In recent months, we have engaged in fruitful dialogue with industry partners to understand how EPIC-WE’s methodologies and toolkits can be leveraged beyond the scope of our own project.
Since the beginning of EPIC-WE, we have conducted pioneering research, and implemented concepts on empowered participation through ideating cultural worlds and environments. These efforts have yielded a long list of tangible results, including twelve cultural game jams (with the last one scheduled for September 2025), publications, or the development of over 100 game prototypes. We will mature six of these prototypes into mature games in collaboration with professional game studios. Additionally, we are proud to have included Youth as equal partners in EPIC-WE, and to have had the opportunity to present our work at conferences and events.
The end of the spring of 2025 was a particularly busy period. During our presentations in May and June 2025, we were pleased to receive positive feedback and interest in our work. Below is a snippet of our work, in this regard:
Play, Learn, Innovate: Uniting Research, Education & Game Industry, Games for Culture Cluster, Online
On the 7th of May 2025, EPIC-WE participated in the online workshop “Play, Learn, Innovate: Uniting Research, Education & Game Industry”, organised by the Games for Culture Cluster. EPIC-WE was represented by Kim Holflod, from the Aarhus Hub. His presentation focused on the Quadruple Helix Cultural Hubs from the perspective of Higher Education institutions. In addition, he presented some of the underlying principles for exploring and enacting the collaborations in the EPIC-WE hubs.
EPIC-WE at Next Library in Aarhus, Aarhus
From May 25–27, Kasper Marius Nørmark from ARoS Aarhus Art Museum and Em Achilleus Hansen from Aarhus University represented EPIC-WE at the international Next Library conference held at Dokk1 in Aarhus. Together, they showcased the project through a game exhibition featuring highlights from cultural game jams held across three countries. In addition to the exhibition, they led a special “session-on-the-go” at ARoS, where conference participants explored connections between selected games and the artworks that inspired them.
Policy Lab on Gaming and Inclusivity organised by EKIP, Rotterdam
On May 30th, Susannah Montgomery represented EPIC-WE at ekip’s Policy Lab on ‘Inclusivity in the Video Game Industry’. The Policy Lab explored challenges related to equal access and diversity, particularly for individuals who may face barriers to participation in video game creation and play due to physical or intellectual disabilities, as well as underrepresented groups based on gender, race, and sexuality. Susannah presented on recommendations for fostering an ecosystem for inclusivity in the games industry based on EPIC-WE insights.
Roundtable on Gaming, Wellbeing, and EU Policy organised by Discord, Brussels
On June 11th, EPIC-WE (represented by Marina Martinez and María Ruigómez Eraso from KEA European Affairs) joined the Discord Roundtable on Gaming, Wellbeing, and EU Policy. The roundtable was a chance to exchange with leading voices from industry, academia, civil society, and policymakers . EPIC-WE presented the project’s approach to youth engagement and the potential of communities such as EPIC-WE’s to nurture youth well-being.
PaTHES Conference 2025 organised by Trinity College, Dublin
Between June 10th and 12th, Rikke Toft Nørgård and Kim Holflod from Aarhus University attended the Philosophy and Theory of Higher Education Conference 2025 with the theme ‘The Creative University’ at Trinity College, Dublin. They presented three papers on “Reclaiming Creativity in Higher Education: Towards a Playful University” (Rikke), “Transversal Play: Co-creativity and care across and beyond higher education” (Kim), and “Empowered collaboration across/beyond the university: Co-creative and co-desire of higher education futures” (Kim & Rikke).
EPIC-WE at the European Youth Event 2025, Strasbourg
EPIC-WE also participated in this year’s European Youth Event (EYE) 2025 at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, where the project was represented by Rikke Toft Norgard (Aarhus University), Kim Holflod (Aarhus University), Maaike Jansen (Sound and Vision), Lea Bourgeat (Youth Member), Elena Cheldaeva (Youth Member), Inês Nunes (Youth Member), Maria Goncalves (Youth Member), and María Ruigómez Eraso (KEA European Affairs). Between June 13 and 14, EPIC-WE hosted two dynamic, interactive panels exploring: (1) Youth as Value-Sensitive Game-Makers; (2) Youth as Empowered Culture-Makers; and (3) Youth in Transformative Partnerships. With youth co-creators, researchers, and cultural professionals from Aarhus, Hilversum, and Óbidos, the participants examined how game-making can empower young people to co-create cultural meaning and challenge traditional roles in cultural institutions. The audience interacted with the panelists through a live Mentimeter, and this resulted in highly engaging and vibrant conversations. We would like to extend the project’s sincere thanks to the organisers of EYE2025, the project partners, and all the young people who engaged with EPIC-WE during the event.
Presentation at Gaming Project Cluster event, organised by the European Commission, Brussels
On 17th of June, Kim Holflod (Aarhus University), Conceicao Costa (Universidad de Lusófona) and María Ruigómez Eraso (KEA European Affairs) attended the Gaming Project Cluster event at the European Commission to present EPIC-WE’s main outcomes to event participants. We were happy to exchange with adjacent projects on potential avenues for collaboration, get to know other initiatives, and to present on EPIC-WE’s work in front of policymakers and game experts.
We remain committed to sharing our project insights with interested parties. For more information about our upcoming activities and to access our resources, please follow us on social media.
BlueSky: @epic-we.bsky.social
Instagram: @epicwe
LinkedIn: @EPIC-WE project
If you would like to collaborate with us, do not hesitate to get in touch. Contact us directly at:
Rikke Toft Nørgård, Aarhus University
Coordinator and Scientific Leader, EPIC-WE
rtoft@edu.au.dk
María Ruigómez Eraso, KEA Europeans Affairs
Communications Officer, EPIC-WE
epicweproject@outlook.com
