Hewitt Interaction Lab - Transforming the Museum Experience |
| Organisation | Anacostia Community Museum |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | From October 2020 through to March 2021 I was invited to participate in the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum 'Transforming the Museum Experience' working group. This research project convened a series of workshops inviting 15 museum professionals working across visitor experience-related roles, representing: curatorial, education, audience research, visitor services, exhibition design, digital, and accessibility. This cohort collectively addressed the question of how museum professionals might transform collective approaches to designing museum experiences that better reflect the diverse communities they serve. This project was supported by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation. I attended 6 x 4 hour long workshops, provided presentations on my work and specialisms pertaining to the display and exhibition of videogames, supported 2 x 2 hour long online public programming and co-authored the publication 'Tools and Approaches for Transforming Museum Experience'. My invitation to participate in this project was a direct result of the AHRC fellowship. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborating partners attended 6 x 4 hour long workshops, provided presentations on their work, supported 2 x 2 hour long online public programming and co-authored, edited and published the online publication 'Tools and Approaches for Transforming Museum Experience'. |
| Impact | Publication:'Tools and Approaches for Transforming Museum Experience' - Cooper Hewitt |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Cooper Hewitt Interaction Lab - Transforming the Museum Experience |
| Organisation | Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | From October 2020 through to March 2021 I was invited to participate in the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum 'Transforming the Museum Experience' working group. This research project convened a series of workshops inviting 15 museum professionals working across visitor experience-related roles, representing: curatorial, education, audience research, visitor services, exhibition design, digital, and accessibility. This cohort collectively addressed the question of how museum professionals might transform collective approaches to designing museum experiences that better reflect the diverse communities they serve. This project was supported by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation. I attended 6 x 4 hour long workshops, provided presentations on my work and specialisms pertaining to the display and exhibition of videogames, supported 2 x 2 hour long online public programming and co-authored the publication 'Tools and Approaches for Transforming Museum Experience'. My invitation to participate in this project was a direct result of the AHRC fellowship. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborating partners attended 6 x 4 hour long workshops, provided presentations on their work, supported 2 x 2 hour long online public programming and co-authored, edited and published the online publication 'Tools and Approaches for Transforming Museum Experience'. |
| Impact | Publication:'Tools and Approaches for Transforming Museum Experience' - Cooper Hewitt |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Cooper Hewitt Interaction Lab - Transforming the Museum Experience |
| Organisation | Georgia OKeeffe Museum |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | From October 2020 through to March 2021 I was invited to participate in the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum 'Transforming the Museum Experience' working group. This research project convened a series of workshops inviting 15 museum professionals working across visitor experience-related roles, representing: curatorial, education, audience research, visitor services, exhibition design, digital, and accessibility. This cohort collectively addressed the question of how museum professionals might transform collective approaches to designing museum experiences that better reflect the diverse communities they serve. This project was supported by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation. I attended 6 x 4 hour long workshops, provided presentations on my work and specialisms pertaining to the display and exhibition of videogames, supported 2 x 2 hour long online public programming and co-authored the publication 'Tools and Approaches for Transforming Museum Experience'. My invitation to participate in this project was a direct result of the AHRC fellowship. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborating partners attended 6 x 4 hour long workshops, provided presentations on their work, supported 2 x 2 hour long online public programming and co-authored, edited and published the online publication 'Tools and Approaches for Transforming Museum Experience'. |
| Impact | Publication:'Tools and Approaches for Transforming Museum Experience' - Cooper Hewitt |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Cooper Hewitt Interaction Lab - Transforming the Museum Experience |
| Organisation | National Gallery, London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | From October 2020 through to March 2021 I was invited to participate in the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum 'Transforming the Museum Experience' working group. This research project convened a series of workshops inviting 15 museum professionals working across visitor experience-related roles, representing: curatorial, education, audience research, visitor services, exhibition design, digital, and accessibility. This cohort collectively addressed the question of how museum professionals might transform collective approaches to designing museum experiences that better reflect the diverse communities they serve. This project was supported by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation. I attended 6 x 4 hour long workshops, provided presentations on my work and specialisms pertaining to the display and exhibition of videogames, supported 2 x 2 hour long online public programming and co-authored the publication 'Tools and Approaches for Transforming Museum Experience'. My invitation to participate in this project was a direct result of the AHRC fellowship. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborating partners attended 6 x 4 hour long workshops, provided presentations on their work, supported 2 x 2 hour long online public programming and co-authored, edited and published the online publication 'Tools and Approaches for Transforming Museum Experience'. |
| Impact | Publication:'Tools and Approaches for Transforming Museum Experience' - Cooper Hewitt |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Cooper Hewitt Interaction Lab - Transforming the Museum Experience |
| Organisation | National Museum of African American History and Culture |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | From October 2020 through to March 2021 I was invited to participate in the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum 'Transforming the Museum Experience' working group. This research project convened a series of workshops inviting 15 museum professionals working across visitor experience-related roles, representing: curatorial, education, audience research, visitor services, exhibition design, digital, and accessibility. This cohort collectively addressed the question of how museum professionals might transform collective approaches to designing museum experiences that better reflect the diverse communities they serve. This project was supported by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation. I attended 6 x 4 hour long workshops, provided presentations on my work and specialisms pertaining to the display and exhibition of videogames, supported 2 x 2 hour long online public programming and co-authored the publication 'Tools and Approaches for Transforming Museum Experience'. My invitation to participate in this project was a direct result of the AHRC fellowship. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborating partners attended 6 x 4 hour long workshops, provided presentations on their work, supported 2 x 2 hour long online public programming and co-authored, edited and published the online publication 'Tools and Approaches for Transforming Museum Experience'. |
| Impact | Publication:'Tools and Approaches for Transforming Museum Experience' - Cooper Hewitt |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Cooper Hewitt Interaction Lab - Transforming the Museum Experience |
| Organisation | National Museum of American History |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | From October 2020 through to March 2021 I was invited to participate in the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum 'Transforming the Museum Experience' working group. This research project convened a series of workshops inviting 15 museum professionals working across visitor experience-related roles, representing: curatorial, education, audience research, visitor services, exhibition design, digital, and accessibility. This cohort collectively addressed the question of how museum professionals might transform collective approaches to designing museum experiences that better reflect the diverse communities they serve. This project was supported by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation. I attended 6 x 4 hour long workshops, provided presentations on my work and specialisms pertaining to the display and exhibition of videogames, supported 2 x 2 hour long online public programming and co-authored the publication 'Tools and Approaches for Transforming Museum Experience'. My invitation to participate in this project was a direct result of the AHRC fellowship. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborating partners attended 6 x 4 hour long workshops, provided presentations on their work, supported 2 x 2 hour long online public programming and co-authored, edited and published the online publication 'Tools and Approaches for Transforming Museum Experience'. |
| Impact | Publication:'Tools and Approaches for Transforming Museum Experience' - Cooper Hewitt |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Cooper Hewitt Interaction Lab - Transforming the Museum Experience |
| Organisation | Newark Museum |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | From October 2020 through to March 2021 I was invited to participate in the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum 'Transforming the Museum Experience' working group. This research project convened a series of workshops inviting 15 museum professionals working across visitor experience-related roles, representing: curatorial, education, audience research, visitor services, exhibition design, digital, and accessibility. This cohort collectively addressed the question of how museum professionals might transform collective approaches to designing museum experiences that better reflect the diverse communities they serve. This project was supported by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation. I attended 6 x 4 hour long workshops, provided presentations on my work and specialisms pertaining to the display and exhibition of videogames, supported 2 x 2 hour long online public programming and co-authored the publication 'Tools and Approaches for Transforming Museum Experience'. My invitation to participate in this project was a direct result of the AHRC fellowship. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborating partners attended 6 x 4 hour long workshops, provided presentations on their work, supported 2 x 2 hour long online public programming and co-authored, edited and published the online publication 'Tools and Approaches for Transforming Museum Experience'. |
| Impact | Publication:'Tools and Approaches for Transforming Museum Experience' - Cooper Hewitt |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Cooper Hewitt Interaction Lab - Transforming the Museum Experience |
| Organisation | Smithsonian American Art Museum |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | From October 2020 through to March 2021 I was invited to participate in the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum 'Transforming the Museum Experience' working group. This research project convened a series of workshops inviting 15 museum professionals working across visitor experience-related roles, representing: curatorial, education, audience research, visitor services, exhibition design, digital, and accessibility. This cohort collectively addressed the question of how museum professionals might transform collective approaches to designing museum experiences that better reflect the diverse communities they serve. This project was supported by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation. I attended 6 x 4 hour long workshops, provided presentations on my work and specialisms pertaining to the display and exhibition of videogames, supported 2 x 2 hour long online public programming and co-authored the publication 'Tools and Approaches for Transforming Museum Experience'. My invitation to participate in this project was a direct result of the AHRC fellowship. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborating partners attended 6 x 4 hour long workshops, provided presentations on their work, supported 2 x 2 hour long online public programming and co-authored, edited and published the online publication 'Tools and Approaches for Transforming Museum Experience'. |
| Impact | Publication:'Tools and Approaches for Transforming Museum Experience' - Cooper Hewitt |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Digital Art in the Physical Realm - Masterpiece London Panel Talk |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Virtual panel discussion with Masterpiece London discussing the role of bringing digital arts and virtual culture into in person culture institutions. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.masterpiecefair.com/event-detail/81 |
| Description | Game Developers Conference Keynote Presentation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | I delivered a keynote presentation at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. I presented on my experience on and research into alternative models for exhibiting videogames. As a result of this presentation I connected with archivists, curators and institutions who were in attendance, this lead to future interviews and research visits. This presentation also generated media interest in my work and research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://web.archive.org/web/20190407145055/https://www.gdcvault.com/play/1025737/Design-Play-Disrupt... |
| Description | Gaming Reality Event - IDFA (International Documentary Festival Amsterdam) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | An evening symposium event as part of IDFA's Doc Lab programming. I was invited to speak on my work as a curator of videogames an also to discuss 'The Grannies' short film that was premiering at the festival. This film is also an artistic output that builds on this research project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.idfa.nl/en/shows/be772d65-5699-4117-9f75-ee509501e4ca/doclab-live-gaming-reality |
| Description | In Conversation event on videogame performances at ACMI (Melbourne/ Naarm) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | In person event in conversation with curators at ACMI in Melbourne. The event provided a platform for discussions and engagement with videogames as performances and the exhibition of this work in an alternative format. Approx 100 members of the general public attended the event. The event will also be made available online in the near future where it will reach a broader international audience. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.acmi.net.au/whats-on/videogames-performance-marie-foulston/ |
| Description | In conversation event as part of AIDC (Australian International Documentary Conference) Melbourne/ Naarm |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A moderated panel discussion on creating immersive experiences. The talk discussion drew parallels between exhibitions, emerging immersive technology and the documentary format. An audience of around 100 industry professionals predominantly from documentary film attended the session which lead to conversations and audiences questions that highlighted new ideas and learning. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.aidc.com.au/event/experiential-storytelling-with-lynette-wallworth-and-marie-foulston/ |
| Description | Interview and article for Cook and Becker on videogame curation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Interview with Cook and Becker discussing current state of videogame curation within cultural institutions. Interviewed alongside curators from the Barbican and Smithsonian. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.cookandbecker.com/en/article/315/the-state-of-video-game-curation.html |
| Description | Interview with Raw Fury podcast on videogame curation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Interview with leading games industry publisher Raw Fury as part of their podcast series discussing videogame curation. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://soundcloud.com/artoffurypodcast/aofmarie?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=s... |
| Description | M+ Design Trust Research Fellowship Public Talks |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A panel discussion was held between myself and M+ videogame research fellow Hugh Davies. The discussion covered conversations about videogame design and culture and methods for the exhibition and display of videogames. The event was predominantly attended by museum professionals, local media, design practitioners and students. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://web.archive.org/web/20200305121725/https://www.westkowloon.hk/en/mplus/whats-on-51/2018-m-de... |
| Description | M+ Museum Workshops and Presentation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | I was invited to the M+ Museum in West Kowloon to take part in a day of presentations and workshops with museum staff (including curators, conservators, researchers and collection management specialists). During the day I presented on my work and research on exhibiting videogames and attended various departmental working groups to discuss issues relating to the exhibition and collection of complex digital objects. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Madecast Podcast episode for the Museum of Digital Art and Entertainment. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Interview on videogame curation with the Made Museum (Museum of Digital Arts and Entertainment) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://art19.com/shows/the-madecast/episodes/3043477a-9ef1-4d58-ad11-8e5b9a3822c3 |
| Description | NYU Game Centre Lecture |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | I delivered a keynote presentation and discussion at NYU game centre as part of their annual lecture series. I presented on my experience on and research into alternative models for exhibiting videogames. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://web.archive.org/web/20200305115714/https://gamecenter.nyu.edu/event/nyu-game-center-lecture-... |
| Description | Parallel Worlds: Videogame Design and Culture - V&A Conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | 'Parallel Worlds' was a V&A conference dedicated to videogame design and culture I hosted as part of this research project. This day long conference brought together talks from leading international game designers, artists, engineers and thinkers on the subject of videogames and playful immersive worlds. Speakers included Chris Kujawski, Principal Designer of the Xbox Adaptive Controller; Amanda Johnston-Batt from Framestore's rides team and independent game designer Jenny Jiao Hsia, whose work featured in the exhibition Videogames: Design/Play/Disrupt. The conference was attended by an estimated 200 attendees. The audience for the event was a mix of games industry practitioners ranging from early to mid career, curators and creative producers from across games and digital media alongside academics and students from leading game design institutions including the Abertay University, Goldsmiths, London College of Communication and University College London. The event generated media coverage on the projects and work presented. The conference also generated new discussions between videogame practitioners and professionals working across cultural heritage and other design fields and creative industries. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://web.archive.org/web/20200303111158/https://www.vam.ac.uk/blog/projects/parallel-worlds-2019-... |
| Description | Platform Talk at Abertay University |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | I delivered a keynote presentation and discussion at Abertay University as part of their Platform lecture series. I presented on my experience on and research into alternative models for exhibiting videogames. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://web.archive.org/web/20200305120638/https://www.abertay.ac.uk/visit/weave-by-abertay/weave-pa... |
| Description | Public exhibition of new work 'The Grannies' at ACMI (Melbourne/ Naarm) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Public exhibition of film installation 'The Grannies' (a new work created in response to the research award) as part of the exhibition 'Out of Bounds: Exploring the Limits of Videogames' at ACMI in Melbourne/ Naarm, Australia. The exhibition has seen 40,000 visitors to date and is the most successful exhibition the museum has undertaken in its Gallery 3 space. General feedback from the institution is how the work is changing visitor perceptions about videogame design and culture. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.acmi.net.au/whats-on/out-of-bounds/ |
| Description | The Display & Interpretation of Videogames - UK Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The first of two international workshops bringing together practitioners working across the public display and exhibition of videogames, games and playful media alongside representatives from the videogame industry. This first workshop consisted of practitioners from across the United Kingdom. Attendees included practitioners at different stages in their careers working across a range of cultural institutions of different scales and specialisms, as well as those working independently. The workshop opened with a series of four presentations on recent videogame displays and exhibitions. Afterwards a roundtable discussion was held amongst all participants reflecting on the presentations, their own practices and key questions, concerns and challenges they face within their practice as curators and event producers. The aim of the workshop was to share knowledge and best practice from recent exhibitions; to create a networking space for curators working within a developing field; and to help collectively identify key concerns, questions and challenges each faces in their work and practice. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | The Display & Interpretation of Videogames - US Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The second of two international workshops bringing together curators and practitioners working across the public display and exhibition of videogames, games and playful media. This second workshop consisted of practitioners primarily from across the East Coast of the United States. Attendees included practitioners at different stages in their careers working across a range of cultural institutions of different scales and specialisms, as well as those working independently. The workshop opened with a series of four presentations on recent videogame displays and exhibitions. Afterwards a roundtable discussion was held amongst all participants reflecting on the presentations, their own practices and key questions, concerns and challenges they face within their practice. The aim of the workshop was to share knowledge and best practice from recent exhibitions; to create a networking space for curators working within a developing field; and to help collectively identify key concerns, questions and challenges each faces in their work and practice. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |