Digital CreativityThe Triennale UdeM de la recherche-création at the Université de Montréal (UdeM) spotlighted the theme of independent video games exploring gender, intimacy, and sexuality through a project led by Caroline Bem, professor in the Département de littératures et de langues du monde and co-researcher of the CREAT Chair.
Here’s an overview of the featured activities:
- Exhibition (March 24 to April 1, 2025) | An exhibition of educational games focusing on gender, intimacy, and sexuality.
- Study Day (March 27, 2025) | A day of scholarly presentations on gender, intimacy, and sexuality, where Laureline Chiapello presented the game CLTRS.
- Creative Game Jam (March 28 to 30, 2025) | A weekend of collaborative creation based on the project’s theme, with Laureline Chiapello serving as a jury member.
- Showcase Evening (April 1, 2025) | A closing evening featuring the presentation of the games created during the Game Jam, along with a reception and award ceremony.
We would like to highlight the outstanding work of the two teams that participated in the Game Jam, which focused on the theme of games centered around gender, intimacy, and sexuality:
Brave Space | Brave Space is a tabletop card game designed to foster meaningful and “courageous” conversations. The concept was inspired by a presentation on facilitating difficult discussions and creating “brave spaces” with Dr. Sivane Hirsch.
Dumb Ways to Date | In Dumb Ways to Date, you play an eccentric character on a first date at a bar. The goal is to carry on a conversation without making inappropriate gestures, in order to enjoy a pleasant evening.
The Triennale UdeM de la recherche-création was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), the Office of the Vice-Rector of Research, Discovery, Creation and Innovation at UdeM, and the Digital Creativity Axis, in collaboration with the Humanities and Social Sciences Library.
