The Games As Art Festival is a three day festival happening in Tampere, Finland October 9th-11th 2026 exploring the potential of games as an artistic form.
When: October 9th-11th 2026
Where: Tampere University (Venues prone to change)
What: Artistic Games of all media (focusing on larp and video games as a starting point.)
How: Submission Form https://forms.gle/mzw1SM7iMJMDx5PDA
Ticketing information Available July 1st
Games are a popular media where people come together to interact in a variety of ways. One way for artistic forms, cultures, and media to expand their horizons is by bringing together makers from all over the world to show their work! Much like a film festival, the artistic potential of games is worthwhile to share in a public setting! The goal of the Games As Art Festival is to bring together interesting ideas and works exploring the potential of games as an artistic form. We welcome artists, students, indie developers and anyone passionate about games as a form of beautiful playfulness.
This is an opportunity for game makers to show their work in a public, supportive, community-oriented environment. There will be a team of experts: artists from cultural institutions, academics, and game industry professionals reviewing games and sharing their thoughts. If you want to meet other game makers or producers from industry, arts, university, or you’re just curious, then this is built for you! (There will also be free coffee, as much as you can drink).
The Games As Art Festival is a three day festival happening in Tampere, Finland October 9th-11th 2026. Though the exact timing is still being figured out based on the number and types of submission we receive. We are seeking contemporary digital and live action games with artistic intent to showcase at the festival. All selected artists will be given time at the festival to present their work, commentary from an expert panel of academics, industry professionals, and professional artists and a free ticket to attend. Some travel expenses may be supportable as well. The festival is interested in supporting active artistic thinking: this could be finished games, works in progress, ideas that are not fully formed, or playable but not fully polished prototypes.
Artistic thinking, for us refers to the following values:
1) Projects that explore the beauty of games
2) Innovative games that push the boundaries of the form of “game”
3) Games that communicate authentically about the human experience
4) Emotionally powerful games
5.) Significant games with important messages or themes
But– don’t worry if your game is “art enough”, if you’re passionate about your game, we want to hear about it!
There are two general categories of submission: Digital games that are playable without active assistance of a human, and non-digital games that require a facilitator. We also welcome surprises, complicated ideas or things in the middle. The venues for the festival will be based in and around Tampere University, using different rooms and social spaces (more information will be added as it is made clear). Attendees will likely be from the public of Tampere, the international larping scene, contemporary arts, and the local games industry.
The two most essential options are planned in the following way:
Video Games As Art
In the tradition of A MAZE. Berlin Festival or The Overkil Festival, Digital game submissions will be placed in a playable curation area. Each artist will have a 30-minute talk at the festival to discuss their project, their intent, and other considerations with a Q/A with and expert panel from local and international game makers, artists, and academics. The ideal game should be short enough to play in a festival setting (under 60 minutes). We also support prototypes or smaller sections of games. We will prioritize artists who are able to join us in person at the festival, but full remote participation will be possible. This component of the festival will occur in the flexible Paidia space. Digital games should be ideally playable at the time of submission and either shared via link or emailed to info@gamesasartcenter.com.
Larp as Art
In the tradition of Immersion and Stoori Larp Festival there will be a scenario festival showing live action role playing games with some form of artistic intent. Non-digital game submissions will have a 4-hour time slot to run with a group of dedicated players in a scenario festival. We will prioritize original games, though you can submit previously run games as well. All larp runners will need to be in person at the festival. The venues available for these games is still in flux, we may have access to some theatrical spaces, but flexible games that can be run in modified classrooms etc. may be a better fit. Each larp-maker will also have the opportunity for a 15-minute presentation in the evenings to share the intentions: their craft, their choices and their ideas.
Finally, if you have an original idea that pushes the boundaries of digital games or larp, please feel welcome to submit it here! We love a good surprise! (This could include installations/hybrid games/confusing games or documentations of artistic games etc. Don’t be shy.)
If you have any questions, please feel welcome to email us at info@gamesasartcenter.com. We look forward to talking to you more! If you have an idea-I’m sure we’ll love to hear about it!
We will have this submission link open to ideas until July 1st.
Thank you for being interested in this project!
If you would like to submit a game please fill out the form here