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Welcome to the A MAZE. / Berlin 2026 program! Add sessions to your profile to get an easy overview of your own schedule!

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Thursday, May 14
 

10:00 CEST

Coffee & Croissants*
Thursday May 14, 2026 10:00 - 10:30 CEST
Start your day off right and join Zuraida (A MAZE. program curator) plus guest for Coffee and Croissants! While you sit back, blissfully nomming away your breakfast (byob)*, she’ll fill you in on the latest news about the festival program and highlight the day’s speakers and panel discussions. 

*Bring your Own Breakfast 
Artists
avatar for Zuraida Buter

Zuraida Buter

program curator, A MAZE.

Thursday May 14, 2026 10:00 - 10:30 CEST
Betonhalle Stage [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany

11:30 CEST

The Empires Strike Back: Union busting and corporate backlash to worker organizing and why international collaboration of union efforts is key to fight back
Thursday May 14, 2026 11:30 - 12:30 CEST
Alongside several union members from across Europe, we want to discuss the recent cases of union-busting (or attempts thereof) and how cross-border collaboration can amplify union efforts. When Rockstar Games laid off a group of union organizers, it was a signal of how the gaming industry responds to the increased efforts of organizing game developers world-wide. Similar moves in Canada, France, Germany, Spain and the US have shown that the power-that-be of the games industry will not stand idly by while game developers finally find a voice.

Content warning
Discussion of workplace harassment, mental health challenges, and labor rights in political contexts.
Artists
avatar for Isa Spitznagel (they/them)

Isa Spitznagel (they/them)

2D Artist
Isa is a concept artist and illustrator specialising in character and costume design and co-founder of Achtung Autobahn, a Berlin-based indie studio. After working as a copywriter in marketing, they pivoted to a career in the games industry, mainly working with indie studios as a... Read More →
avatar for Jack Hoxby (he/him)

Jack Hoxby (he/him)

QA Tester in the games industry and active member of the Game Workers Branch of the IWGB Union. Former committee member of the Rockstar Games Workers Union and currently engaged in a legal battle due to alleged Union busting by the company.
avatar for Janeke (she/her)

Janeke (she/her)

Janeke Zimmermann is a freelance writer and narrative designer, as well as a part-time lecturer at Freie Universität Berlin. She has supported unionization efforts in the games industry since 2019. 
avatar for Junipeer (he/they)

Junipeer (he/they)

Junipeer (pseudonym) is a representing member of the STJV, the largest video game union in France.
avatar for Violetajpg (she/them)

Violetajpg (she/them)

Part of the CSVI (Coordinadora Sindical del Videojuego - Union Coordinator of Videogames)
Thursday May 14, 2026 11:30 - 12:30 CEST
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany

14:30 CEST

Art Games Spaces / Festivals / Community (TBA)
Thursday May 14, 2026 14:30 - 15:30 CEST
A conversation between curators, organisers and spaces. More tba soon.
Artists
avatar for Cat Bluemke

Cat Bluemke

Cat Bluemke uses game design, performance, and expanded reality to explore the dynamic relationship of work and play. Graduating in 2018 with her MFA in Design for Emerging Technologies from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, she is interested in discussing technology's impact... Read More →
avatar for Farfama (he/they)

Farfama (he/they)

Farfama
Farfama (he/they) is an artist, games curator, and experimental game creator currently based in Japan. His work explores themes of awe, wonder, and playful joy, drawing inspiration from nature, ritual, and everyday observation. He helps run GÆMZ Tokyo, a monthly experimental games... Read More →
avatar for Joanna Lyu (she/her)

Joanna Lyu (she/her)

China, ([[rect*]]repair)
Joanna game designer, media artist and event organizer. She co-runs [[rect*]]repair, an art-game collective on public-facing experimental games, community events and playful media.
avatar for Marie Janin (she/her)

Marie Janin (she/her)

Sickhouse
Marie Janin is co-director of Sickhouse, a playful art space in Enschede and the multidisciplinary festival The Overkill, located in the Netherlands. Sickhouse and The Overkill
programs reflect on the transformation of our society through digital culture and the role playfulness... Read More →
avatar for Sarah Bashir (she/her)

Sarah Bashir (she/her)

Sarah Bashir is a games scholar, focusing on game production studies, the history of digital and interactive media and the interrelation of games, art and culture. She initiated and currently leads Circuit Lab, a game studies lab situated at the Department of Media and Communication... Read More →
Thursday May 14, 2026 14:30 - 15:30 CEST
Betonhalle Stage [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany
  Conversations
  • about <br>

17:00 CEST

Experimental Commons: Let´s talk & create spaces for artistic exchange 
Thursday May 14, 2026 17:00 - 18:30 CEST
What happens when artists from different disciplines share space, time, and uncertainty?

Join us for a roundtable with artists from performing, visual, and digital arts, as they reflect on a three-day experimental, cross-disciplinary residency. Together, we’ll explore the challenges they encountered as well as the resources they discovered through shared space. We will also talk about the need for shared spaces in Berlin and beyond, and how opportunities and resources can be made more accessible.

Bring your thoughts, questions, and experiences into the conversation.


The roundtable will be joined by:

  • Emily Roderick
  • Maarten Isaäk De Heer
  • Veronica Carli
  • Wro Wrzesinska

Artists
avatar for Nicole Fiedler (she/her)

Nicole Fiedler (she/her)

project manager, https://www.creative-cross-collaborations.de/home
Nicole Fiedler is Head of Funding and Projects at the German Dance Association, responsible for funding and programmes, co-managing Creative Cross Collaborations Berlin, coordinating the Association of German Dance Archives, and also working as a ballroom dance teacher.

Creative Cross Collaborations Berlin (CCCberlin) is a cross-disciplinary programme for Berlin’s arts and creative scene. It brings together artists, creatives and producers from the performing arts, visual arts, as well as film and video art. At its core are exchange, collaboration a... Read More →
avatar for Sophia Herzog (she/her)

Sophia Herzog (she/her)

German Dance Association / Creative Cross Collaborations Berlin
Sophia Herzog is a professional contemporary dancer, educator, and producer who creates playful, accessible movement & performance experiences that connect people through dance, curiosity, and shared physical exploration. 

Creative Cross Collaborations Berlin (CCCberlin) is a cross-disciplinary programme for Berlin’s arts and creative scene. It brings together artists, creatives and producers from the performing arts, visual arts, as well as film and video art. At its core are exchange, collaborati... Read More →
Thursday May 14, 2026 17:00 - 18:30 CEST
MARS | Küche & Bar Gerichtstraße 35, Seiteneingang, 13347 Berlin, Germany
 
Friday, May 15
 

10:00 CEST

Coffee & Croissants with*
Friday May 15, 2026 10:00 - 10:30 CEST
Start your day off right and join Zuraida (A MAZE. program curator) plus guest for Coffee and Croissants! While you sit back, blissfully nomming away your breakfast (byob)*, she’ll fill you in on the latest news about the festival program and highlight the day’s speakers and panel discussions. 

*Bring your Own Breakfast
Artists
avatar for Zuraida Buter

Zuraida Buter

program curator, A MAZE.

Friday May 15, 2026 10:00 - 10:30 CEST
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany

11:00 CEST

Aspirational Imperfections - why we care about making digital worlds you can touch
Friday May 15, 2026 11:00 - 12:00 CEST
This panel will assemble game developers crafting digital games with art made from physical objects. In a medium so centered on technological developments and frame rates, what exactly is the value in making so many small detailed physical objects? How do we handle these handmade objects once they are in these digital worlds? This panel will explore both the logistics and the love of this method of game creation.
Artists
avatar for Antonio Kos Pinheiro de Andrade (he/him)

Antonio Kos Pinheiro de Andrade (he/him)

Hapshapen Games
Antonio grew up in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. For a while he worked as a full-stack software engineer, then he moved to Brooklyn and started making games. He enjoys horror movies, crossword puzzles and staring wistfully into the ocean. Currently working on Abigail at hapshapen games... Read More →
avatar for Biagi (he/him)

Biagi (he/him)

Hapshapen Games
Whether he’s building narrative adventures, party games, or systems-driven experiments, Biagi’s work explores the peculiarities of human existence—with humor, with play, and with deep love for the weird little bonds that form when we interact.
avatar for Ilena Pegan (they/them)

Ilena Pegan (they/them)

martianwho studios & Godot Foundation
Ilena is a making a handcrafted solarpunk elder bricklayer game about repairing community. During the day, they work with Godot as a Project Manager.
avatar for Isabelle Smith (she/her)

Isabelle Smith (she/her)

hapshapen games
Isabelle Smith is a game developer and writer who makes digital games you can reach out and touch. Her work in digital games has been nominated for awards by IGF, A MAZE., and the Student BAFTAs.  She had seven wisdom teeth but they’re not in her mouth anymore.
avatar for Jack King-Spooner (he/him)

Jack King-Spooner (he/him)

Makes things. Had to fill this form out twice.
avatar for Lukáš Kunce (he/him)

Lukáš Kunce (he/him)

Lukáš has been passionate about games all his life. After a few years of games journalism and agency jobs, he joined Amanita Design in 2017 to help the studio with all marketing-related work, communication and production.
Friday May 15, 2026 11:00 - 12:00 CEST
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany

15:00 CEST

Hyper Talks
Friday May 15, 2026 15:00 - 16:00 CEST
The Hyper Talks are 5 minute knowledge-injections. Several speakers will talk about projects, experiences, failures and sources of inspiration in their work. The Hyper Talks are a platform for both established artists as well as upcoming talents: some of the past hyper speakers ended up being winners of the A MAZE. Awards. The session is curated and hosted by Marina Díez & Leonie Wolf.

Live in Kuppelhalle, streamed in the Betonhalle stage once capacity is full.

Speakers(tbc):

Fawzi Mesmar
Ludipe
Rocío Tomé
Mr Hands
Gwen Foster
Liz Alfos
Oda Tilset
Gio Rubino
Tanat Boozayaangool
Alistair Aitcheson
Artists
avatar for Leonie (she/her)

Leonie (she/her)

Leonie is a Berlin-based project and event manager for Indie Arena Booth at Super Crowd. She has extensive experience in the games industry, working as a Technical Animator and Associate Art Director in game development for many years. She has worked as both a freelancer and in-house... Read More →
Friday May 15, 2026 15:00 - 16:00 CEST
Kuppelhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany

15:00 CEST

Hyper Talks (stream)
Friday May 15, 2026 15:00 - 16:00 CEST
The Hyper Talks are 5 minute knowledge-injections. Several speakers will talk about projects, experiences, failures and sources of inspiration in their work. The Hyper Talks are a platform for both established artists as well as upcoming talents: some of the past hyper speakers ended up being winners of the A MAZE. Awards. The session is curated and hosted by Marina Díez & Leonie Wolf.

Speakers(tbc):
Fawzi Mesmar
Ludipe
Rocío Tomé
Mr Hands
Gwen Foster
Liz Alfos
Oda Tilset
Gio Rubino
Tanat Boozayaangool
Alistair Aitcheson
Artists
avatar for Leonie (she/her)

Leonie (she/her)

Leonie is a Berlin-based project and event manager for Indie Arena Booth at Super Crowd. She has extensive experience in the games industry, working as a Technical Animator and Associate Art Director in game development for many years. She has worked as both a freelancer and in-house... Read More →
Friday May 15, 2026 15:00 - 16:00 CEST
Betonhalle Stage [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin, Germany

16:45 CEST

XR-History Award nominees panel hosted by Simon Strick
Friday May 15, 2026 16:45 - 18:00 CEST
A panel discussion with all XR-History Award nominees hosted by Simon Strick

Content warning
Discrimination
Artists
avatar for Peter Polack (he/they)

Peter Polack (he/they)

Sickness International
Peter Polack (Sickness International) is an artist and researcher using illness to examine how technology shapes trust and perception. Each game, song, and theory opens onto a world where the human brain has been molded into a videogame-hosting infrastructure. His work has been published... Read More →
avatar for Ren Loren Britton (they/them)

Ren Loren Britton (they/them)

Ren Loren Britton (they/he) is a trans-disciplinary artist-designer invested in Trans*Feminism,
Technosciences, Radical Pedagogy and Disability Justice; living and working in Berlin,
Germany. They make multi-sensorial media installations that unseat sensory and
communication hierarc... Read More →
avatar for Simon Strick (he/him)

Simon Strick (he/him)

Simon Strick is an independent media/cultural studies scholar and writer. He has published widely on a variety of subjects relating to critical race theory, gender, performativity, affect and questions of the popular. In 2021, he published Rechte Gefühle (transcript), a widely cited... Read More →
VS

Verónica Sabat

Cuerpos Migrantes

Friday May 15, 2026 16:45 - 18:00 CEST
Betonhalle [Silent Green] Gerichtstraße 35, Berlin, Germany
 
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