Afraid your portfolio isn’t good enough? Portfolio Night Taipei says: “You Can Be Afraid”

Portfolio Night returns to Taipei on October 20, hosted by ROCK YU Creative and Bremen Digital Creative, bringing 15 leading creative directors from advertising, design and digital together with the next generation of young talent for an evening of one-on-one portfolio reviews.

This year’s Taipei edition starts with a feeling many young creatives know all too well: fear.

What if my portfolio isn’t good enough? What if I say the wrong thing? What if I make a bad impression?

These were some of the concerns young creatives shared ahead of this year’s event. For some, sitting across from a creative director with their portfolio on the table can feel less like an opportunity and more like a job interview they are not quite ready for.

That insight became the starting point for this year’s Portfolio Night Taipei campaign: #YouCanBeAfraid, a simple idea that says being afraid doesn’t mean you have to stop.

Even after 20 or 30 years in the industry, what are you still afraid of?

Instead of simply telling young creatives not to be afraid, Portfolio Night Taipei turned the question around and asked its creative mentors what still scares them.

In a series of sixteen films created for the campaign, established creatives speak candidly, and sometimes playfully, about the fears that have stayed with them throughout their careers.

VIEW THE FIRST VIDEO WITH RICHARD YU
VIEW THE SECOND VIDEO WITH JOHN YANG
VIEW THE THIRD VIDEO WITH JOE FANG
VIEW THE FOURTH VIDEO WITH EJ CHIANG
VIEW THE FIFTH VIDEO WITH FA-HSIANG HU
VIEW THE SIXTH VIDEO WITH BEN CHUNG

One is afraid that younger generations might find his work old and outdated. Another fears becoming too comfortable with compromise. One fears not sharing the same “scent” as a client when it comes to creative taste. Another says what scares her most is meeting someone who is no longer afraid at all.

Sometimes, fear is there precisely because you still care.

The conversation around fear will continue at Portfolio Night itself, , with an opening series of creative talks in which three mentors and Taipei’s previous Portfolio Night All-Star will share their own fears and experiences.

Kevin Swanepoel, CEO of The One Club for Creativity said, “Portfolio Night has always been where the next generation of creative talent gets seen – and Taiwan’s round proves the work coming out of that region is as bold and distinctive as anywhere in the world. We’re proud to shine a light on these students and the ideas they’re already shaping.”

Richad Yu, City Host (Co-founder & CCO of ROCK YU) for Portfolio Night Taipei, said: “What moves me every time we put Portfolio Night together is seeing so many of Taiwan’s top creative directors and designers give their time and experience so generously to the next generation. We all share the same hope: to see more talent young creatives join and thrive in the industry we love. It makes me even more excited to see the next generation of Taiwanese creatives shine on the world stage. ✨”

John Yang, Co-city host (CCO for Bremen Digital Creative) said, “I love sitting down with creatives from different generations and simply having a conversation. Younger creatives bring their own perspectives and ideas, while those of us with more experience bring everything we’ve picked up along the way. Sometimes, in the middle of a conversation, just one thought can make you see something differently. That’s what makes Portfolio Night so special. I hope that, by the end of the night, everyone leaves with a little more courage and curiosity, inspired by one another.”

A portfolio review before the real interview.
Your portfolio doesn’t have to be perfect. That’s the point.
You can be afraid. Just don’t let it stop you from showing up.

Quick Details:
What: Portfolio Night 2026 Taipei
When: October 20
Where: Milk Bar by BKA, Taipei
Organized by: ROCK YU Creative × Bremen Digital Creative on behalf of The One Club for Creativity

Celebrating its 23rd year, Portfolio Night is the world’s largest advertising portfolio review program, designed to bridge the gap between emerging talent and established creative leaders.