In-Person SAAM Arcade: Thinking Musically
Saturday, July 22, 11:30 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Turn the volume up for our annual exploration of video games and art! Play classic video and arcade games provided by local partner MAGFest, groove to live music performances (or enjoy the early quiet hours), and explore SAAM's collection with a sonic-inspired art scavenger hunt. ​​​​​This year, the popular Indie Developer Showcase will highlight games that use music and sound design in engaging, experimental, and inventive ways, from rhythm games to musical instrument simulators to groundbreaking soundtracks.

This celebration of creativity and innovation in games explores many of the same themes on display in the new exhibition Musical Thinking: New Video Art and Sonic Strategies. Like the works of video art highlighted in the galleries, video games employ the same toolkit of using music and sound to evoke emotional responses and communicate the game’s story, values, and goals. Music can act as a building block for game worlds and a mechanism for navigating those worlds through rhythm and repetition.

Learn More About This Year's Theme 

Video games are both visual and aural experiences that rely on sound as well as sight to communicate ideas. Whether it’s an indie game with a powerful soundtrack, a classic console game with an iconic sound design, or a rhythm game that requires players to stay “on beat” to win, games and music are deeply intertwined, no matter the genre.