Press Release
6-Month Program Supports Cooperative and Worker-Centric Game Studios
Baby Ghosts, an organization working to establish ethical, cooperative game development practices, has announced that applications are now open for Cohort 4 of its Peer Accelerator program. The 6-month program, which comes with a $25,000 CAD grant, equips game dev studios interested in exploring cooperative and worker-centric business models with knowledge, practical skills, and community support.
In an industry plagued by mass layoffs, precarious employment, and burnout, the Baby Ghosts Accelerator Program offers an alternative. The program, running from November 2024 to April 2025, is designed to help studios build sustainable, resilient, and equitable labour conditions.
”We believe that cooperative and worker-centric development environments are fundamental to the ethical creation of games,” says eileen mary holowka, co-executive director at Baby Ghosts. “Our program gives small indies in Canada a fighting chance at long-term success.”
The program offers:
- A $25,000 grant to support participation and studio development, disbursed in two stages.
- In-depth topic explorations arond cooperative studio structures, decision-making processes, and sustainable development practices.
- A Peer Support model that pairs studios with fellow cooperative studios for tailored guidance and support.
- Regular social and networking events
Eligible applicants should be game dev studios with 2-6 members, with more than 50% of the team coming from underrepresented identities. Studios should have been working together for at least 6 months and demonstrate a strong interest in cooperative or worker-centric business models.
The program has already seen success with three previous cohorts, with studios like daffodil and friends launching their game Street Uni X after participating in the program.
“Receiving the Baby Ghosts grant and being connected with the community was a dream come true. I was granted the resources and opportunity to take my project STREET UNI X to the next level through some months of full-time development focus after years of only working on the project in my off time between day jobs.” - daffodil, daffodil & friends
Applications for Cohort 4 are open from August 9 to September 13, 2024. Interested studios can find more information and apply at https://babyghosts.fund/peer-accelerator/apply.
About Baby Ghosts
Baby Ghosts is transforming the landscape of the Canadian interactive arts sector by increasing diversity, inclusivity, and accessibility through artist- and worker-centred sector interventions focused on cooperation.
Our work centres marginalized artists, collectives, and cooperatives working in the sector, ultimately advocating for their ability to create work that reflects our collective cultural and social richness freely. We deliver low-barrier educational programs and cultivate a supportive cross-disciplinary artistic community where the process and work of artists historically left out of digital arts spaces is resourced, celebrated, and platformed. By providing material support and education on cooperative and worker-centric models to underrepresented artists, our work enriches the Canadian interactive digital arts ecosystem with diverse stories and perspectives. It also eliminates barriers these creators face when entering the sector.
We are also mandated to advocate for systemic change, striving to establish an ecosystem that supports and amplifies the potential of cooperative and worker-centric studio models. We work hand-in-hand with artists, funding bodies, educational institutions, and other partners.
These are our non-negotiable commitments to uphold the values and responsibilities that define us as we work to make interactive digital arts a thriving and inclusive space for all Canadian artists.