Our Story
From an impulse to a movement. From a spark to a flame.
In 2022, Candler Creative was born—not from a plan, but from a feeling. A creative impulse. Dan Candler, a multidisciplinary artist with experience in dance, modelling, circus, and photography, felt the weight of society’s demand to “pick one path.” So he chose photography as a starting point—but not as an endpoint. The vision was always bigger: to create concept-led, collaborative editorials that would deliver messages of positive change through storytelling and art.
One of the first major steps was an editorial project called ‘Thrift Flip’, co-developed with stylist Nale. Together, they upcycled secondhand clothes into new garments, sourcing from charity shops and vintage markets, and designed an entire artistic shoot around the theme of sustainability. Dan also hand-crafted set pieces using recycled materials—flowers made from wire, thread, and found textiles—setting the tone for the kind of artistic worlds Candler Creative would come to build.
But before any of this launched, Dan needed a name. His surname, Candler, was often mispronounced, leading to a now-iconic explanation: “It’s like candle—with an R.” That sparked the idea. Candler Creative would be a beacon of light—a creative platform built on collaboration, authenticity, and positive impact. The flame became a symbol of inner drive and outward change.
The first logo? Just the name and a line through the middle. No fluff—just energy and action.
The First Spark
To complete the Thrift Flip shoot, Dan built a team and connected with Lana, a journalist, videographer, and creative who resonated deeply with the mission. Together with Nale, they began forming the roots of a real creative movement.
Alongside this, Dan started hosting organic creative meetups—from a picnic at Primrose Hill to collaborative sessions in Hyde Park with Spact UK. These weren’t just events; they were community builders. Spaces for creatives to connect without pressure or pretense.
Once Thrift Flip was ready, Dan envisioned more than just an editorial drop—it needed a launch. So, in late 2022, the Thrift Flip event was born: a multidisciplinary exhibition and celebration. Live art, DJs, dancers, stylists, models, a 360° camera, a denim installation wall, and a denim pocket banner featuring every contributor. It sold out. The energy was undeniable. The vision was real.
The Mission Evolves
After Thrift Flip, things shifted. Nale moved on, and Dan and Lana deepened their focus on community-first creativity. They launched new formats like:
- Creative Walk & Talk photo walks through London
- More Spact UK collaborations
- Editorials about deeper themes like acceptance
- And eventually, a creative partnership with venue METER²
This led to the birth of a new flagship event in 2023:
Unbound Perspectives — a multidisciplinary night of art, speakers, VR installations, live music, and immersive experiences. It expanded the vision of what creative gatherings could be, and sold out once again.
From Events to Ecosystem
In 2024, the momentum continued. Dan launched the Candler Creative Chats podcast, speaking with a range of artists about their journeys. The co-founder team expanded to include Valeria Iovino, bringing a background in business and finance to the project and helping formalize Candler Creative as a limited company.
We also introduced our Connect & Collaborate Co-Working Sessions—first on Zoom with members like Tendai Pottinger, then live in partnership with METER². These sessions quickly became safe, supportive spaces for creatives to co-work, share, and grow their ideas. Musicians were invited to test new material. Creatives connected across disciplines. And another pillar of Candler Creative was set.
During this period, we also began creative matchmaking and production services, working with festivals, brands, and collaborators. This work revealed another truth: Candler Creative wasn’t just a community. It was becoming a production and consultancy company, offering strategy, storytelling, creative services, and collective growth—an ecosystem for the creative and entrepreneurial world.
The Flame Burns Brighter
In 2025, the mission matured again. We leaned into building Candler Creative as a full-fledged production and consultancy studio, while expanding our creative directory and agency services. We clarified our offering—but never changed our heart.
Dan began offering authentic brand support, helping artists and entrepreneurs find their message, tone, and true creative identity in a changing world. This gave rise to the Authentic Brand Builder program, a personal and powerful container that helps people navigate there creative identity and authentic personal brand with confidence and clarity.
And while Lana moved on in mid-2025, the flame still burns. Dan and Valeria continue to lead Candler Creative, building an inclusive space for creatives to grow, connect, and be fully seen.
Rebranding With the Community
In 2024, we felt the time had come to evolve our visual identity. But staying true to our ethos, we made it a collaborative process. At METER², eight creative flames gathered: Dan, Valeria, Lana, Adrian, Carola, Lucy, Shaq, and original member Josh Ivey, who facilitated a powerful artistic session.
Each person closed their eyes, visualised a flame, and blindly scribbled their imagined version on paper. Then, using one shared sheet, we repeated the process together. Once the sheet had passed through every hand—eyes closed—we opened our eyes and passed it again, this time adding a few defining lines where we saw shape, movement, or fire.
The result? A collective symbol. A logo born not from one person’s vision, but from the soul of the community itself. Our new flame represents who we are: a light, a movement, a collective beacon.
A New Chapter — Without Losing Our Core
By 2025, we began expanding our production and consultancy work—supporting creatives, brands, and organisations through storytelling, content, community strategy, and creative identity development. But we never left behind our roots.
We didn’t pivot—we expanded. We’re still an ecosystem. Still community-first. Still driven by people over profit. We now balance offering high-level creative services with creating value and opportunity for the people within our world.
Our Mission Today
To be the ultimate creative ecosystem—where artists, entrepreneurs, and communities come together to create, connect, and grow.
To provide the space, resources, and belief for people to build authentic identities—not boxed into roles or industries, but free to exist fully.
To challenge the outdated, competitive, corporate mentality and replace it with collaboration, support, and evolution.
We’re building a living, breathing database of creatives, brands, businesses, venues, and communities, so we can stop dividing and start uniting.
Because you are the flame. And together, we spark a new way forward.