CandyFloss

The Candyfloss Initiative (n.) - An accessible, judgement free, tangible community based in the Orlando area where creatives can get together and hone their craft, collaborate on projects, and showcase their hard work.

        The Candyfloss Initiative seeks to gather those with a passion to create, whether it's film, music, art, photography, painting, production, editing, writing - you name it.

Candyfloss was pulled from the mind of Aiden Vanasco back in September of 2024 during his drive to Orlando from St. Petersburg. The idea came from his own frustrations with wanting to expand on and delve into some creative projects but not having the means necessary to do so. His desire for a creative support network led him to create his own, and with the help of lifelong friend Speyer Heerdt, they did just that.

The name "Candyfloss" came from a song by the band Wilco by the same name. Aiden resonated with the song, and he found the oxymoron within the word clever and cheeky enough to build a brand with it. The "initiative" part of the title is equally as important and noteworthy as it speaks the movement into existence. Everyone is taking the initiative to get their creative work out there and uplift their fellow artists to do the same.

In its first year, Aiden has spent time setting roots, branching out, and getting a feel for what's working and what isn't. He admitted to things feeling a bit gray as of late. People have joined the Candyfloss Initiative but haven’t been involved in any events or active conversations. There was even a Pitch Night held last month where people were encouraged to bring something they were working on for it to be workshopped and developed with likeminded individuals, but no one showed up. Aiden said that really put things into perspective as to what changes needed to be made within the initiative. He said he wanted to scale back a bit and focus on those that understand the vision being creative. The desire is to build a judgement free community of all sorts of creative people. He wants someone to show up with a film idea, and he wants that person to be surrounded by others that are willing and excited to jump in and help with scriptwriting, lighting, editing, producing, and can offer cameras and equipment to turn that idea into a reality. He wants everyone to benefit from the experience of helping each other create something.

Aiden attributes the kickoff of the Candyfloss Initiative to their recent concert event at Stardust Video & Cafe where bands like Foxlair, Paperback Romance, Orange Blossom Trail, and Holly Pocket performed. He described a moment where he and Speyer found each other in the crowd when “The Weekend” by Modern Baseball started to play – a song that the two had deemed their success song over the years – and there it was, all coming together. Local bands and friends were being spotlighted on the stage while photographers were getting more content to add to their portfolio. People were enjoying themselves and having a great time, connections were being made, and creatives were uplifting each other. This is what the Candyfloss Initiative was made for.

Aiden felt called to Orlando because of all the untapped talent the city holds. He compared it to the creative boom that happened back in Philly in the 2010s. He explained, “Gen Z is too scared to get together despite wanting that community,” so, he made the community for them. He also said he wanted to be the face of the Candyfloss Initiative because “when you give the community a face, you give the community a voice.”  More than anything, Aiden just wants to create a free space for artistic, creative, innovative people to get together and collaborate and celebrate one another, and he wants to tap into that talent. Some other Orlando based talents that Aiden shouted out included Velvet Crowbar Booking, Paperback Romance, Pedro from Knights Rock Band, filmmakers at UCF, and best friend Speyer, who’s been crafting a children’s cartoon.

Aiden also wants to circle back on that Pitch Night idea. He wants to create a community that goes beyond group chats and posts, and with some adjusting, he thinks something like Pitch Night could be incredibly beneficial. The purpose of the Candyfloss Initiative is to connect you with people who will push you forward and get excited with you and for you in all of your creative endeavors.

Check out the Candyfloss at Candyflossinitiative.com, and if you feel like it’s a crowd you’d benefit from being a part of, it’s free to join!