How The Studio became an essential place for creatives to network and learn in 2025

This year, we launched our own private community, which has quickly evolved into a lively chat platform and an essential learning hub featuring online sessions as well as real-life events across Britain. Read on to find out how to get involved.

Feeling alone and isolated as a freelancer? Feel like all the big conversations are taking place without you while you’re stuck scrolling through endless social media feeds that leave you more frustrated than inspired? You’re not alone.

It’s no secret that social media platforms inevitably prioritise the lowest common denominator once they need to generate billions of dollars. So, we thought: enough! As an alternative, we launched our own community, The Studio, in early 2025—and it’s rapidly becoming the antidote to creative isolation that so many of us desperately needed.

What began as a humble experiment has exploded into something far more powerful: a thriving community of over 4,500 members where freelancers find their tribe, employed creatives discover new opportunities, and everyone gets access to the kind of insider knowledge that was once reserved for those with the right connections.

Your creative support network, finally

If you’ve never heard of The Studio, here’s what you’re missing: it’s Creative Boom’s private, distraction-free sanctuary designed exclusively for creative professionals who are serious about their craft and their careers. Many members describe it as a refuge from algorithm-driven self-promotion culture, reminiscent of the early internet when connections mattered more than engagement metrics.

Unlike mainstream social platforms, where your carefully crafted posts disappear into the algorithmic void, The Studio gives you direct access to people who genuinely want to help you succeed. The platform deliberately lacks features such as “like” buttons, forcing more intentional interactions that lead to meaningful conversations rather than superficial engagement.

For freelancers especially, this community fills a crucial gap. Solo entrepreneurs and one-person consultancies find it provides the daily human connection that’s often missing from isolated work environments. Members report feeling genuinely welcomed and accepted without judgment, which is particularly valuable for those without traditional studio experience or industry networks.

The simple ritual of members greeting each other across multiple time zones each morning has become a cherished habit that embodies the community’s supportive nature. This global reach creates a sense of shared workspace that many members say is exactly what they need.

Your learning calendar just got intense

But The Studio isn’t just about chat. The platform has also developed into a comprehensive learning ecosystem with expertly curated events happening constantly, each designed to solve specific problems you’re actually facing in your creative career.

These aren’t generic webinars delivered by people who haven’t touched real client work in years. They’re intimate, interactive sessions led by industry leaders who understand the daily realities of creative work, from cash flow anxiety to difficult client relationships.

Take James Hurst’s session on 15 May, ‘Weird the Normal, Normal the Weird’, which drew over a hundred members eager to learn from the chief creative officer at Zag consultancy and former head of brand design at Google. His exploration of how design can recalibrate our sense of normal wasn’t theoretical—it was practical wisdom from someone who’s shaped brands, including Pinterest and Tinder.

Real events, real breakthroughs

The proof is in the outcomes. Liz Mosley’s ‘100 Rejections, Zero Regrets’ workshop on 20 February attracted 68 members, who learned how actively seeking rejection can transform creative careers. Liz, a graphic designer with over 16 years of experience, shared her bold experiment that completely changed her mindset. Members are left with practical strategies for reframing rejection as a powerful growth tool—the kind of mindset shift that can unlock years of creative potential.

The ‘Behind the Brand’ series has been particularly revelatory. When Ben Watkinson from GF Smith and Pali Palavathanan from TEMPLO discussed their dramatic rebrand on 27 February, 84 members got unprecedented access to the strategic thinking behind one of the industry’s most talked-about transformations. They revealed how they moved GF Smith beyond monochrome heritage into a world of colour and movement—insights you simply can’t get from case study videos.

Denise Strohsahl’s session on 5 June, ‘How to Stand Out in a Sea of Creatives’, drew 87 members hungry for positioning advice that actually works. As a marketing consultant who challenges the obsession with self-promotion, Denise shared actionable strategies for carving out your niche without competing with everyone. Members walked away with clearer direction on identifying what makes them unique, without the constant pressure of self-promotion.

Even practical sessions deliver immediate value. Rhea Freeman’s goal-setting workshop on 8 May taught members how to reverse-engineer big ambitions into achievable micro-goals. PR expert Claire Blyth’s session on 6 March gave 42 members insider knowledge on getting featured in top-tier media, moving beyond social media noise to build genuine recognition.

We could go on, but you get the point. And The Studio’s upcoming online events continue this tradition of insider access to industry leaders.

Upcoming opportunities

Thursday, 19 June, at 12:00pm BST, brings ‘Find Your Water’ with Ben Mottershead, founder of Never Dull Studio and co-owner of Glug Events. Drawing inspiration from penguins who may seem clumsy on land but are unrivalled swimmers in the water, Ben explores how creatives can find their natural element.

With 65 members already registered, this session addresses career transitions, redundancy, and turning setbacks into stepping stones. Ben’s diverse experience spanning graphic design, branding, animation, and strategy—plus his work with the Disabled Creatives Initiative—offers unique perspectives on building a fulfilling creative career.

Thursday, 10 July at 4:00pm BST features Simon Dixon sharing ‘The 24-Year Overnight Success’ story of DixonBaxi. With 93 members signed up so far, this promises an honest look at how they built one of the world’s leading branding agencies, having worked with notable clients such as Netflix, AC Milan, Google, and Hulu. Simon reveals what shaped their ‘Be Brave’ philosophy, how they’ve scaled with purpose, and the real lessons from building brands that move people and shape culture.

Thursday, 21 August at 4:00pm BST brings award-winning creative director Livvy Moore to discuss ‘Starting from a Blank Page’. Having shaped global campaigns for Dickies, PUMA, Eastpak and Under Armour, Livvy explains why she walked away from the traditional ad world to launch her own agency. This session explores building an inclusive studio on your own terms, creating space for industry misfits, and what it means to speak truth to power in the advertising industry.

Thursday, 18 September at 4:00pm BST features twin sisters Abigail and Chloe Baldwin of Buttercrumble discussing their book ‘The Brand Power Manifesto’, which has recently been shortlisted for the 2025 Business Book Awards. The Leeds-based design duo explores why branding is such a powerful tool for founders and freelancers, sharing practical insights from their inclusive approach to design and their journey of building a business their way, not the unicorn start-up way.

But that’s not all. We have future sessions yet to be listed on The Studio, including a talk with Ayo Fagbemi, one of the founders of Explorers Club Studio in London; Elliot Jay Stocks, the famous designer, author, and typography enthusiast, and Claire Parker, group creative partner at The Chase, will also be joining us to discuss ‘The Art of the Movie Poster: Why it Still Matters’.

At the same time, The Monthly Wrap continues on the last Friday of each month at 4pm GMT, providing a relaxed social space where creatives celebrate month-end achievements and spark new connections over casual conversation.

Face-to-face magic

Of course, while online events offer convenience and global reach, nothing quite replaces the energy of meeting your creative peers in person. That’s why Creative Boom IRL has become such a vital part of The Studio experience, bringing members together across Britain for relaxed, inspiring gatherings.

The inaugural Manchester event at Common on 39-41 Edge Street on Thursday, 3 April, from 6-8.30pm BST, setting the perfect tone. Photographer Pip Rustage hosted 27 members for an evening that felt more like a gathering of old friends than a networking event. Conversations flowed naturally from creative challenges to career aspirations, with several attendees exchanging details for potential collaborations.

The momentum has been remarkable since then. Thursday, 24 April, saw simultaneous events in Sheffield and Birmingham—twenty-five creatives gathering in Sheffield for lively discussions about the city’s evolving creative scene, while 10 Birmingham members connected over shared industry experiences.

Durham’s gathering of ten on Thursday, 29 May, at 4pm BST created the perfect environment for deeper conversations, proving that smaller events can often be more valuable than large, unwieldy ones. Leeds followed suit with 24 attendees at their 6 pm event the same day, demonstrating the appetite for connection across Northern England’s creative hubs.

The Manchester Summer Social on Thursday, 5 June, drew 22 members back to the city, proving these aren’t one-off networking attempts but the foundation of genuine creative communities. And so far, each event has maintained the relaxed atmosphere that makes The Studio special. No awkward elevator pitches or desperate business card exchanges, just authentic conversations between people who understand the unique joys and frustrations of creative work.

Your invitation to transform your creative career

Whether you’re a freelancer seeking connection, an agency employee looking for broader perspectives, or a creative entrepreneur building something new, The Studio provides the relationships and knowledge you need to thrive. The upcoming events represent just a fraction of what’s planned—each one designed around real challenges facing real creatives like you.

Many members report that their average workday has taken on a new rhythm, beginning with genuine community connection that energises their entire day. It’s this sense of shared journey that transforms isolated creative work into collaborative growth.

Ready to stop feeling isolated and start feeling inspired? Join over 3,000 creative professionals who’ve already discovered their creative sanctuary and apply to join The Studio today. Your future collaborators, mentors, and friends are already there, sharing insights, celebrating wins, and supporting each other through the inevitable challenges of creative careers.

The conversations that could change your career are happening right now. The events that could unlock your next breakthrough are already scheduled. The creative community you’ve been searching for is waiting to welcome you.

As The Studio continues to evolve, the message from members is clear: this is the space creative professionals have been yearning for. Your only remaining question should be: what are you waiting for? Submit your application today: it’s free!