Video game group is looking for a new home after losing its space

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – A video game development group, Louisville Makes Games, is losing its space and is now left to find a new one with a limited budget.

Members said it’s part of a trend of local arts groups struggling to keep the buildings they believe are essential to their work and collaboration.

When you walk into Warp Zone in downtown Louisville, you may see members of Louisville Makes Games working and collaborating with one another, whether it’s a scheduled meeting or event, or just unstructured time to chat with fellow creators.

“Our structure is such that there aren’t just a group of people who decide exactly what’s going to go on here,” said Jonah Segree, a Louisville Makes Games board member. “We want to invite our whole community to say, ‘if you have an idea to engage game developers, please use our space to do that, that’s what it’s made for.’”

And, it doesn’t matter what level of experience you have.

“You can expect to be welcomed and included, immediately. That’s core to who we are,” said Glenn Essex, president of Louisville Makes Games.

But, recently, members learned the building Warp Zone currently calls home, on Main Street, was sold to a new owner, who is renovating it. This means LMG will have to find another space at the end of October. Members said hearing that news was devastating.

“We consider ourselves part of the arts and culture scene in the city, so if we didn’t have a space, that wouldn’t be true,” said Essex.

But finding a new space may not be easy. The building’s previous owner, Fund for the Arts, gave Louisville Makes Games a cheaper price for rent, which has allowed them to make all of their events free and open to the public.

Now, members tell WAVE they’re prepared to make sacrifices, whether it’s charging for events or settling for a smaller space.

And, they’re not the only arts group going through this, as we recently reported, Art Sanctuary is being priced out of its location and is also looking for a new home.

“As the price tag rises, it’s going to change the nature of what we’re able to do to benefit the community, of how much money we’re going to have to ask for, of what we can afford to do,” said Segree. “So, that is a trend, and isn’t just about video games, isn’t just about art, musical theater, all kinds of performance, everything that Art Sanctuary does…it’s about the community.”

But members of Louisville Makes Games said they’re not going to give up, because they believe their mission is worth fighting for.

“Everyone should be allowed to be creative and have a space where they can be creative, and to allow that to happen without the need to worry about, ‘is what you’re doing going to raise enough money to justify its existence,’” said Segree.

If you are interested in donating to help Louisville Makes Games find its new home, you can click this link.

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