Bosch Art Game pitch competition

‘s Hertogenbosch, 13 September 2012

Unique: first international art game pitch set up from the Netherlands

International game designers challenged to create game on Jheronimus Bosch

‘Design an original, artistic game to re-enact the work of Jheronimus Bosch (± 1450-1516).’ With this appeal game designers worldwide are called upon to digitally convert the creativity of the leading mediaeval Dutch painter into present-day artistry. In the first round a maximum of five prizes of 2,500 euro are at stake. The winning designs must be developed into playable prototypes within five months. From the prototypes, an international jury will select the art game to be launched during the Jheronimus Bosch year 2016. It is the first time that a Dutch organisation has set up an international game pitch. That makes this a unique event for the Jheronimus Bosch 500 Foundation.

The national Jheronimus Bosch commemoration will be the culmination of the international cultural event Jheronimus Bosch 500. The innovative event, organised by the Jheronimus Bosch 500 Foundation, was kicked off in 2010 and developed further from year to year. The games competition will once again introduce different groups of people to Bosch's work. The winning game will be launched internationally, first of all in the Bosch cities - cities with works by Jheronimus Bosch in public collections.

We mainly know the master painter, who lived, worked and died in ’s Hertogenbosch, from the surrealistic, narrative paintings showing people and animals in earthly paradise and, after the Fall, in hell. The Jheronimus Bosch 500 Foundation is looking for the most original interpretation of Bosch's work in the form of a game that provides a novel, contemporary re-enactment of the mediaeval painter's work.

Game designers can sign up on the website www.boschartgame.com. The deadline for the pitches is 31 December 2012. The five best entries will be announced early January 2013. The five winners will be given the opportunity to develop a playable prototype. The winner of the Bosch Art Game will be announced in summer 2013.

Members of the jury will be international, independent game experts such as Brandon Boyer of the Independent Game Festival in San Francisco, the English independent game developer Ed Key, winner of the Berlin A Maze festival, and Margaret Robertson of game bureau Hide & Seek that exhibits and initiates game projects internationally. Additional jurors will be Zuraida Buter, game expert, founder of the Dutch game festival Indigo and closely involved in the Global Game Jam, and Ad ’s-Gravesande, artistic director of the Jheronimus Bosch 500 Foundation. The public may also vote for their favourite. These votes will be considered in the assessment by the international jury.

Bosch Art Game is organised by De Digitale Werkplaats [the Digital Workshop] in ’s Hertogenbosch, commissioned by the Jheronimus Bosch 500 Foundation. De Digitale Werkplaats is a platform for digital art and innovation.

The website where ideas can be submitted and where the public may vote is www.boschartgame.com.