A ‘life-changing’ Sheffield project in which young people seeking sanctuary created video games is the focus of a new exhibition.
Children aged between eight and 14 developed two game concepts over a year-long initiative with Stand & Be Counted Theatre (SBC), the UK’s first theatre company of sanctuary, Sheffield’s National Videogame Museum and BIOME Collective.

‘Playing with Power’ charts the process of their innovative work, from drawing initial concepts, characters and missions on paper to designing video sequences and soundtracks online.

The exhibition launches at the videogame museum in Sheffield city centre next month.

Smart Banda, Digital Director at SBC, said the impact of the work on the refugees and asylum seekers who embraced it was profound.

“For many of the young people, it was life-changing,” he said. “The confidence and focus it brought out in them was incredible. The key was giving them access to a different world and facilitating a place where the kids can be their best selves. For the first time, they realised they could become a video game designer if they wanted to.

“It was also fascinating how quickly they picked things up. By the end of the project, they were teaching us!”