Videogames, Funding and Creative Practice

Paul Callaghan is Head of Games and Interactive at VicScreen. He has been in and around games for 25 years in varied roles from development to creative production, working with organisations in Australia and overseas including BAFTA, the BFI, British Council, ACMI, State Library Victoria, and the Freeplay Independent Games Festival.

Marie Foulston is a leading curator and creative director of exhibitions, installations and experiences that specialise in videogames, play and digital culture. Previously she was Curator of Videogames at the V&A where she lead the curation of the headline exhibition Videogames, was guest director of experimental games festival ‘Now Play This’ at Somerset House and co-founded the UK alternative videogame collective the Wild Rumpus. Across her career she has worked alongside a host of international organisations and leading cultural institutions including the Smithsonian, the Game Developers Conference, London Film Festival, Penguin Random House, the Design Museum, Channel 4, ACMI, the Art Gallery of Ontario and MoPOP.

Ripley Kavara is a Papua New Guinean creative practitioner, musician & games producer who is now based on Wurundjeri country in so-called 'Australia'. Described as a fearless innovator, they work to create spaces for emerging creatives, focusing on elevating underrepresented voices in music & arts. With a BFA in Sound Art (RMIT) & Honours in Interactive Composition (VCA), they additionally hold a Diploma of Natural & Cultural Resource Management which they gained studying in the Northern Territory, and have worked as a Youth Development practitioner for various NGO's and government organisations for over ten years. Ripley brings the combination of all these skills and experiences to his work as the Producer at Guck - to support the production of Australia's first ever Aboriginal-led mobile game Future Folklore.

Jessica Shipard is an accomplished communication designer and art director with over a decade of experience reinvigorating local and international brands. She has recently transitioned into game development as a co-founder and the creative director of Studio Folly, polishing off their wild debut title Gubbins, a highly anticipated word game that merges her expertise in design and typography with the medium of games.

Chad Toprak is an experimental game designer, independent curator, and first-generation Turkish Muslim immigrant based in Naarm. He makes playful installations, public art, and experimental games, while advocating for game-making as arts practice. As 1/2 of Melbourne's videogame curator duo Hovergarden, former Artistic Director of Freeplay, and curator of the Alt-Shift-Play and Contours exhibitions, Chad has made significant contributions to the independent game development scenes in Melbourne and Australia. He was recognised as one of Develop Pacific's 30 Under Thirty in 2018 and received a 2021 Australian Game Developer Award. His works have been exhibited at festivals and galleries across Australia and around the world.

COVIDSafe visitor guidelines, information on accessibility, amenities, transport, dining options and more.

Get a range of discounts and invitations to exclusive previews.

Our restaurant, cafe and bar in the heart of Fed Square features a seasonally driven menu developed by acclaimed Melbourne chef Karen Martini.