We caught up with Pete Ridgewell to learn more about what Spectrum can offer inventors and toy firms, as well as how he’s been fuelling his creativity in lockdown.

How important is great artwork in selling toys and games? What’s the key to thriving as a freelance artist in the play space? Why does the romantic idea of ‘the starving artist’ do more harm than good? All this, and more, is covered in this Art of Play panel session.

As Identity Games prepares to launch its latest title – Nightmare Horror Adventures: Welcome to Crafton Manor – we ask, what does it take to create a genuinely scary board game?

Issues of eco-friendly design, manufacturing and social sustainability are in the spotlight at this ‘Sustainability in the Toy Industry’ panel session.

Can an inventors’ track-record be a key factor in buying decisions? Should there be more knowledge-sharing happening between these two areas of the industry? Are publishers doing enough to shine a light on their inventor items? All these questions, and more, are tackled in this Buyers & Inventors panel session.

This panel, featuring well-known game designers Dan Klitsner of KID Group and Rob Daviau of Restoration Games, and Shail Mehta, CEO and Founder of The Last Gameboard, will discuss how they envision game design finally crossing the physical-digital divide to create enhanced gameplay and new experiences, and help grow a worldwide community of tabletop fans.

How have toy firms adapted to lockdown? Are there any changes to daily working life that look set to stay once we’re past the pandemic? And as certain categories soar during the lockdown, has this changed their strategy when it comes to product acquisition? All this and more is covered in our ‘Toys in Troubled Times’ panel session.

How do IP owners and licensing agents take ‘left field’ brands into the world of toys and games? This session delves into some of the challenges involved and looks at the key to successfully giving these kinds of brands the toy treatment.

This session – featuring Shane Hartley, Art Director at Ravensburger North America and Jake Breish, Graphic Designer at Ravensburger North America – delves into the incredible art direction behind the company’s smash-hit board game series, Villainous.

What goes into designing a great Funko Pop! Vinyl figure? Is any brand too obscure to get the Funko treatment? And how does curiosity help fuel creativity? Ben Butcher, SVP of Creative at Funko, shares his thoughts on all this, and more, in this interview with Mojo Nation’s Billy Langsworthy.