Start-up Rare Squid Creative lands Toowoomba city centre spot thanks to Creative CBD program

The second business in the Creative CBD renewal program has been revealed, and it plans to attract and artists and musicians to the Garden City.

Toowoomba Regional Council and Renew Australia has helped multimedia, design and marketing agency Rare Squid, founded by Joshua Willson (left), Paddy Long, land a spot in the CBD.

Paddy Long and Joshua Willson have a passion for supporting artists with their creative endeavours, but now they’re the ones getting a helping hand as part of a new city centre renewal project.

The pair’s boutique marketing and design company Rare Squid Creative is just the second small business to join the innovative Creative CBD Toowoomba program.

The initiative, funded by Toowoomba Regional Council and not-for-profit organisation Renew Australia, allows creative start-ups to rent out vacant sites in the CBD at no cost on a rolling month-by-month basis.

Rare Squid has secured a spot in the old Toowoomba GPO building on Margaret Street, where it will operate a gallery, studio and design workspace.

Mr Long, who founded the company with Mr Willson nearly 12 months ago, said he was excited by what the placement would not only do for their business but also the city centre.

“We realised this program was absolutely perfect for us – we’re a creative business, we want to help other creatives to realise their projects and ideas, so we put our application in with that in mind,” he said.

“They’ve granted us this beautiful space that there’s no way we could’ve have afforded without the program.

“I see the Toowoomba CBD benefiting from this, not just with the business but greater foot traffic.”

Theresa Hall, Bindi Wenitong, Joshua Willson, Paddy Long from Rare Squid with Cr Megan O'Hara Sullivan

Councillor Megan O’Hara Sullivan said the program would benefit both the start-ups and the CBD’s landlords.

“The program opens opportunities for landowners or property agents to increase the visibility of vacant properties to potential commercial tenants or purchasers,” she said.

Anyone wanting to be involved in the program should head to tr.qld.gov.au/creativeCBD.