competitions

Szpilman Award 2013 submissions open

25 June 2013
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As the only one working with ephemeral works worldwide, the Szpilman Award 2013 is calling for submissions, closing September 30. Run by the Szpilman collective the award will go to the person who can make the best transitory work. The winner will be announced on November 10, receive a challenge cup, a trip to the Szpilman headquarters in the village of Cimochowizna in north-east Poland and cash from the dynamic cash kitty of the Jackpot Stipendium.

Raising the prize money in parallel to the event it goes with the transitory nature of the works, usually based around a specific event. Last year, Amanda Wachob was a finalist for getting a tattoo of Luke Skywalker with the intention of lasering off his hand, while Miná Minov won for offering her prize money as a bribe in a letter. She will be on the jury this year. See the Szpilman Award website for more details. **

Mina Minov

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A MAZE opens submissions for Indie games award

14 January 2013
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We’re still 3+ months away from this year’s A MAZE festival but someone has to win the new edition of one of the biggest indie gaming European events right? So even if last December the doors opened for a few hours, it is officially tomorrow that the submission period for the 2013 contest begins.

2012 A Maze winner Ed Key (photo by Jens Keiner)
2012 A Maze winner Ed Key (photo by Jens Keiner)

Much like last year A MAZE. will award the “Most Amazing Indie Game 2013” during the DGT – Deutsche Gamestage which will take place in Berlin April 24-26, 2013. Prize and conditions stay very much the same… 5000€ cash prize, and also the 45€ submission fee; and as many of you are aware, last year’s winner Ed Key highlighted some important issues that took place with the organisation and the prize giving.

As Ed points out you should approach your candidacy (if you finally decide to submit your game) as if “you’re paying the entry fee for a cool, passionate, creativity-oriented festival with a great atmosphere“. Whatever comes on top of that it’s a bonus.

A Maze award (photo by Jens Keiner)
A Maze award (photo by Jens Keiner)

There is truly a need for a European large representative festival like A MAZE., a referent in the local scene which includes all the positives (and some of the negatives) this type of event usually comes with, and if the organisation keep finetuning their set of conferences, workshops, exhibitions… etc with an immaculate developer-relationship then we’re pretty convinced things will continue to move forward.

As for this year’s edition…. the deadline for submissions is March 1st, then the ten finalists will be announced April 1, 2013. A month and a half left to submit ladies & gentlemen! Get your consolidated playgrounds ready! More info this way.

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GameOn Competition

14 December 2012
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This past Monday Mozilla opened their very first “GameOn” competition, as a way to promote their own products (how about Firefox and their upcoming Firefox OS) but also as a way to promote web-based games and the technologies that make it possible…. HTML, CSS, JavaScript, but also other open options like WebGL and WebRTC.

A competition divided in  three categories:

– Best hackable game (where any player can remix game mechanics, fork code, or use assets from the web to create their own version.

– Best Multi-Device game … to “explore” concepts like asymmetric gaming, alternate reality games, and companion apps

– And best Web-only Game (for games that can only be played on the web).

And what do winners get? Besides grabbing get a Nvidia GeForce GTX670 if you’re one of the 3 category winners there will be a special prize for the “Grand Champion”… an all expense paid trip to San Francisco for GDC 2013 with hotel accommodation, tickets to the GDC …and a large etc. Sounds about fair.

Bananabread still
Bananabread still

You’ll have to submit your playable prototype by Feb 24 built using open web technologies and the game should run plug-in free on the browser of course. And to get things started properly they’re organising 2 simultaneous game jams in New York and London this weekend (apparently more are coming later on) so if you’re around…. (more info here).

Rules and more info on the GameOn website.

GameOn poster
GameOn poster
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Circulation(s) Edition 2013

2 July 2012

3rd edition for the European photographic festival Circulation(s)… but not until next year! However the French organization Fetart just opened the submissions period which will run until September the 20th.

From the series - Photographes du réel by Irène Attinger (image via Circulations Festival)
From the series – Photographes du réel by Irène Attinger (image via Circulations Festival)

The young photographers festival will take place during next February to March in Paris (hopefully next year not in a hidden palace away from civilization..) with the same objective as in its first two editions: promote emerging European photographers.

From the series Good Dog by Yusuf Sevincli (image via Circulations Festival)
From the series Good Dog by Yusuf Sevincli (image via Circulations Festival)

Even though it poured quite a lot last year’s edition was quite something. more than 2500 visitors (ok … not that many… but it was raining) and a nice list of fresh photography with around 40 different photographers… something that motivated François Cheval (sponsor) and Fetart to organise a 3rd competition.

From the series Rummet by Tony Kristensson (image via Circulations Festival)
From the series Rummet by Tony Kristensson (image via Circulations Festival)

To participate you don’t need any special requirements besides… being European, young (taking into account that there is one age limit…) and payng the 5€ registration fee… and if you’re selected and want to assist to the opening and exhibition… pay your own expenses when visiting Paris next year.

Unfortunately there are no monetary rewards … but the visibility and opportunity are quite unique. The rest of the submission details, calendar and terms can be found this way.  2,8months to go ladies and gentlemen!

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