Welcome to Pixel Expo 2022
These multimedia stories were created by ECU Journalism students and are shared in collaboration with RTRFM.
Perth’s unofficial title of “most isolated capital city in the world” feels especially deserved when it comes to the creative arts such as animation, video games and art, writes Josiah McMeekin.
And for the thriving community of creators and fans within Perth, it can sting to be skipped over by big name events and to struggle with the lack of opportunity. In early September though, a new convention for animation, gaming, and fandom, launched with the goal shaking up the sleepy city image that Perth has. This was the Pixel Expo.
But organising an event like Pixel Expo is difficult, especially as a not-for profit when you’re already juggling a full-time job.
“I’m running emails on my lunch breaks, on my toilet breaks,” says Pixel Expo president Tim Barrett.
“After I get home from work, there are no normal business hours. But to see the smiles on people’s faces as they come through the door, you couldn’t put a price on that for our team.”
With the expo’s goal of being for the community, by the community, as well as the difficulty and cost of bringing in outside talent, Barrett and the Pixel Expo team turned to what was here already.
“We were looking for local businesses, local artists, local vendors, and local talent. Here, in Perth, to highlight.”
And there was plenty to discover and to highlight with over 150 local vendors and creatives showcasing their work, talents, and skills. Two of these local creators, Michael Pearce of Tinyware Games (pictured above) and Jane Kennington of Funny Fintan Softworks, shared what it was like being an independent game developer in Perth, and how they had heard of the expo.
With the PLE Gaming Hall jampacked with convention-goers playing in tournaments or testing the wide variety of games made by local developers, Pearce and Kennington shared their highlights of the expo so far.
Pearce also shared how he hoped attending the pixel expo, and seeing the work put in by local creators, may inspire others.
The Pixel Expo showed that “starved” may not only be accurate, but in fact an understatement when it comes to Perth’s desire for creative events. With 2,500 patrons attending, the expo had sold out before the doors had even opened.
Taking place in the riverside section of the exhibition centre, the expo floor was filled with attendees exploring all that Barrett and their team as well as vendors and developers had to offer.
Panels hosted by excited and passionate individuals and groups on all things creative ran throughout the day.
If you wanted to learn more about the things you love, or something new, there was something for you.
A fantasy-style tavern hosted by WA LARP (Live Action Role Play) was not only an engaging way to learn about the hobby, but also a fun place to sit down and play some board games with friends or strangers.
There was also the opportunity for fans of Yu-Gi-Oh and other card games to test their skills against other attendees in either tournaments or friendly games throughout the day.
The vendors and developers weren’t the only ones showing off their work, with many convention-goers arriving in incredible cosplays of their favourite characters, showing off on the expo floor or in the cosplay competition.
Several convention goers shared what they loved, as well as personal highlights from attending the expo.
Following a sold out event, an even bigger event planned for 2023 and the adoration of expo goers, vendors and developers alike, the Pixel Expo has set itself up as the unmissable community event for animation, gaming and arts in Perth.
