26.09.06
Pitch Idol: University College Falmouth offers chance to turn literary aspirations into reality

First there was Pop Idol, and now there is Pitch Idol – your chance to convince a panel of writing experts and a live audience that your idea for a novel, TV programme or film has literary 'legs'.

If you have been burning away the midnight oil and scribbling secretly in your attic, now is your chance to turn your literary aspirations into reality.

"Thanks to a new partnership between University College Falmouth's PgDip/MA in Professional Writing and Falmouth Festival of Literature and Arts, all you have to do is send a 250-word summary of your idea to the Festival Office by this Friday, 29 September," says Professional Writing Course Leader, Christina Bunce. "The top ten entrants will be selected to prepare a two-minute pitch, summarising their idea and why they think it would be successful, to present to a panel of judges and a live audience at 6.30pm at the Falmouth Arts Centre on Saturday 7 October," Christina adds.

Christina Bunce will be joined on the judging panel by Tony Cowell, literary agent, author, and brother of infamous music mogul, Simon, and Jane Blanchard, successful novelist and commissioning editor for ITV West Country. Hosted by BBC Radio Cornwall's Emma Lloyd, the event promises to be both lively and entertaining, with successful entrants also receiving instant feedback on how to take their ideas to the next stage.

Tickets are available for £4 from the Falmouth Arts Centre Box Office if you would like to be part of the audience.

This is just one of the ways in which University College Falmouth is supporting Falmouth Festival of Literature and Arts, which now takes place to coincide with the new academic year, in order to maximise students' involvement in the event.

"The new influx of students will see straight away that Falmouth is a buzzy, busy town, with much of what's happening at the Festival being relevant to them and what they are studying on their courses," says Festival Organiser, Kirsten Whiting. "What's more, we are offering discounted entry to students for most of the events, so we look forward to seeing as many of them as possible during the course of the four days."

Students of the Professional Writing course have also helped to write copy for the Festival brochure and website, and recent Fine Art graduates will be exhibiting work in the Festival Gallery alongside the likes of Anthony Frost and Richard Ballinger.

The College's Professional Writing team have also produced 'We Wish: Hopes and Dreams of Cornwall's Children – a fundraising book for the NSPCC – in collaboration with BA(Hons) Illustration students and local schoolchildren, the launch for which also takes place during the Festival, and a Business Writing Seminar is being hosted by the College at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall on 13 October, also under the Festival banner.

"We are delighted to be sponsoring Falmouth Festival of Literature and Arts, which once again reinforces Falmouth's role as a centre of excellence for the arts both in Cornwall and nationally," adds Jeremy Whitaker, the College's Director of Marketing and Student Recruitment.

For further information about Falmouth Festival of Literature and Arts (including how to enter Pitch Idol), please visit www.falmouthfestival.co.uk.

For further information about the Business Writing Seminar, please visit www.falmouth.ac.uk.

University College Falmouth is a founding partner in the Combined Universities in Cornwall, a unique initiative to promote regional economic regeneration through higher education. The CUC is funded mainly by the European Union (Objective One), the South West Regional Development Agency, and the Higher Education Funding Council for England, with support from Cornwall County Council.

Through our Creative Enterprise Cornwall project, which is part-funded by the European Social Fund, eligible students can receive a fees discount of up to £1,000 on postgraduate study at University College Falmouth. For further information, visit www.falmouth.ac.uk/cec.

For further information about the PgDip/MA in Professional Writing at University College Falmouth, please visit www.falmouth.ac.uk/professionalwriting, email admissions@falmouth.ac.uk or contact Admissions on 01326 214374.

For further information please contact Jillie Easterby, Public Relations Manager, University College Falmouth on 01326 213792 or email: jillie.easterby@falmouth.ac.uk.

The Objective One Programme for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has invested in the Combined Universities in Cornwall's Creative Enterprise Cornwall scheme through the European Social Fund (ESF). The Programme has invested in the Combined Universities in Cornwall (CUC) project, both Phase 1 and Phase 2 through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund (ESF) University College Falmouth is a partner in the CUC.

Editor's notes:

Clare Morgan
Media Relations Manager
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Mobile: 07973 813647
Telephone: 01872 223439

cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk

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