About

Chad is an experimental game designer, independent curator, and first-generation Turkish Muslim immigrant based in Naarm. Chad works as Games Investment Manager at Screen Australia, funding, supporting, and elevating independent games across Australia. He is also ½ of Melbourne’s videogame curator duo Hovergarden and former Artistic Director of Freeplay Independent Games Festival. He makes playful installations, public art, and experimental games while championing and advocating for game-making as arts practice. Chad was named in Develop Pacific’s inaugural 30 Under Thirty list for 2018, in GamesIndustry.biz’s 100 Game Changers list for 2020, and was awarded a 2021 Australian Game Developer Award. He has sat on advisory and consultative committees for various organisations including UNHCR, Creative Australia, Creative Victoria, City of Melbourne, VicScreen, ACMI, Arts Centre Melbourne, and RMIT. His works have been exhibited at festivals and galleries across Australia and around the world.