ROTTERDAM.- Virtueel Platform, the Dutch e-culture knowledge institute, has released The New Explorers Guide to Dutch Digital Culture. The book is a fieldguide to over 150 medialabs, game companies and new media festivals in the Netherlands. It is available as free download.

The New Explorers Guide to Dutch Digital Culture offers an overview of the mayor players in the field of digital art and culture in the Netherlands. With over 150 organisations, ranging from artists' communities to triple-A gaming studios, this guide offers an excellent starting point for making new connections. Any of these organisations can become a possible gateway into the Dutch vibrant digital culture. With this guide, they are all but an email away.

Medialabs
Medialabs are the studios and research laboratories of our contemporary society. These are spaces where artists, digital specialists, scientists and theoreticians, 'geeks' and media producers work side by side to reflect and create the latest technological developments. The book offers an overview ranging from Mediamatic, V2_ Institute for the Unstable Media and Waag Society to other medialabs, hackerspaces and collectives.

Independent Game companies
In collaboration with Dutch Game Garden and Control Magazine 20 independent (art focused) game companies from a total of approximately 330 Dutch gaming companies were selected. They range from Guerrilla Games and Ranj Serious Games to Ronimo Games and Vlambeer.

New media- and game festivals
The Netherlands has a rich landscape of media festivals. At these festivals a wider audience is confronted with these cutting-edge expressive explorations. The media festivals have become the new museums, presenting and preserving media works. The book includes over 40 festivals ranging from those with a media art focus such as DEAF, STRP and Gogbot to more business like events such as Festival of Games and PICNIC.

Free download
Download or read the book online at www.virtueelplatform.nl/the-new-explorers and get connected!