EXHIBIT OVERVIEW

Video Games: The Great Connector, explores how young people leverage video games in this pursuit, emphasizing less what games do to youth than what youth do with games. Admission to the exhibition was free and opened to the public from February 3, 2024 through March 30, 2024 at the 60-year-old Harlem School of the Arts (on St. Nicholas Ave, just down the hill from the City College of New York). During its 8-week run, over 3,500 students, teachers and parents visited the exhibition.

The exhibition focuses on how youth use games to form connections with themselves, their communities, and their future. The exhibition includes video games, but it also features participatory activities, art stations, selfie opportunities, features on contemporary game designers, and much more. The exhibition is organized into three sections. Click on the links below to learn more about them.

Connecting with Self: This section of The Great Connector explores how young people use video games to shape their identity, manage emotions, and cultivate skills.

Connecting with Community: This section of The Great Connector explores how young people use video games to connect with the people and communities around them.

Connecting with Future: This section of The Great Connector explores how young people can prepare for a career in video games.

In addition, educational material, which includes an Education Guide, was developed and made available to teachers that included class work assignments based on New York Learning Standard in Science and Mathematics as well as gaming experiences playing games that have won the GEE! Award which recognizes excellence in educational games design.