The power of knowledge sharing

“Over twenty years, Playgrounds has grown from a local festival into an international development institute and talent hub. We organise events across Europe and ensure that creators don’t lock themselves away in their own bubble. It’s about engaging with the rest of the world: what can we learn from London or Berlin, and how can we translate that to our own region?

Students often mainly learn how to produce something, but not how to market it and bring it to people’s attention. That presents a huge opportunity. By connecting networks and knowledge, we strengthen the entire games industry. Together, we increase reach and visibility. This leads to more projects and funding coming to Breda and Brabant.

It’s important to show that gaming is much broader than FIFA or Fortnite. Think of an awareness campaign about drinking water that uses game elements, or the use of gaming technology in lectures or training sessions. In everyday life, children learn through play – you can apply that principle to complex social issues or behaviour change. Gaming can be used as a way of communicating.

Fortunately, the potential is now being recognised. The Innovation District is strengthening the foundations by investing step by step in programming, entrepreneurship and visibility. As far as I’m concerned, innovation is not just about coming up with something new, but about improving what is already there. Build on the city’s DNA and put it in the spotlight.”