Last summer I had the opportunity of collaborating with Panamanian youths from Cambio Creativo in several activities that took place in Coco Solo and Buenavista. As their community has started to move from the Panama Canal Zone, near Colón and the Atlantic sea, to the interior land of Buenavista, Cambio Creativo has been organizing projects…
The annual Fantastic Arcade (FA) is a hybrid event that challenges the conventions of what a game industry conference could be, and, instead, celebrates several values of the indie game culture such as freedom, improvisation, humor, weirdness, and creative competition, in an environment that is safe, positive, and carnivalesque. Across the different activities that took…
Due to their high levels of engagement with the tools, networks, and the content in the new media environment, U.S. youth has become the focus of various studies that describe and analyze changes in communication, social, and cultural practices. While some researchers have tended to idealize children and youth born after the 1990s calling them…
“If you love your city, make some fucking noise!” said Austin Martin at the stage of Red7, surrounded by a crew of 7 local MCs during the performance of Lil Sicc at the Pushermania showcase. Like him, many other artists expressed their love for the place where the Weird City Fest was happening. The urban…
Dancing and playing are sister practices. When we dance or when we play we move, interact, focus, and get engaged in feedback loops that allow us to laugh, synchronize, and experiment. One of my favorite events at the Fantastic Arcade 2014 was the opportunity to experience the dancing of fandango, not as a traditional dance,…
Videogame, sound, and graphic designers, programmers, artists, hardcore gamers and friends from all over the U.S., Canada, Australia, and Europe, have started to gather at The Highball, a former bowling alley, and the theater #3 of the Alamo South Lamar, in order to celebrate the Fantastic Arcade, a showcase of indie videogames that happens annually…
Access to open environmental data is crucial for building smart cities, developing a sustainable culture, and supporting citizens’ well-being. In the city of Bogotá, with more than 10 million inhabitants, there is a great potential for creating civic programs, systems, and campaigns that help us to improve the quality of life and build environmental awareness….