Saturday 24th October 2026 Out of the Blue Drill Hall, Edinburgh

PLAYAWAY 2026 - One Day Conference & Exhibition

Sat 24th October 2026 | Out of the Blue Drill Hall, Edinburgh | 10am-4.45pm

Crossovers between Creative Technology & Game-Design with the Arts, Education & Community work.

What happens when artists, game designers, educators, technologists and community organisers get into the same room?

Who gets to shape the technologies entering our schools, cultural spaces and everyday lives?

How can artists create work that’s not only interesting, but useful, playful and genuinely for people?

PlayAway is a one-day gathering for anyone curious about where creative technology, games and interactive media meet the arts, education and community work.

Expect honest conversations, practical demos, new ideas and plenty of time to meet the people behind the work. You don’t need to be a tech expert—or any kind of expert—to take part. Come with questions, share what you’re working on and have a look around.

There’ll be talks, panel discussions & exhibits, followed by a get-together at Victoria Bar in Leith.

Everyone’s welcome.

Conference (talks and panels): £10
Exhibition: Free
Full programme coming soon.

CONFERENCE TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE

CONFERENCE PROGRAMME

See our list of talks & panels here, with more info to come!

Doors open/registration: 10-1030am

Session 3: Creative Tech, Data & AI Session 4: Creative Tech, Wellbeing & Community

Session1: Creative Tech & Education

Talk

Hear from _ at _ on a project around

Ally Low / Lowtek Games

10:40-10:50

Talk

Hear from _ at _ on a project around Data

Fash Fasoro / DataKirk

10:50-11:00

Panel

Hear discussion on

YouthLink Scotland, Drake Music Scotland, Tinderbox

Chair: Claire Wheelan / Codebase

11:00-11:45

Lunch Break
11:45-12:45

Session 2: Creative Tech & Arts Productions

Talk

Description

Dougie Irvine / Visible Fictions

12:45-13:00

Panel

Description

Jung In Jung, Ray Interactive, Martin Disley

Chair: Martin Parker

13:00-13:45

Panel

Hear from _ at _ on a project around Data

Chair: Mark Daniels (New Media Scotland)

13:45-14:30

COFFEE BREAK

14:30-15:00

Session 3: Creative Tech, Wellbeing & Community

Talk

Farhad Ahmed

15:00-15:15

Talk

Glitcher's Studio

15:15-15:30

Talk

Anzal Baig

15:30-15:45

Panel

Produced Moon, Civic Digits, Nick Murray

Chair: Mal Abbas / Biome Collective

15:45 - 16:30

CLOSING REMARKS

16:30-16:45

EXHIBITION PROGRAMME

See the works on show in our free/unticketed exhibition:

Exhibition open 10am-445pm

STONE LIFE

Iona Zawinski

SONIC SCRIMS

Ruby Gardner | Erin Thomson

Co produced by creative technologist Erin Thomson and textile designer Ruby Gardner, Sonic Scrims is an immersive interactive fabric installation delves into the vibrant and dynamic music scene of Glasgow while embodying the city’s famous slogan, “People Make Glasgow.”

The project aims to create an immersive experience where participants engage with Glasgow’s musical heritage through tactile interaction and collaborative music-making. This installation is designed to engage participants in a multi-sensory exploration of Glasgow’s rich musical heritage, emphasising its diverse genres, iconic venues, and legendary artists.

TAMAGOTCHI SEANCE

Nick Murray

Tamagotchi Seance #3: Memory Garden is a gentle narrative game and an ambient multiplayer space. Hinting at physical memorial sites, old school forums and digital pets as boundary objects, TS#3 invites players to explore the ruins of a digital garden. Through leaving messages, the space shifts and grows into something new. Each message seeds a plant, and as messages grow, so does the plant-life in the space.