Oxford St creative program success

The City of Sydney Council’s Oxford St Cultural & Creative Spaces program has been hailed a success, with almost 70 start-up businesses utilising the City’s Oxford St creative spaces in the project’s first seven months.

The program has seen a wide array of businesses including fashion designers, online video producers, writers, architects and artists set up shop in Council-owned premises along Oxford St, Darlinghurst.

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said it highlighted the need for affordable creative spaces in the inner city.

“Commercial rents are increasingly beyond the reach of many start-ups, but affordable spaces give them room to take risks,” said Ms Moore.

“By attracting people to the lower end of Oxford St, they’re also helping to increase business for their neighbours, so it’s proving a win for everyone.”

The spaces are leased by enterprises which otherwise would not have the opportunity or means to work from professional spaces in downtown Sydney.

Anastasia Phillips from Rouse Phillips textile studios said she owed her business to the project.

“I can’t imagine where we’d be without this space. We owe it a lot,” said Ms Phillips.

“We’ve also been able to develop ideas on a much larger scale – we’re very, very happy to be here.”

Rouse Phillips launched its first-ever collection of home textiles last month.

The project also recently saw its first “graduate”, with the team from event listing website Aroundyou.com.au increasing from six to 16 people, outgrowing the Oxford St workspace.

The City of Sydney is one of the largest landlords along Oxford St, Darlinghurst owning many of the buildings on the northern side of Oxford St between Whitlam Square and Taylor Square.

The Lord Mayor urged other landlords to follow the City’s lead in providing cheap creative space to start-up enterprises.

“The City deliberately took a leadership role with this project, and we hope other property owners along the strip will see what can be achieved,” said Ms Moore.

“Landlords can either have empty buildings no-one can afford, or full productive office spaces that generate a strong local economy.”

In related news, the City of Sydney is calling on artists to help improve nearby Foley St, Darlinghurst as part of the City’s street art program, Streetware.

Artists are invited to submit proposals to cover a large wall space along Foley St with up to five original artworks.

Last year, the nearby T2 Building at Taylor Square was given a vibrant makeover by Aboriginal artist Reko Rennie as part of the Streetware program.

Artists interested in working on the Foley St project are encouraged to make a submission at tenderlink.com/cityofsydney by 11am Friday, January 18.