Candlestar

Name

Candlestar

Legal name

Candlestar Ltd

Website

https://candlestar.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Visual Arts Consultancy

NAICS

Photographic Services (54192), Interior Design Services (54141)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Event Theming, Mood Boards & Concept Design (HSACAOAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Lighting Design Services (BPAHAKAJ), Event Lighting Decor (Uplighting, String Lights, Effects) (HSACAOAE), Event Signage, Props & Custom Installations (HSACAOAG)

Keywords

• Visual arts consultancy
• Photography fair production
• Exhibition design services
• Cultural event management
• Photography award programme

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Visual Arts Consultancy Services: Consulting on and delivering innovative projects for clients such as Frieze, Condé Nast, Belmond, Art Dubai, and Sovereign Art Foundation. Services include conception, design, and production of exhibitions and cultural events.
2. Photo London Fair Operations: Annual photography fair generating revenue through exhibitor fees, ticket sales, and sponsorship. The fair features over 100 exhibitors and attracts 35,000+ visitors.
3. Prix Pictet Award & Touring Exhibition: Award programme with 100,000 Swiss Francs prize for winners, supported by Pictet Group. Generates revenue through partnership with Pictet and touring exhibition hosting fees.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Candlestar is a visual arts consultancy that conceives, designs, and produces ambitious cultural projects with a specialism in photography. Its two flagship self-produced programmes are Photo London, an annual international photography fair created in 2015, and the Prix Pictet, the world's leading photography and sustainability award founded in 2008 with the Pictet Group. The Design & Production Studio provides full-service exhibition design and production services to institutional clients including Frieze, Condé Nast, Belmond, Art Dubai, and the Sovereign Art Foundation.

Product overview

Candlestar is an internationally renowned visual arts consultancy offering a portfolio of cultural projects. The company operates two flagship programmes: Photo London, a world-class annual photography fair established in 2015 held at Somerset House and moving to Olympia in 2026; and the Prix Pictet, the world's leading photography award for sustainability founded in 2008 with Pictet Group. Supporting these core products are the Design Studio providing exhibition design and production services; the Nikon Emerging Photographer Award; and various exhibition and publication projects including Burnt Generation, Confinement, and Peter Lindbergh: Untold Stories. The company also manages awards for London Business School and consulting projects such as the Condé Nast College of Fashion & Design.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Photo London An annual international photography fair created by Candlestar in 2015, featuring leading galleries, a Discovery section for emerging artists, public programme with exhibitions, talks, and awards including the Master of Photography Award. Hailed as the UK Photography event of the year by The Guardian, the fair attracts 35,000+ visitors and features 100+ exhibitors from 18 countries.
• Prix Pictet The world's leading award for photography and sustainability, founded in 2008 with the Pictet Group. Each annual cycle carries a thematic focus (Water, Earth, Growth, Power, Consumption, Disorder, Space, Hope, Fire, Human) and awards a 100,000 Swiss Francs prize to the winner, accompanied by an international touring exhibition. Across nine completed cycles, 4,700 photographers have been nominated by a network of 300+ nominators, with touring exhibitions attracting 550,000+ visitors.
• Design & Production Studio Full-service visual arts consultancy offering covering conception, feasibility assessment, venue acquisition, content curation, exhibition design, artwork fabrication, fine art shipping, installation, and sustainability monitoring. Delivers both large and small-scale projects for cultural institution and brand clients including Frieze, Condé Nast, Belmond, Art Dubai, and the Sovereign Art Foundation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 550,000 visitors to Prix Pictet touring exhibitions globally
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• HahnemühlecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Hahnemühle partners with Photo London for the Student Award, providing print materials and supporting student photographers' exhibition prints.
• BelmondminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Belmond served as Presenting Partner for Photo London 2024 with exhibition 'Shifting Horizons' celebrating three female photographers.
• Thames & HudsonminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Thames & Hudson serves as Talks Partner for Photo London, curating the Talks Programme with contributions from Nikon and FT Weekend.
• Royal Bank of Canada (RBC)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Royal Bank of Canada announced as Principal Partner for Photo London 2023, supporting the eighth edition of the fair at Somerset House.
• Creo (partnership with Angus Montgomery Arts)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Photo London founders Michael Benson and Fariba Farshad collaborated with Creo and Angus Montgomery Arts to launch PHOTOFAIRS New York in 2023.
• World Photography OrganisationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partnership announced in 2022 making Photo London and WPO together the world's largest organisation dedicated to photography. WPO organises PHOTOFAIRS Shanghai.
• NikoncoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2015Nikon partners with Photo London for the Emerging Photographer Award, providing camera equipment including Z Series kit (Z 5, Z 6II or Z 7II cameras and NIKKOR Z lenses) to winners.
• Pictet GroupflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Founded Prix Pictet together in 2008. Pictet Group, a Swiss private bank, sponsors the award with 100,000 Swiss Francs prize. The award has become the world's leading photography and sustainability award with global touring exhibitions.
• London Business SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCandlestar asked by London Business School to structure and manage their photography award, design and produce exhibitions, elevating the project and its audience.
• Condé NastcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCandlestar worked with Condé Nast to develop all aspects of the new Condé Nast College of Fashion and Design, including organisational, educational, and logistical aspects.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• AIPAD: Association of International Photography Art Dealers that organizes The Photography Show in New York. Direct photography fair competitor to Photo London and PHOTOFAIRS New York.
• Angus Montgomery Arts: Australia-founded art fair organizer that produces leading fairs including Art Basel Hong Kong collaborations and partnered with Candlestar to launch PHOTOFAIRS New York. Highly comparable as a peer fair organizer with photography and visual arts adjacency.
• Art Dubai: Leading Middle East art fair and a Candlestar client. Comparable as a regional art fair producer with global exhibitor and collector reach, operating in adjacent cultural-event territory.
• Paris Photo: The world's longest-running photography fair, held annually at the Grand Palais. Operated by RX (Reed Exhibitions), it is the most direct competitor to Photo London in the photography fair category.
• World Photography Organisation: Organizer of the Sony World Photography Awards and PHOTOFAIRS Shanghai; partnered with Candlestar/Photo London in 2022 to form the world's largest photography organization. Direct peer in photography-focused events and awards.
• Masterpiece London: High-end cross-category art, antiques and design fair held in London. Comparable as a London-anchored cultural event serving collectors, galleries, and institutions in the premium segment.
• Photo Basel: Switzerland-based photography fair positioned as a more intimate alternative to Paris Photo. Direct competitor to Photo London for international photography galleries and collectors.
• Creo (formerly MCH Group): Global events company behind Art Basel and Art Basel Hong Kong, and Candlestar's PHOTOFAIRS New York partner. Highly comparable as a peer fair organizer with photography and visual arts adjacency at much larger scale.

Broad incumbents

• Frieze: Global art fair and media group operating Frieze London, Frieze New York, Frieze LA and Frieze Seoul. Compares to Candlestar as a London-anchored cultural event producer and is also a Candlestar client (consultancy engagement).
• TEFAF: The European Fine Art Fair, a high-end multi-category art and antiques fair based in Maastricht and New York. Comparable as an established art fair organizer targeting premium collectors and institutions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CandlestarLtd
• Facebookfacebook.com/CandlestarLtd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/candlestar

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Candlestar