In the News

A new social site Toadsquare has been created to unite creatives all over the world, giving them the opportunity to display their photography or other creative talents with others in the industry, buy materials and swap tips.

Photographers, for example, can create a website within the website to showcase their work with others, seek criticism and tips as well as buy materials from suppliers.

For more information please see the press release below.

Press release:

A new social network taking two years and almost €1 million to develop was launched today in the heart of Bohemian Prague. ‘Toadsquare’ aims to unite the world’s 20 million creative professionals – artists, photographers, filmmakers, scriptwriters, designers – and provide them with an instant, global showcase for exhibiting their talents to agents, producers and collectors.

Toadsquare is the brainchild of Jane Hrouda, daughter of a Czech émigré, who grew up in Australia. ‘I’ve spent my whole life working with creative people and wondering how we can afford to let so much talent, in so many countries, go to waste’ she said. ‘When Facebook and Linked-In showed the incredible power of social networking I realised this could be the answer to the mismatch between supply and demand in the creative industries.’

Hrouda and a team of ten have spent two years and almost €1 million turning her original idea into reality. Toadsquare is free to join and gives every member their own shop-window – ‘a website within a website’ – where they can display works of art, photographs, films, video, scripts, designs, music: samples and examples of their creative talents. They can also buy equipment and materials, get training, swap stories and tips with other creative professionals, advertise shows and exhibitions, invite expert criticism and seek inspiration.

Montparnasse on a global scale
Toadsquare was launched in Prague at a re-creation of Montparnasse, designed to evoke the dynamic artistic melting-pot of Paris in the 20th century. ‘The Left Bank in the days of Pablo Picasso symbolises all the excitement, opportunity and passion that we want to bring alive again at Toadsquare’ says Hrouda. ‘Artistic communities have always flourished on a local level, with clients and collectors making a bee-line for the cafes where up-and-coming talent can be spotted. But what if you’re a budding genius in Jakarta and your ideal customer is in Madrid? With Toadsquare they could be sitting at the next table.’

Producer Joel Einhorn says: ‘Finding the right actor for the right part has always been a bit hit-and-miss. There are directories and there are agents, but most of us rely on our personal networks, semi-social and semi-professional. What Toadsquare does is expand these networks a hundredfold, offering people like me a world of talent at the touch of a key. I think it’s brilliant.’

Scriptwriter Adrian Wheeler thinks Toadsquare will transform the film and TV industries. ‘There’s never been a single place where you know that producers and directors will look at your work. Now there is, and it’s exactly what creative professionals need. Toadsquare is going to transform the way people in the visual arts manage their careers – it replaces serendipity with an efficient, digital marketplace for anyone selling talent and anyone buying it.’