EPIC-WE
EPIC-WE is a Horizon Europe-funded project that aims to get young people to reflect on European values & culture and think about their own future by making games. These games - from board game to video game - are created by young people in so-called cultural game jams, in which the participants create a game inspired by cultural heritage in a short period of time.
EPIC-WE is a Horizon Europe-funded project that aims to get young people to reflect on European values & culture and think about their own future by making games. These games - from board game to video game - are created by young people in so-called cultural game jams, in which the participants create a game inspired by cultural heritage in a short period of time.
EPIC-WE: Empowered Participation through Ideating Cultural Worlds and Environments
EPIC-WE offers young people the chance to shape their future by creating games during a game jam inspired by culture. In addition, the games help them reflect on important European values, such as freedom and democracy. But what exactly is a game jam?
A game jam is a kind of competition - or rather a challenge - in which a game is created within a short period of time around a theme. During the EPIC-WE cultural game jams, participants receive a master class in Game Design, visit the Media Museum and the depots of Sound & Vision for inspiration, develop a game concept through various brainstorming activities and then craft a paper prototype of their game.
These EPIC-WE cultural game jams are organized in hubs across Europe - from Aarhus (Denmark) to Óbidos (Portugal) and Hilversum (the Netherlands). The game jams bring together youth, education, and creative cultural institutions, with European cultural heritage always at the center.
Want to know more about the project? Check out the project’s website!
Role Sound & Vision: from collection to game
The Hilversum Hub, a dynamic collaboration in the Netherlands, unites three key partners: Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences as a higher education research entity, Dropstuff Media representing the creative industries, and Sound & Vision as a cultural-historical partner. With Sound & Vision taking the lead, the hub actively contributes to the EPIC-WE project by formulating research protocols and participating in data collection. At the core of the Hilversum Hub’s strategic focus is the development of a total of four cultural game jams in the Netherlands, emphasizing thematic issues linked to current societal problems.
Cultural Game Jams
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Game Jam #1
Over two intense days in April 2024, 17 diverse young people set out to make games inspired by our cultural heritage collection. The game jam was a whirlwind of creativity and fun, fuelled by the motivation and enthusiasm of the participants. The students were fully committed, working tirelessly through the night to turn their game concepts into reality.
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Game Jam #2
In September 2024, over 60 high school students participated in the second game jam. In just a couple of days, the students developed their own games centered around two topics: Media & Democracy and Media & Social Injustice. Media plays a profound role in shaping our everyday lives, influencing how we think and how we act. The themes of this game jam challenged students to consider how media can influence democratic processes and address societal inequalities.
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Game Jam #3
23 students from the Creative Research Minor at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences developed a total of eight impactful and creative games during the third game jam in February 2025. The overarching theme this time was That’s Not Fair!. With ongoing crises related to climate, housing, and the cost of living, understanding fairness is now more crucial than ever.
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Soon: Game Jam #4
In late Spring / early Summer 2025, the fourth and final cultural game jam will take place in cooperation with ROC Midden Nederland. Students from different courses will team up to create games with societal impact, based on the collection of Sound & Vision.
Partners
Aarhus University, Lusófona University, CICANT, Nederlands Instituut voor Beeld & Geluid, Filmby Aarhus, Hogeschool van Amsterdam, Dropstuff Media, Obidos Municipal Council, Battlesheep, MEET Digital Communication, Creative Business Network, AROS Aarhus Kunstmuseum, KEA European Affairs.
The project was funded by the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation program under grant agreement no. 101095058.