Education Feature: 'The ArtSpark Chronicles - Part One: The Spark'

Today's Gamasutra educational feature, part of the expanded Gamasutra Education section of the site, is the first in a three-part series detailing the life of a participant in the ArtSpark Festival, as described by feature author Greg Wilson in the following introductory extract: "There’s something very special taking place in Austin right now, and you’ve probably never heard of it. It’s called the ArtSpark Festival, and it brings together creative people from different disciplines to develop team projects in a workshop environment. The annual festival began on March 20th and continues through mid-June, when teams will present their projects to the public. The two disciplines showcased this year are video game development and theatre arts, though other creative fields may be added in future festivals. Anyone 18 years or older, regardless of experience level, is free to submit a team application for the ArtSpark Festival during its application period; it is not a program limited to students, nor is it off-limits to those who have already worked in game development or theatre. After the application deadline, participating teams are then carefully selected through an essay and interview process. Other than a small application fee for each team -- and a willingness to invest substantial amounts of time, effort and creativity -- there is no cost to participate. The ArtSpark Festival is sponsored by the HBMG Foundation, a nonprofit organization whose official mission is “to promote the creative process and explore synergies among the Arts, Technology, and Industry.” As HBMG founder Manuel Zarate said at our first meeting, “Here is an opportunity where all we are asking you to do—the only thing we are asking you to do—is create. How many opportunities are you going to get like that?”" You can now read the full Gamasutra feature on the subject (no registration required, please feel free to link to this feature from external websites).