In the shared commitment to support and stand together for the creative community and empowering the dreams of creators, Trojan Horse was a Unicorn (THU), a community organization for digital creators, and Wacom, the leader in digital pen and ink technologies, announced today that they will embark on a new collaboration in Japan.
As the first step, Wacom will join THU JAPAN, a retreat focused on the art of storytelling that will take place in Kaga city, Ishikawa Prefecture from September 20-23. THU Japan will feature some of the best storytellers from various walks of life from journalism to animation, artisanship to physical comedy and music, making it a laboratory for innovation and collaboration. Working together with all participants, Wacom anticipates that THU JAPAN will break new ground in terms of formats and approaches, paving the way for the future of creators and creative community in Japan.
Through the partnership between THU JAPAN and Kaga city, the project aims to turn this flourishing hidden paradise into a safe haven for creators and artists from all around the world. Kaga is the perfect place for creators because it is full of natural beauty, as well as has amazing food, welcoming people, and a longstanding history of craftsmanship.
With Wacom joining this initiative, a new hub for creators will be formed, opening Kaga to the world and inviting local and global creative communities to join this endeavor. Kaga is the ideal place for innovation of the creative industry, which is why our partnership begins here.
Taking a step further, Wacom and Connected Ink Village, which support art, technology and learning from a social and long-term perspective, will join forces with THU JAPAN, where Wacom will contribute technology and experience as the provider of instruments for creations. Some of the content created with community partners through activities from past Connected Ink events will be also contributed.
Looking further ahead, the three-party collaboration will extend to the upcoming Connected Ink event in Tokyo this November 17 and 18, working together on every possible avenue of creativity such as manga, illustration and others combined with various enabling technologies. Some content from the THU JAPAN in Kaga will be also featured.
“This is something we’ve been building up for 10 years. We’ve been studying the digital entertainment landscape, and our community, gathering the knowledge to safely say we can help cities achieve their true potential. The creative industries are invaluable for economic growth, and Kaga had the foresight to see it and take action. It’s a wonderful city, filled with amazing people and food. It will be hard to leave!” - André Luis, THU CEO
“We are very pleased to be collaborating with Wacom, which provides excellent products and services in the fields of art and creativity, and we look forward to working with them to create a wonderful event,” said Riku Miyamoto, Mayor of Kaga city. ”Kaga city has placed a high priority on ‘human resource development’ and has been working on educational reform and nurturing its digital human resources.” He added, “We believe that creative ideas are the basis of all industries and will bring about new possibilities, and THU JAPAN is a very rewarding opportunity to learn directly from world-class creators. We will use this event as a springboard for the development of digital talent and the creation of a 'Creators Hub' based in Asia."
“As a provider of writing and drawing instruments, Wacom is very pleased to join THU and the THU JAPAN community to create new experiences. We hope to provide added momentum for the "creative arts," said Nobu Ide, Wacom’s president and CEO. “I am excited just to imagine what new and meaningful experiences we can create when we combine the THU community and Kaga city with the Wacom and Connected Ink Village communities. “Taking the first step of this fantastic collaboration at the upcoming THU JAPAN, our journey will continue further to the Connected Ink event in November and beyond,” he added.
About Trojan Horse Was a Unicorn (THU)
Founded in 2013, "Trojan Horse Was a Unicorn" (THU) has a mission to provide creators with "inspiration" and "the power to move forward" to open the door to the creative world for creators. More than just a global event focused on technology, art and creativity, THU is a networking ecosystem that connects across the digital entertainment and interactive industries. The annual event brings together creators from around the world for an "experience," hosting online events, local gatherings in cities around the world, and "Career Camp," a global recruiting session.
About Wacom
Founded in 1983, Wacom is a global company based in Japan with subsidiaries and affiliate offices around the world to support marketing and distribution in over 150 countries and areas. It is the world’s leading manufacturer of pen tablets, interactive pen displays, and digital interface solutions. The advanced technology of Wacom’s intuitive input devices has been used to create some of the most exciting digital art, films, special effects, fashion and designs around the world and provides business and home users with their leading interface technology to express their personality. The company also offers its products as OEM solutions to leading manufacturers serving incremental markets. Wacom’s interface technology, called Wacom Feel IT technologies, is also offered as an integrated solution to strategic partners. Most tablet device and PC manufacturers count on the advanced features and reliability to deliver a superior user interface experience.
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Corporate Communications, Wacom Co., Ltd
E-mail: Wacom-pr@wacom.co.jp
Tel: +81-3-5337-6702