Eventization and the Community Aspect of Demoparties: A case study of Silly Venture, Last Party and Lost Party
Proposal Type
Individual Talk
Location
Hypertexts & Fictions
Start Date
July 2026
End Date
July 2026
Abstract
The paper analyzes the contemporary demoscene of Atari 8-bit computers in Poland, with particular emphasis on the period 2024–2026. The authors, who act simultaneously as academic researchers and active participants in the demoscene, employ qualitative methods of digital culture ethnography: participant observation, field notes, informal interviews, and analysis of event documentation. One of the key research questions concerns the extent to which today’s demoparties serve an archiving and tradition-sustaining function, and to what extent they are transforming into spaces of experimentation and redefinition of scene values. The paper focuses on the processes of professionalization and partial institutionalization of the Atari 8-bit demoscene, visible in event organization, technical infrastructure, communication strategies, and relationships with institutions and sponsors. The analysis covers key Polish events: Silly Venture, Last Party, and Lost Party. Empirical observations are situated within a broader cultural context, taking into account the recognition of the demoscene as intangible cultural heritage and the development of academic research devoted to this phenomenon.
Eventization and the Community Aspect of Demoparties: A case study of Silly Venture, Last Party and Lost Party
Hypertexts & Fictions
The paper analyzes the contemporary demoscene of Atari 8-bit computers in Poland, with particular emphasis on the period 2024–2026. The authors, who act simultaneously as academic researchers and active participants in the demoscene, employ qualitative methods of digital culture ethnography: participant observation, field notes, informal interviews, and analysis of event documentation. One of the key research questions concerns the extent to which today’s demoparties serve an archiving and tradition-sustaining function, and to what extent they are transforming into spaces of experimentation and redefinition of scene values. The paper focuses on the processes of professionalization and partial institutionalization of the Atari 8-bit demoscene, visible in event organization, technical infrastructure, communication strategies, and relationships with institutions and sponsors. The analysis covers key Polish events: Silly Venture, Last Party, and Lost Party. Empirical observations are situated within a broader cultural context, taking into account the recognition of the demoscene as intangible cultural heritage and the development of academic research devoted to this phenomenon.
Bio
Piotr Marecki, Professor at the Jagiellonian University, where he works on digital media and runs the UBU Lab. Postdoctoral researcher at the MIT. Writer, publisher, and founder of the Ha!art publishing house.
Krzysztof A. Ziembik Graphic designer, creator of games for the Atari 8-bit, publisher of Grel magazine, founder of the Polish Society for the Preservation of Technical Heritage, and founder of the AtariOnline.pl service. PhD candidate at the Doctoral School of Humanities of the Jagiellonian University (NCN OPUS 23 project Atari Demoscene. Platform, Community, Localness).
Patryk Ciesielczyk PhD candidate at the Doctoral School of Humanities of the Jagiellonian University. His research focuses on internet archaeology and the aesthetic implications of widespread access to generative AI tools. Editor of the pelnasala.pl portal.