About

Illustration of smiling baby universe
Illustration of a baby with arms out laughing in the air, with a body made up of a blue, pink, and yellow galaxy. A baby universe.

Universe Creation 101 is a studio run by Christy Dena (she/they). We create original and commissioned interactive and multi-artform projects, with ace contractors. I also freelance and consult with individuals and teams on their interactive, cross-media, and transformative writing & design.

My designs are focused on being:

  • Accessible: so as many people participate as possible
  • Approachable: for those new-to-the-game & new-to-games
  • Prosocial: to foster healthy interactions and co-thriving
  • Environmentally Sustainable: for ecological balance
  • First-Person Transformative: to facilitate player and society transformation

I employ a “systemic design” approach (I found a name for what I do!), where I consider what is:

  • Ideal
  • Desirable
  • True
  • Real
  • Prudent

About me: I’ve won interactive writing awards with the Australian Writers’ Guild and WA Premier’s Prize; had work commissioned for the Experimenta International Biennial of Media Art, and the QUT Science and Technology Centre, as well as Pop Up Playground, and more. Clients include Nokia (Finland), No Mimes Media & Cisco (USA), ABC (AUS), University of South Australia, QUT, Australian Literature Board, Pop Up Playground, and more. I’ve mentored and run labs around the world, including my own Forward/Story, Crafting Intangibles, Extended Experiences Lab, and Transmedia Victoria. I’ve been a Professor II of Cross-Media and Interactive Narratives at the Norwegian Film School, Professor Adjunct at QUT, National Chair and Department Head of Games at SAE.

Some more information about myself and my collaborators:

❌ Blak, Immigrant Artist Founders, Leads

🟢 Blak, Immigrant Artist Collaborators

🟢 Disabled, Queer, Low-Socio-Economic Founders, Leads, & Collaborators

Universe Creation 101 makes art on/with unceded Kulin Nations Land. I acknowledge and respect the Elders of this unceded Land, past and present.

Personal website: www.ChristyDena.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/christydena

Email christy at this domain.