Living Games Festival 2009

Following the extremely successful premiere of the Living Games Festival in 2008, the date, motto and the first programme items have now been finalised for this year’s new edition Programme have been set. From 27-30 May 2009, the world’s first purely culturally oriented computer and video games festival will take place in the Jahrhunderhalle in Bochum. The event is modelled on major, renowned film and literature events such as the Berlinale or the Bachmann Festival in Klagenfurt. Under the guiding theme “Games are so much more”, representatives from politics, the games industry and academia will gather at the opening on 27 May to discuss the topic together with the Grimme Prize winner and renowned cultural and media scientist Dieter Gorny, who is also Artistic Director for the “City of Creativity” theme area at the European Capital of Culture RUHR. 2010, to discuss the topic “More than just economic success: The games industry’s social responsibility”. The opening will take place on Wednesday, 27 May 2009 at 7.30 pm in the Jahrhunderthalle, Victoriastraße 10, 44787 Bochum. Despite being recognised as an important cultural asset, computer games continue to face criticism from society, education and politics. At the Living Games Festival, this important debate will be given a broad platform. The various, sometimes controversial opinions are to be heard, backgrounds illuminated and debated on an objective basis. In addition to the various discussions, the festival will provide anyone interested with Information and background information on the subject of games and culture. The Festival also sees itself in the role of educator and mediator of the cultural asset “computer games”.