Our Programs and Initiatives

The Hand Eye Society aims to provide local game-makers and the game curious public with inclusive, engaging media arts programming. The best way of keeping up to date with our activities is through Facebook and Twitter, as well as subscribing to our monthly newsletter. You can also support us with a paid membership or by volunteering; your contributions are greatly appreciated and help make our many activities possible!
For general inquiries, e-mail us at info@handeyesociety.com and please observe our Safer Spaces Policy when attending events.

Festivals

Super FESTival logo

Super FESTival

A free one-day festival celebrating the most interesting uses of writing and words in contemporary games and interactive fiction.

Wordplay

Wordplay is Hand Eye Society’s free annual festival celebrating the most interesting uses of writing and words in contemporary games and interactive fiction.

Wordplay is one of the Hand Eye Society’s oldest festivals and was a large in-person event before shifting online in 2020.

HES Ball

Music, dancing, spectacle and play join forces at our annual fancy videogame party, held at venues such as the AGO and the Masonic Temple! Currently on hiatus.

Comics x Games

Collaborations between nationally and internationally renowned independent comic and game creators during the Toronto Comic Arts Festival.

Current Programming

Online Workshops

Ever wanted to learn how to use a game engine, write a grant, make 3D Models, or countless other game development topics? Our online workshops got you covered. For a small fee, you can learn online with us no matter where you are in the world. Keep checking as we’re always adding new workshops and rerunning past ones. Sign up today!

Futures Forward

Have a game concept ready and aren’t sure how to navigate the business end of game development? The Futures Forward program is an annual initiative that takes several early stage game developers and gives them the business knowledge they need to succeed and start their own studios. Applications usually open in the Fall.

Mixtapes

The Hand Eye Society’s Mixtape initiative combines several indie games submitted by the community into one curated package for people to download for free. All game developers participating are compensated and gain more reach in the community through the Mixtape. We use this as a way to support the developers and help them gain an audience. You can find our Mixtapes on our Itch Channel to discover new games!

FEST – Festival Engagement Software Template

Developed by the Hand Eye Society in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, FEST allows for the development of successful interactive online festivals for the Hand Eye Society and the wider arts community.

Programs on Hiatus

These are successful programs that Hand Eye Society has historically done and hopes to continue, but are currently on hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors.

Game Curious

Like a book club, with buttons! Through play and group discussion, Game Curious provides a fun, inclusive environment to explore games as an artform.

Camp Make-A-Game

A week-long summer camp where kids get to design games and play indoors and outdoors all day long!

Torontrons

The Torontrons are classic arcade cabinets retrofitted to play contemporary games by local game artists.

Past Initiatives

TORONTO VIDEOGAME DATABASE

A tag-based, online, searchable database of every Toronto made games up to 2017. Funded by the OMDC in 2015 and 2016. Available as a rough prototype!

YYZ GAMESHOW

A webseries about Toronto’s game culture, broadcast on Bell Fibe network and YouTube.

EVERGREEN BRICKWORKS

PAST WORKSHOPS

Hand Eye Society has historically conducted countless workshops for various organizations for diverse communities across Ontario.