adminThe Ensemble 2026 cohort brings together eight Black, Asian and other underrepresented creatives working across the UK games industry. The annual exhibition will share their work and career journeys, with a public display in Trafalgar Square before the collection travels to venues around the country.
Image credit: London Games Festival | From left to right: Charlie Webb, Charmie Kim, Deanne Pierre-Pacquette, Harun Ali, Jennifer Estaris, HaZ Dulull, Sara Veal and Christopher White.
Ensemble 2026 cohort and exhibition dates
Now in its eighth year, Ensemble is curated by author and artistic director Sharna Jackson. The initiative aims to broaden perceptions of who makes games, bring new voices into view and encourage the next generation of talent.
Games London leads the programme with support from the Mayor of London. The exhibition will be shown in Trafalgar Square on Monday, April 13. The eight creatives will also feature at New Game Plus on Thursday, April 16, before the exhibition tours other locations across the UK.
For visitors planning to attend, checking the event’s latest schedule before travelling is a practical way to confirm opening times and any venue-specific details.
Meet the eight featured creatives
- HaZ Dulull is a game director, independent developer and founder of Beyond the Pixels. His work spans games, film and television, including cinematics direction for Dune Awakening and The Rap Game UK Fortnite Experience. He has also been featured by Epic Games and received multiple Epic Mega Grants.
- Charlie Webb is a BAFTA-nominated writer and narrative designer who has also received an award from the New York Game Critics’ Circle. His credits include Mafia 3, Civilization 6, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and Gears of War: Judgment.
- Charmie Kim, a game lead at Supercell, is working on an unannounced project. Her experience covers mobile, console and social games. She led the Beatstar team from its initial pitch through launch and live operations, and advocates for collaborative leadership and women in games.
- Deanne Pierre-Pacquette founded the global content creator agency Beyond. She is a content creator, Twitch Ambassador and YouTube partner, and leads event organisation for the community programme Link Up London.
- Sara Veal chairs GamesAid, founded Huhbub and works as a community and culture producer. Her career includes journalism, publishing and games, with roles at Failbetter Games and Uplift Games. She received the Unsung Hero Award at Game Dev Heroes 2025.
- Harun Ali is an independent developer, head of training at Limit Break and a game development tutor. His credits include Lego Dimensions, Star Citizen and Human Fall Flat 2. He wrote The Pocket Mentor for Video Game Testing (CRC).
- Jennifer Estaris is a creative director and founder of Estaris Works, a consultancy and game studio. She has held senior creative positions at Ustwo and Sybo, directing titles including Monument Valley 3 and Subway Surfers.
- Christopher White is managing director at Sharks Swim Backwards and a games audio specialist. His credits include Jurassic World Aftermath, Funko Fusion, Phogs and Kingdom Two Crowns. He previously led audio at 10:10 Games and worked on virtual reality projects at Coatsink.
Why the Ensemble exhibition matters
Jackson says the programme highlights the range of talent working in different roles across the UK games sector. She points to the contribution of Black, Asian and minority ethnic creatives in building distinctive worlds and experiences, and stresses that recognition should go alongside opportunities to attract, develop and retain people in the industry.
That focus makes the exhibition relevant beyond the individual profiles: it offers visitors a way to discover creative careers and see how varied skills contribute to making games. For anyone interested in the industry, the cohort’s work also provides a useful starting point for exploring roles in areas such as writing, audio, leadership, development and community building.
What to know about the Ensemble 2026 cohort
The Ensemble 2026 cohort features eight creatives whose work spans game development, narrative design, creative direction, audio and community events. The exhibition is scheduled for Trafalgar Square on April 13, with a cohort appearance at New Game Plus on April 16, followed by a tour of venues across the country.
