Applications open for Smithsonian American Art Museum exhibition
Smithsonian puts out call for indie devs to explore this year's theme of "game spaces"
Applications are now open for the fourth annual Smithsonian American Art Museum Arcade exhibition.
Ever since the groundbreaking exhibition, The Art of Video Games (2012), the SAAM has been dedicated to exploring the artistic achievements of games a medium. The SAAM Arcade program is part of the museum's "ongoing commitment to the study and interpretation of video games as part of the national visual culture".
This year's theme is "game spaces", and the SAAM is encouraging all indie devs to apply, from students to professionals.
The theme was devised by Christopher W. Totten, game designer and author of An Architectural Approach to Level Design. Totten will also lead the panel of judges in determining which submissions will be invited to exhibit at the SAAM Arcade.
"Interactive media engages audiences with an array of spaces - artistic, public, and social - that capture the imagination and bring us together," said Totten.
"This summer, the Smithsonian American Art Museum will focus on 'game spaces' as a connecting idea that links video games to art, architecture, and the museum as a space for discovery and engagement."
Entries should have a topic, design, or features that relates to one or more of the following areas: games that make interesting use of space, board, or level design; games that transform the real-world spaces in which they are played; and games that are inspired by or that inspire a strong community or social space.
The closing date to apply is April 16, 2018 and selected developers will be notified by May 31. A small stipend will be offered to developers that are asked to attend the SAAM Arcade, and games will be judged by a panel chosen by Washington DC's International Games Developer Association chapter, along with the SAAM.