Coutts sponsors Faber events (Industry)

The end of October sees the start of London's first creative writing course from The Faber Academy, the newly formed writing and live events programme by Faber and Faber. The Academy will be sponsored by Coutts & Co. (5 Sept '08)

Patrick Keogh, Faber and Faber New Business Manager (below), said: "The Academy is committed to creativity and innovation. The programme will have an
international as well as a UK focus and is dedicated to delivering
high-quality writing courses and events in major metropolitan centres. 

"Courses will be run with an eye to the cultural moment by first-rate writers and in conjunction with independent organisations where possible. As a distinctive company with long-standing relationships within the Arts, Coutts & Co retains the sensibility and values of an intimate family business under
the ownership of RBS and is a good commercial fit for The Faber Academy."

Sarah Deaves (below), Chief Executive of Coutts & Co, commented:
"Coutts is absolutely thrilled to be sponsoring this fantastic writing academy, in their endeavours to encourage a new generation of writers, poets and playwrights.

"Coutts has a long association with the creative arts, not least by managing the financial affairs of
many great writers and poets such as Charles Dickens, Sir Walter Scott and Alfred, Lord Tennyson but also with our arts sponsorship programme which has been in place for over eight years now.

"We're looking forward to entertaining our clients at many of the events that we will be hosting with the Faber Academy, and are sure that we'll discover a few hidden talents on the way."

Following The Faber Academy's debut creative writing courses this October in Paris and London there are plans for courses in a number of global cities  including Dublin, Edinburgh, Rome,
Barcelona and Berlin, as well as further events in Paris and London.

The inaugural Academy creative writing course will take place from 9-12
October in Paris at legendary Left-Bank bookshop, Shakespeare and Company,
and will focus on the idea of respect for the reader. Tobias Hill will be
the lead tutor for the four days, and Jeanette Winterson will deliver a
seminar on the importance of authenticity and voice in fiction. Tickets for
this event sold out within days of going on sale.

The first course in the UK will take place from 30 October-2 November in
London's Fitzroy Square, a square with many literary associations. Tobias
Hill and Sarah Hall will examine the role of poetic licence, the rewards of
research, and the contrasting roles of naturalism and the unnatural in
fiction. Also included in the course will be a guest appearance from Poet
Laureate Andrew Motion, who will talk about his own experiences of creative
writing followed by a Q & A.

Each Faber Academy attendee will receive a bespoke Moleskine® Faber Academy notebook as part of the benefits package.

The details of the Faber Academy courses and events for late 2008 and early
2009 are to be announced shortly.

RK  _________________________________________