Don't Look Now but the Daphne du Maurier Festival of Arts and Literature is offering sponsorship opportunities

Started in 1997, the Daphne du Maurier Festival has grown steadily and proved to be very popular attracting visitors from far and wide, giving sponsors the opportunity to reach a diverse audience for their products.

The first festival celebrated the ninetieth anniversary of the author's birth and over the past fifteen years has become an important date in Cornwall's cultural literary calendar.

Fowey, in Cornwall, has been proud to host this festival and has welcomed a variety of artists and performers to enjoy the delights of this ancient seaport on the wonderful south coast of Cornwall.

With its focus of a tented village overlooking the Fowey Estuary, the festival has been popular with artists and visitors alike. The Festival Village houses a 600 seat auditorium, bookshop and a cafe and bar, with views over the river. In addition to the Festival Village, the Festival also uses many more venues in and around Fowey.

In 2010 Kathy Lette, Simon Hoggart, George Alagiah and AC Grayling were among the many speakers and Julian Lloyd Webber, Seth Lakeman and Courtney Pine provided musical entertainment. The programme included a wide range of authors and other artistes during this ten day celebration. In the past artists such as Sir John Mills, Cleo Laine and John Dankworth have all asked to come again another year as they enjoyed the Festival's special atmosphere so much.

The Festival Village events are complemented by community events. These include plays, talks, concerts, exhibitions and a series of guided walks. The festival has strong links with the local schools and is keen to encourage events suitable for, and put on by, the young generation.

The University of Exeter has had a long association with the du Maurier Festival and has provided interesting and lively talks and debates covering a wide range of subjects. In 2010 the du Maurier Festival attracted 20,000 attendances. It has strong, loyal support from its enthusiastic supporters.

An independent survey to assess the economic benefit stated

  •   The Daphne Du Maurier Festival currently provides an event that is well supported and highly regarded by its visitors with high satisfaction levels throughout

  •   The local community also supports the festival through attendance, but also appreciates the fact that it allows them to experience culture close to home.

The festival, formerly run by Restormel Borough Council, then Cornwall Council, has recently been taken over by a joint committee of Fowey Town Council and the Port of Fowey Chamber of Commerce. The new committee is working to develop the festival further to encourage more visitors and in subsequent years to widen the range and breadth of its artistic programme.

There is a range of sponsorship opportunities available in connection with this very special festival.

Contact: David Jenkins

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