IndieCade
IndieCade is an annual festival of games, both video and otherwise, that are independent, alternative, fringe, experimental, and non-games-related-to-games. Their diverse program explores what games might become and also provides support for upcoming designers and artists. To this end, the festival includes a number of juried and community-voted awards that bridge the gap from high-budget projects to single-art works. Their curated displays always have a host of “games” that defy expectation and would be of great interest to the art world: from games played with hacked quilting machines, to bleeding-edge virtual reality, to theatrical performances in a van, to wearable technology, to riot simulators, to digital seances, to quiet narratives about anxiety. Additionally, their programing includes developer and critical sessions such as “Women In Esports”, academic surveys of the politics of play, or interviews with luminaries, such as one of the creators of Myst. Night Games, their infamously chaotic late-night curated carnival of the weirdest, boundless, mystifying, and often inspirational projects, is especially worth visiting. IndieCade offers numerous educational, professional, and creative programs throughout the year, too, including game jams.
Link: https://www.indiecade.com
Disclosure Note: Eron helped Glitch City curate Night Games in 2019. This was incredible to me (as I break institutional voice) because the early Night Games sessions were one of the reasons I started seriously exploring games in my art and writing!