THU 2022: A Place to Become

The 9th edition of Trojan Horse Was a Unicorn‘s Main Event came to a close with resounding success. From September 19-24, over 600 creatives (aka THU tribe members) from 54 countries, gathered in Tróia, Portugal, to connect, learn, be challenged and grow as creatives.

The event was a jam-packed week-long journey divided into three main acts. It commenced with 2 full days of recruiting, where top studios in games and animation connected with talented artists looking for opportunities. The second act focused on thought-provoking talks given by 46 industry experts, such as Pixar’s Ronnie del Carmen, award-winning illustrator Yuko Shimizu, and hyper-realist 3D character artist Ian Spriggs. The event concluded with a number of intimate workshops on topics such as calligraphy, art and scent, healthy communication and more.

For first time attendees, the THU team made sure that everyone felt welcome. THU mascot “Greg,” served as a reminder to be respectful and to leave no one behind. Team bonding activities were held throughout the week, such as Meet a Stranger led by charismatic host, Shuzo Shiota, and Togather Walk with artist Dilruba Tayfun.

This is truly a powerful way of seeing our everyday work – and that’s what THU is there for! It is a safe space to continue pushing our creativity, to support us moving forward, to make mistakes and fail, but to also recreate ourselves. It is a space that inspires us to our bones as creatives , and by doing so, it allows us to keep creating content that will touch and change people’s lives someday!
– THU 2022 attendee, Inês Coimbra

Discover some of the moments captured at the event by event photographers, Miguel Oliveira and Telmo Pinto :

The ArtStation Center

ArtStation is proud to have sponsored THU 2022. The ArtStation Center was a meeting point to experience incredible talks, the Golden Ticket gallery, workshops, live drawing and more!
Opening ceremony at the ArtStation Centre with THU founder André Luis.
The Golden Ticket gallery featuring challenge artworks printed on ArtStation canvas prints.
Live performance featuring Japanese calligrapher, Aoi Yamaguchi.
Following Aoi Yamaguchi’s performance, tribe members were eager to learn Japanese calligraphy.
Maquette sculpting workshop with Vicki Saulls.
Creature ideation & realisation for the World of Witcher Season 2 talk with Maddie Scott-Spencer.

Recruiting

The Recruitment Center provided an excellent opportunity for studios to find talent.

The Oasis

The SONY Oasis was a communal space for the tribe to gather in-between talks and sessions. At night, the Oasis held activities such as Video Game Nights and karaoke.

At the Beach

Kite making workshop at the beach.

What’s Next?

The team at THU is busy planning for 2023. Up next is Sony Talent League III – an intensive bootcamp for creatives. Join the THU tribe to discover new opportunities and be inspired!


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Education and Sponsorships, ArtStation