Real talk, real people: Why Creative Boom IRL is the community you’ve been waiting for

If you’ve ever felt like you’re being ignored in your industry (with your head down, working alone, scrolling through your feed and wondering where all that energy went), Creative Boom IRL might just be what you’ve been looking for.

Creative Boom IRL is a series of free, informal gatherings of creative professionals held in cities across the UK. There were no talks, no panels, no sponsors, and no agenda. Just a casual venue with a drink in hand and a room full of designers, illustrators, photographers, writers, strategists and other creatives who really want to talk face to face.

Events are hosted by local volunteers from The Studio, Creative Boom’s private online community. They’re open to all creatives, whether you’re a freelancer, in-house or run your own studio.

We’ll share more about what’s happening across the country later. But first, for the uninitiated, how does it all happen?

how it started

Founded in 2009, Creative Boom is an online magazine that celebrates creative work and the people behind it. Over the years, it has built a loyal following among designers and other creative professionals. But by the mid-2020s, audiences were increasingly telling us that algorithm-driven social platforms were failing them.

Carefully crafted posts disappear into the void. Participation has become performative. The sense of genuine connection that once made the internet exciting is now increasingly difficult to find. So we launched The Studio in early 2025: a private, distraction-free space with no likes, no algorithms, and no noise of self-promotion. Just a real conversation between people who take their craft seriously.

It grew rapidly, with over 4,500 members within a few months. What follows is an online event with industry leaders: intimate sessions on positioning, brand building, goal setting and more. But members kept asking the same thing. When can we actually meet in real life?

Enter Creative Boom IRL.

go out

The inaugural event in Manchester in April 2025 sets the tone perfectly. Photographer Pip Rustage hosted a party to welcome 27 members at the Common on Edge Street, which felt more like meeting old friends than socializing. No conversations, no agendas, no awkward elevator pitches; just good people in a good space.

It worked. Conversations started, details were exchanged, and everyone left asking the same question: When is the next one? Since then, the momentum has been unstoppable. Events are taking place across the UK and the appetite is real.

In Sheffield, co-hosts Emily O’Brien and Kirsty Grafton took matters into their own hands. Using the newly opened Leah’s Yard in the city center as their base, they found a willing venue in Hop Hideout, whose owner Jules agreed to open it exclusively for their event free of charge. “There aren’t a lot of opportunities for creatives to meet each other unless they’re not too industry-specific, expensive or cliquey,” says Emily. “A lot of people come to the first event as their first creative industry event.”

The Sheffield event has since grown into a real community with particularly gratifying results. Laura Poole, Creative Academy Coordinator at Sheffield College, uses her connections at the meetup to bring local creatives to the College to give lectures, live briefings and run workshops; directly inspiring the next generation.

Kirsty believes the face-to-face element is a key factor. “Being together in real life adds something extra,” she said. “We offer ways to chat that you can’t do by making new connections on LinkedIn.”

North of Durham, Aniseed Creative’s Clare Lavelle is determined to put her area on the map. “Durham is not particularly known as a creative hub, although there is a lot of creativity here,” she said. Her first event attracted about 15 creatives on a rare hot summer day in the Northeast. Oddly, many of them already worked with the same people or in the same places.

Events in Durham now regularly attract 20-25 attendees and real connections have been made. “Without it, I probably wouldn’t be co-hosting Billy No Mates with Laura, another local designer,” says Claire. “A number of local artists have already connected, and designers and marketers have been exchanging details of possible collaborations. It’s turned into a lovely community in a very short time.”

In Leeds, designer Brett, a self-confessed social hater, is persuaded to host the show by his upbeat partner Vicky. “The important thing is building community,” he said. “As someone who has recently moved back to Leeds, it started to turn something that felt incomprehensible and intimidating into something human.” At an event, he met a former London colleague who is now a co-founder of the renowned Leeds studio Edna.

Meanwhile, in Birmingham, Louise O’Kane, brand and packaging designer for LULACREATES, has been quietly creating something special at Kilder Bar near Moore Street station. Her third event was a turning point: a bustling room filled with design graduates, creative directors, photographers, videographers, illustrators, fashion designers and sound engineers. “A real cross-section of the creative community,” she recalls. “I’m very happy.”

each other’s needs

Brighton has been known as a creative hub from the beginning. Becolourful co-hosts Emily Penny and Make More Happen’s Michelle Mariathasan Holland attracted more than 60 people to the project’s coworking space and enjoyed the beautiful sunset from the rooftop terrace. “I was a little nervous that we weren’t offering formal presentations or structured entertainment,” Michelle said. But it turns out that creatives don’t need programming; they need programming. They need each other. “

One attendee traveled from Portsmouth and ended up meeting other Portsmouth creatives at the event. They took the train home together. That’s exactly what it’s about. As Emily says, “Chance encounters can and do change the future.”

In Bristol, senior designer Natty Harris has created a space where there’s truly no pressure to impress. “At 11pm the last group of people were still here and I had to kindly push them away!” she laughed. “Numbers and social handles were swapped, which was really cute.” There was an outpouring of gratitude from the freelance and remote worker community, which has been longing for these kind of agenda-free get-togethers.

Meanwhile, in Belfast, hundreds of studio creative director Gregg Reid put £250 behind the bar at the Ulster Sports Club pub and welcomed 50 people through the door. Along the way, he was surprised to discover how much creative talent the city contained: people working on blockbusters, boutique hotels and global brands, often unaware they were all in the same place. “It’s deadly to get a lot of people together in a room and realize not only how similar we are, but also the true scope of our work,” he reflects.

In London, motion designer Michela Bruno co-hosted the first event in London with Benji Wiedemann, co-founder of ECD and brand consultancy Wiedemann Lampe. Michela, who moved from Italy in 2011 and has been working remotely ever since, said Creative Boom IRL fills a long-standing void. “I work from home and am always alone, but my creativity is fueled by collaboration,” she explains. “I’d really like to meet other creative people in person.”

Benji, in turn, was struck by how faithfully the warmth of the studio translated into the real world. “The atmosphere is real,” he reports. “It’s all about openness, kindness, compassion and most importantly, fun.”

why this is important

The creative industries are facing tough times right now. Budgets are getting tighter, time is getting shorter, freelance work is drying up, and the AI ​​conversation cannot be ignored. Against this backdrop, Creative Boom IRL offers something both simple and much needed: a reminder that you are not alone. As Emily O’Brien said: “Work is tough right now. Having this space to share ‘It’s Not Just You’ really makes everyone feel at ease.”

Best of all, Creative Boom IRL events are free, welcoming, and intentionally low-key. There is no agenda and no sales pitch required. Durham’s Clare Lavelle said it best: “This isn’t your typical social network. It’s just about making creative friends.” Come join us!