Update 4: Final days! Final stretch goals announced: Pixelles ++ & Petites II
Update 3: Go, go, Teacade! Another stretch: Mentorship Meet & Greet II!
Update 2: Pixelles Petites is happening! Next stretch goal: Teacade.
Update 1: Thank you! + Stretch Goals announced!

Pixelles is a non-profit initiative committed to helping more women make and change games. We're based in Montreal, and have already succeeded in building a supportive community of game creators, both hobbyist and professional. Based out of Montreal, our activities are roughly divided into two categories:

Games as artistic medium: 
Through our annual incubator, game jams, and monthly workshops, we help women realize their own potential at making whatever game they can dream of. As an art form, games benefit from having more diverse voices contributing to its growth. 

Games as career:
Through our 1:1 mentorship program and socials, we help women network to gain role models and career advice. Our monthly workshops encourage them to learn new game development skills such as programming languages, 3d modelling, game design, and much more...

Learn more about our methods, incubator, results, and how to start your own women-in-games initiatives by watching Tanya's talk at the Game Developer's Conference and reading our post-mortem of the Pixelles Game Incubator (2013).

Pixelles is entirely volunteer-based and organized in our free time outside of our day jobs. However, while we try to keep costs down to a minimum, our programs do require some money to function. Your donation will go to:

• TWO Pixelles Game Incubators (2015 & 2016)
  Our incubator program is a free, 6 week workshop where at 10+ women of diverse backgrounds and experiences make their first video game. No previous experience or programming knowledge required!  At the end, we have a community showcase to celebrate our newest makers. Many of our alumna have gone on to making more games, leading game jams, and even joining the games industry!  (Note: Games made during our incubator belong 100% to the participants. We don't make any money nor ask for anything in return.)
  
  
  
  
• Non-profit registration fees with the Quebec government
  In order to be a government listed as a non-profit organization we'll have to register with Quebec and pay fees to them. Having NPO status will allow us to file for grants, obtain sponsorship with companies in Montreal, and ensure Pixelles' future beyond its  founders.
  
  
• Taxes, fees and perk costs
  This includes Indiegogo campaign related costs such as printing, shipping/mailing, perks, & fees.
  
  

Any extra funds will cover more workshops, programs, equipment & tools licenses! We're also looking into buying old laptops to make our activities more accessible since not everyone has or can afford one. We'd love to also be able to pay our workshop leaders & helpers a small honorarium for their time. 

If we don't reach our goal, as much money as possible will go into paying for at least one run of Pixelles Game Incubator. This program is one of our most important and successful ways we empower women in Montreal to make games.

Impact is always hard to quantify, but we believe that our projects have a rippling effect in the community. It’s capable of literally changing the culture and conversation around games, from Montreal outwards.

It’s about more than women making game prototypes. The Pixelles Game Incubator is about each participant creating a game of her very own design, literally empowering her to express herself in a form that she's never before experienced, from the seed of an idea to a real piece of software, even if she's never programmed anything before.

The common perception of game creation as a male-dominated activity is thereby challenged by her existence, game-making journey, and experiences. Our showcase and participation in various cultural organizations/activities in Montreal, in turn, raises awareness in the community about women-in-games & the accessibility of becoming a maker.

Further, many participants find that their passion for game development is sparked by this creative success, and go on to make many more games:

Our mentorship program connects aspiring and junior women in game dev experienced folks in their dream jobs. It's more than just a role model — we foster help personal relationships that which clear the haze around joining the industry, support their job search, and contribute towards breaking the glass ceiling. So far, we've helped quite a few women get jobs in both AAA and indie studios, with many more on their way!

Our workshops, socials, and jams all bring us together in our shared love of game creation. We've seen our activities grow larger as empowered members, in turn, inspire and teach new ones. 

We look forward to the day when these initiatives aren't need in order for everyone or anyone to make games. With your help, we can help empower more women to create, learn, & become a part of the games community, as well as, work towards changing the culture surrounding games.

It started with the Pixelles Game Incubator I, in January 2013. From there, Pixelles has grown to host monthly workshops, jams, socials, & 1:1 mentoring for women who want to join the games industry.

Rebecca Cohen-Palacios, Director & Co-Founder
She made her first teach-typing, cat game in the Hand Eye Society's "Difference Engine Initiative 2" (similar to Pixelles' incubator). That experience led her to make many more games and go on to working at Ubisoft as a UI artist & developer.

Tanya X. Short, Director & Co-Founder
She has worked as a professional game designer for many years. She is now Creative Director of her own indie studio, Kitfox Games, and speaks about procedural generation design to anyone who will listen.

The Pixelles Game Incubator III is currently in-progress and is coordinated, for the first time, by alumna of past incubators (2013/2014):

Kim Hoang Love Love Hill Collective comics artist & alt games maker

Alicia Fortier Game Designer at Ubisoft & veteran jammer

Pixelles is made by possible by our many allies, partners, friends, family,  developers, mentors, workshop volunteers, participants, and aspiring women-in-games. Give a high-five to our amazing mentors and join our Facebook group. Many of our activities, around the community events, and knowledge-sharing takes place there.

Anyone can help; no matter your gender, orientation, or age. If you'd like to do any of the things below please e-mail us at info@pixelles.ca! Thank you!

• Become an industry mentor
  Are you experienced in the industry or as an indie developer? Volunteer your time by becoming an individual mentor and help guide a future woman in games. You can even do this long-distance! 
  
  
• Donate a laptop
  Not everyone can afford to have a laptop for our workshop, game jams, or other activities. By donating equipment, you're helping make our programs more accessible! Have equipment to donate? Send an email to info@pixelles.ca.
  
  
• In Montreal: Give a workshop
  Every month, we organize a free workshop for the community; open to everyone of all ages, gender, and skill level. You can teach a small group how to code, draw, 3D model, Twine, pixel art, anything really! In the past, we've done weird Unity/SketchUp, dating sims, 3D modelling, Twine, & Unity programming.
  
  
• In Montreal: Help out at a workshop
  It's only natural for people to get stuck or lost at a workshop. For this we have helpers who go around and make sure things run smoothly while the teacher is teaching. You'll answer questions, orient folks in the right direction, & provide encouragement.