Coutts & Co Take Their Investment In Almeida Theatre

Coutts & Co has been Principal Sponsor of the Almeida Theatre since April 2003 and in this fifth year of the partnership, Coutts will take their level of investment in the Almeida Theatre to over £1 million. The Almeida Theatre Coutts & Co partnership took effect when the newly refurbished theatre opened in 2003 and began initially as a vehicle for client entertainment.

It has since expanded to incorporate brand visibility, theatre based development workshops for employees and business development opportunities on both sides.

Coutts has provided vital financial support to the theatre, facilitating greater artistic freedom and enabling the theatre to mount its ambitious programme with security and confidence. In addition, many Coutts clients have also become patrons of the Almeida. The Almeida Coutts partnership has now become one of the bank's foremost Arts sponsorships and continues a long tradition of supporting the arts. Over time, Coutts has enjoyed a close relationship with many famous artists, including Frederic Chopin, Sir Henry Irving and Charles Dickens.

One of the most ground-breaking developments of the partnership has been the creation of a short film, 'Portrait of a Bank' that represented the Coutts & Co brand, as seen by its employees. After exploring staff perceptions of the organisation at all levels and sections of the company, director Boz Temple Morris explored the brand identity from the personal perspective of six individuals. The film can be viewed online at www.coutts.com.

Sarah Deaves, Chief Executive, Coutts & Co, commented: "We are proud to be the Principal Sponsor of the Almeida for the fifth consecutive year. During the last four years we have become huge fans of their work - the productions are always cutting edge and of the highest quality, the theatre and the Almeida team continue to surprise and delight our clients.

Over the last few years our relationship with the Almeida has become much more than a sponsorship initiative. We have worked together to use creative techniques from the theatre in workshops with our staff on team working, public speaking and developing our brand."

Michael Attenborough, Artistic Director, Almeida added: "The Almeida Theatre, in its current form, would simply not be possible without the support of Coutts. Our bold, adventurous play choice means taking risks. Often expensive ones. Our intimate theatre with its affordable seat prices and limited runs provide inevitably limited income. Ironically the bravest areas of our programme frequently result in our greatest successes. In 2006, David Hare's new version of Gorky's Enemies, with a cast of 26, was acclaimed critically and played to packed houses. Coutts' enlightened support makes this scale of event possible. Bold ideas turned into reality, into success. 2007 will be even more adventurous, with four world premieres and the European premiere of a major American play with a cast of 18. The Almeida is, as I write this, once again playing to packed houses - enjoying an artistic programme enabled by Coutts' hugely generous and loyal support. We are, it goes without saying, incredibly grateful to them."

Rick Haythornthwaite, Chair of the Almeida's Board of Trustees and Managing Director of STAR Capital, said: "The Almeida Theatre is deeply appreciative of the continuing commitment from Coutts. Over the past five years, the bank has not only given more than £1 million of much needed funding but has also forged an imaginative partnership with us that has enriched both organisations in ways far beyond simply the financial. I hope their example serves to persuade other businesses to take more risks in their relationships with the arts." -- www.almeida.co.uk