Day 1: Monday, June 5th
FOUNDATIONS
Location: OCAD game:play Lab (230 Richmond St. W, 3rd Floor)
Coffee & Covid (15 min)
10:00 - 10:15
Time to get a coffee, meet and greet and COVID testing.
General Session
Opening Icebreaker (30 min)
10:15 - 10:45
Emily Koonce
We play several folk games to get to know each other better and put ourselves in an active and creative mood.
General Session
Admin Time (15 min)
10:50 - 11:05
Jim Munroe + Marie LeBlanc Flanagan
We outline the general schedule + rules + share code of conduct.
General Session
The Scene Report (50 min)
11:10 - 12:00
Jo Summers + Allison Yang
What's going on in the global game art scene? We’ll each share our local events, as well as identify our global blind-spots.
Thematic Session
Lunch Break + Afternoon Walk (120min)
12:00 - 14:00
Explore Chinatown and Kensington Market!
Thematic Session
Curatorial Practice (50 min)
14:10 - 15:00
Pietro Righi-Riva + Jonathan Kinkley
Reviewing case studies of game exhibitions both IRL and digital, and workshopping solutions for various curatorial challenges.
Thematic Session
Break (10 min)
15:00 - 15:10
General Session
New Structures (50 min)
15:15 - 16:00
Susie Buchan + Pablo Quarta
How do we want to work together with our collaborators, peers, volunteers, or employees? We share our experiences and learnings, and dream up new formats.
Thematic Session
Break (10 min)
16:00 - 16:10
General Session
Group Round Up (30min)
16:20 - 16:40
Shalev Moran
Looking back at today's highlights + Reminder of tomorrow's schedule. (Confirmation of outdoor location dependent on weather.)
Thematic Session
Comic Launch: “If You Don't Like The Game, Change The Rules”
18:30
Marie LeBlanc Flanagan
A comic launch exploring alternative labor modes like co-ops and unions, including a panel discussion with co-op studio workers and union organizers.
Location: Palmerston Public Library Theatre
Special Activity Field Trip
Day 2: Tuesday, June 6th
BREAK OUT!
Location: Toronto Island
Arrival Coffee (15min)
9:30 - 10:00
Time to get a coffee at the Jack Layton ferry terminal, meet and greet.
General Session
Daily Icebreaker (20 min)
10:15 - 10:35
Someone (maybe you!) will be a-breaking that ice.
General Session
Admin Time (15 min)
10:40 - 10:50
Jim Munroe + Marie LeBlanc Flanagan
We outline today’s schedule + general event updates.
General Session
Games in Public Spaces (50m)
10:50 - 11:40
Lan Roed + Matt Parker + Artūras Rumiancevas
What are public spaces, who can access them and how, and who can safely subvert them? We will explore these topics through organizing a public game together.
Thematic Session
Lunch Break + Afternoon Walk (120min)
11:45 - 14:00
General Session
Dream Big! (50min)
14:00 - 14:50
Marie LeBlanc Flanagan + NPCKC
What kinds of curation, events, or gatherings would you host with unlimited resources? Is there anything you've been dreaming of making but are stuck on?
Thematic Session
Break (10mins)
14:50 - 15:00
General Session
The Magic Square (50min)
15:00- 15:50
Emily Koonce + Paloma Rendon Dawkins
We conjure our experiences and disciplines OUTSIDE of games and / or curation, and work through them to inspire ourselves and each other.
Thematic Session
Break (10mins)
15:50 - 16:00
General Session
Group Round Up
16:00 - 16:20
Shalev Moran
Looking back at today's highlights + reminder of tomorrow's schedule.
Thematic Session
Day 3: Wednesday, June 7th
LOOKING AHEAD
Location: OCAD game:play Lab (230 Richmond St. W, 3rd Floor)
Arrival Coffee (15min)
10:00 - 10:15
Time to get a coffee, meet and greet.
General Session
Daily Icebreaker (20 min)
10:15 - 10:35
Someone (maybe you!) will be a-breaking that ice.
General Session
Admin Time (10 min)
10:40 - 10:50
Jim Munroe + Marie LeBlanc Flanagan
We outline today’s schedule + general event updates.
General Session
GAIA 2023 Project (50min)
10:50 - 11:40
Shalev Moran
GAIA itself wishes to be just one highlight in a longer and continuous engagement between game curators and cultural activists around the world. One major way to keep the conversation going and foster productive connections are the yearly projects. In this session we will form up to 3 work groups, for 3 connected projects:
Game Arts Curators Kit (GACK), the Mentorship Network, and the Curator Club.
Thematic Session
Break (10mins)
11:40 - 11:50
General Session
Connecting the Dots (50min)
11:50 - 12:40
Angelo Careri + Lynn Hughes
Dedicated networking activity focused on considering possible synergies between participants, as well as possible future collaborations - big or small.
Thematic Session
Tour of the AGO + Lunch (120 min)
12:40 - 14:40
Jim Munroe
A visit to one of Canada's most prominent art museums: the Art Gallery of Ontario. Over lunch we’ll have an informal conversation with AGO’s Paola Poletto and Nathan Huisman, and tour the site of a previous game art exhibition - the Fancy Videogame Party.
Location: Art Gallery of Ontario
Special Activity Field Trip
What Is Your Biggest Challenge? (50min)
15:00 - 15:50
Chaz Evans + Allison Yang
Sharing our biggest challenges is an act of vulnerability and bravery, but it can lead to strategy generation, allyship, and the comfort of camaraderie. We're going to have "patients" explain their curation and organizing troubles to a pair of "doctors" and have them prescribe some possible treatments.
Thematic Session
Break (10 min)
15:50 - 16:00
General Session
Group Round Up (20min)
16:00 - 16:20
Shalev Moran
Looking back at today's highlights + a look forward to the next GAIA.
Thematic Session
IO Connect / Toronto Games Week Closing party
18:30 - 23:00am
Marie LeBlanc Flanagan
Enjoy food and drink and mingle with Ontario game creators at The TGW closing party. Featuring games from TOJam 2023, Ontario Indies, and the launch of Endlight.
Location: Interactive Ontario
Special Activity Field Trip
