Right now, creativity is bubbling at the so-called game jams held at ARoS as part of the large-scale Horizon Europe project Epic-We, which received a grant of DKK 23.6 million in 2022. Through this project, young people in Denmark, the Netherlands and Portugal explore European values and cultural heritage by developing their own games.   

In Denmark, the EU-funded project is carried out in close collaboration between Aarhus University, Filmby Aarhus and ARoS. Since the project launched in March 2023, it has resulted in four cultural game jams at the museum. Here, dozens of young participants have been developing and coding games, drawing inspiration from ARoS’ artworks. 

Using playful interpretations and references to works such as Hanne Nielsen and Birgit Johnsen’s Peeling Onions (1995), Bjørn Nørgaard’s Horse Sacrifice (1970), Vilhelm Hammershøi’s iconic paintings, and Jørgen Sonne’s Cavalry Skirmish near Århus 31 May 1849 (1853), participants have created games that reframe cultural heritage in new contexts – reactivating the artworks and enriching young people’s engagement with art. 

“This project has given me the opportunity to interpret and play with art in a new way – and challenge my own understanding of both video games and visual art,” says Em Achilleus Hansen, one of the many young participants in Epic-We. 

Em has also helped establish a Youth Advisory Board across all three countries, offering input for the project’s evaluation and future development. 

On Friday 9 May from 15:00 to 17:00, Epic-We reaches its first major milestone, as the fourth and final game jam culminates in a two-hour Game Expo on Level 3 at the museum. Everyone is welcome to join and test completed game prototypes, which incorporate both virtual and augmented reality. 

“We are excited to celebrate how so many young people have immersed themselves in art through these playful and exploratory game jams. They truly embraced the task, and it’s been a joy to witness the creative process – where art and gaming have enriched each other in fun and surprising ways,” says Rebecca Matthews, Museum Director at ARoS. 

For further information, please contact: 
ARoS Press and Communications 
presse@aros.dk 
+45 61904883