LONDON — The Victoria and Albert Museum has collaborated with the University of Abertay in Dundee to create a new residency for a games designer to develop work inspired by the museum’s collections, with emphasis on Britain in the 1500 – 1900 period. This is the first time the museum, which has currently has three residency studios (two for multi-disciplinary work, and one for ceramics), has opened up its program to a games designer.
“Games design is a growing industry in the UK and Britain is now one of the leaders in the world in this field. It is a highly skilled form of design that requires both creative and scientific skills,” said Ruth Lloyd, V&A Residency Coordinator. “The V&A’s first games design residency is an exciting opportunity for the museum to recognize and support this form of design, and will offer a games designer access to specialist expertise as well as use of the V&A’s extraordinary collections as creative inspiration to produce new work,” Lloyd added.
The new resident will spend six months doing research and taking part in a public engagement program in London before heading off to Dundee for a period of production; a monthly bursary is included along with studio space and a budget for supplies. V&A’s staff, Abertay University, and an unspecified “industry mentor” will also provide support. Though currently only open to UK-based digital games designers, applications are available on V&A’s website through February 8.
Professor Louis Natanson, who leads computer games education at Albertay University, noted that this will provide either beginning or mid-career games designers with the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to the arts. “We’re delighted to see the world’s greatest museum of art and design and the V&A at Dundee both embrace the enormous creativity and cultural importance of computer games,” said Natanson.