May 8th, 2025

Welcome to our May Newsletter!

Spring has arrived, and we’ve got lots of exciting things to share, from celebrating Toronto’s creative scene at Doors Open to announcing the return of Super FESTival this fall. We’re searching for an artist, hosting workshops to level up your game dev skills, and moving forward with big-picture organizational change thanks to funding and your feedback!

Super FESTival 2025 Is Coming — Mark Your Calendars!

We’re thrilled to officially announce the return of Super FESTival, running November 1–7, 2025!

Now in its fourth year, Super FESTival is Hand Eye Society’s biggest event, a must-attend celebration of indie games and interactive media. Join us for an unforgettable week of showcases, talks, workshops, and parties—both online and in-person in Toronto.

Whether you're a longtime supporter, a curious newcomer, or a game creator yourself, this is your invitation to join us!

📍 In Toronto + Online
🗓️ November 1–7, 2025
💾 Want a taste? Explore our Super FESTival archive

Stay tuned! Calls for game submissions, panel proposals, workshops, and more are launching soon.

Artist Call: Design the Look of Super FESTival 2025!

Are you an illustrator with a bold style and a love for creative communities? Want your art featured across a week-long festival of indie games and interactive media?

Hand Eye Society is commissioning a Key Artist to help shape the visual identity of Super FESTival 2025. This is a paid, freelance opportunity to collaborate with our team and create artwork that will be seen across our interactive website, event posters, online streams, and social media platforms. We're looking for work that’s expressive, adaptable, and remixable. Something that captures the fun, creative, and experimental energy of the indie games scene!

🗓️ Application Deadline: May 19, 2025 @ 11:59 PM EST
💸 Compensation: $1000 CAD (via PayPal, with invoice)

🖼️ Deliverables:

• High-resolution (300 DPI) 
• Project file (e.g., PSD, AI)

Please note: Work will begin immediately after selection, with the first deliverable due May 27, and additional deadlines throughout June and August.

Join us at Doors Open Toronto 2025 and play local games!

We’re thrilled to be part of Doors Open Toronto 2025, a free city-wide celebration of architecture, culture, and community, and HES is bringing our own playful twist.

Join us at the Toronto City Hall Hub, where we’ll be showcasing local game artists in our Torontrons, classic-style arcade cabinets featuring games created by Toronto-based developers and artists. It’s a chance to explore the city’s creative spirit through interactive play.

📍 The Rotunda, Toronto City Hall
🗓️ Saturday & Sunday, May 24–25
⏰ 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
🎟️ Free!

Stay tuned for more updates and info!

Plus: Join us LIVE at Doors Open!

Hand Eye Society’s Artistic Director, Brendan Lehman, will be joining a panel at MaRS Discovery District hosted by Doors Open Toronto to explore the intersection of video games, culture, and Toronto's creative tech scene.

This free panel discussion features a dynamic and diverse group of speakers, ranging from indie game makers to studio professionals, who will be discussing the topics of how games are made, who makes them, and the ways Toronto appears in the digital worlds we play through.

🎮 Ready Player One: A Dive into Toronto’s Video Game Industry
📍 Live Lounge, MaRS Discovery District, 101 College St.
🗓️ Saturday, May 24, 2025
🕐 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM EDT

Reminder: Our 2023 Annual General Meeting is coming up!

Join us for important updates on our finances, team, and organizational plans. This meeting is a retroactive AGM for 2023, which we weren’t able to hold last year, so we’re making it up now to ensure transparency and compliance. It’s also your chance to vote on proposals, ask questions, and help shape our bylaws.

🗓️ Monday, May 13th at 6:30 PM (ET)

Featured Workshops: Spotlight Sessions

Come work with Hand Eye Society!
Your very own workshop hosted by YOU could be featured on this list! We’re looking for workshop instructors and hosts who are passionate and skilled in a specific area of videogames. Do you have a workshop that you think the community wants to learn? Apply now!

Workshop Request Form

May 28th

Intro To Live Streaming

Let’s learn to go live! Live streaming is a fun way to share your experiences with the world, and the Hand Eye Society loves to show diverse game creators on our festival streams. Become an expert streamer in no time!

Jun. 2nd

Grant Writing for Creatives

Get Money! Make Games! Grant funding is a huge and underrated part of making games and art, but writing a grant is an art by itself. Learn how to craft a strong grant application in this online workshop.

Jun. 20th

Intro To Unreal Engine

Think making a game is 'unreal'istic? Think again! Learn the basics of Unreal Engine and build your first 3D game—no experience needed. Used in Fortnite, Gears of War, and more, Unreal is a powerful tool for game creation.

Big News: We’ve Received CAT Fund Support!

Hand Eye Society is thrilled to announce that we have received funding from the Work in Culture Catalyst and Transformation (CAT) Fund!

The CAT Fund provides funding to Ontario arts organizations to investigate, plan, and implement substantive change in their operations. This support will help us reimagine our internal processes, build long-term sustainability, and ensure we remain an inclusive, future-focused organization.

This funding comes at a pivotal time as we continue to reflect on how we operate and connect with our community. Your feedback from our surveys has helped guide our next steps, and now we have the resources to take meaningful action.

Thanks for your feedback!
Thanks to your thoughtful input through recent surveys and focus groups, and support from the CAT Fund, we’ve been able to reflect deeply on where we are and where we’re headed.

You highlighted what makes HES special (inclusive spaces, experimental games) and where we can grow (clearer systems, broader reach, better digital access).

In April, our board and staff gathered to begin turning that feedback into action. This is just the start, but we want you to know: we heard you, and your ideas are already shaping what’s next.

More to come soon—thank you for being part of it.

Thank you for reading. Stay inspired and connected—until next time!
– The Hand Eye Society Team 💛