October has been full of cultural highlights and inspiring collaborations and as winter approaches, it’s been a joy to see our clients’ creativity and impact recognised across so many platforms.
From 31st October to 2nd November, Stratford Literary Festival’s Autumn edition filled Stratford-upon-Avon with leading voices from literature, comedy, history, politics and sport. Highlights included John Cleese discussing Fawlty Towers: Fawlts and All: A 50th Anniversary Celebration and historian Andrew Lownie presenting his topical biography Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York.
In the run-up, we secured coverage in Marie Claire, BookBrunch, Country Life, and regional titles including Coventry Observer, Warwickshire World and West Midlands Metro. ITV Central interviewed festival director Annie Ashworth and BBC CWR broadcast three interviews including a lively chat with Gyles Brandreth on the upcoming Winnie the Pooh centenary. The campaign boosted ticket sales and amplified the festival’s social channels, achieving a 190% increase in reach on Instagram and 276% on Facebook.
We partnered with Times+ and Stratford’s Hotel du Vin on a competition that drove 1,000 new newsletter subscribers and festival speakers and celebrities collaborated on 7 Instagram posts extending reach, with a combined audience of 678K followers. Two influencers with a combined reach of 157K followers attended, creating posts, stories and collaborative content that further expanded the festival’s visibility and engagement.
Croydon Council marked the 150th anniversary of composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor with a weekend of performances, exhibitions and tributes. On the Saturday, the BRIT School took over Croydon Clocktower with music, theatre and art, while the Museum of Croydon launched The Sound of Croydon: Celebrating Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, an interactive exhibition exploring his life and legacy. Sunday culminated in a moving concert at Fairfield Halls, where the London Mozart Players performed works by Coleridge-Taylor alongside new music from renowned composer Tunde Jegede, Braimah Kanneh-Mason performed Coleridge-Taylor’s infamous Violin Concerto and Croydon SDA Gospel Choir gave a soul-stirring performance. A reporter from The New York Times attended the concert and wrote an article on the performance and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor.
ITV London attended capturing student performances and interviews with the BRIT School and exhibition curator. BBC Radio London featured Vice Principal Ray Oudkerk and student Addy in conversation with Robert Elms about the event. The weekend was a powerful celebration of Croydon’s most iconic classical musician, reaffirming his lasting influence both locally and globally.
At the end of October, English PEN announced the 2025 PEN Heaney Prize shortlist, in partnership with Irish PEN/PEN na hÉireann and the Estate of Seamus Heaney. The prize honours outstanding poetry that engages with cultural and political life, reflecting one of the world’s most-loved poets, Seamus Heaney’s, legacy. This year’s shortlist features Tom Paulin (Namanlagh), Najwan Darwish (No One Will Know You Tomorrow), Lena Khalaf Tuffaha (Something About Living), Karen Solie (Wellwater), Don Mee Choi (Mirror Nation) and Stav Poleg (The Banquet).
The announcement was widely covered in The Bookseller, BookBrunch, Books Ireland Magazine, Ireland Central and Publishers Weekly. The winner will be revealed on 1st December at the National Library of Ireland in Dublin, promising to spotlight voices whose work resonates with today’s cultural and political challenges.
We were delighted to support Spiracle Audiobooks’ inaugural Tales at Toklas Bakery event. Acclaimed actor Diana Quick captivated audiences with a reading of Anton Chekhov’s short story The Lady and the Dog, accompanied by coffee and pastries from the bakery. The event marks the start of a new series pairing literature with convivial mornings in a relaxed, intimate setting in the heart of London. Guests left inspired, and we’re excited to see this partnership grow.
It was an exciting month for the London Mozart Players as they hosted their 10th edition of their much-loved Tasting Notes series at Smith Square Hall. The evening thoughtfully paired fine wines with string quartets, guided by music and wine experts who drew out connections between taste and sound.
Alongside securing event listings, we invited a number of influencers to experience the evening, creating original content for their channels, helping to amplify the orchestra’s reach. Guests not only enjoyed the concert but also a lively afterparty in the crypt, complete with live jazz. This is an ongoing series and we highly recommend getting a ticket for the next edition in 2026!
Collective Wisdom partnered with Whitefox Publishing to host an inspiring evening at the Century Club in Soho with Sunday Times bestselling author Emma Gannon. Molly Flatt, novelist and Comment Editor at The Bookseller, explored the power of creative independence with Emma, who shared insights into her own writing and publishing process. Emma has built a loyal following through her Substack channel, The Hyphen, and spoke about the platform’s growing role for serious writers and how she’s used it to connect with her dedicated audience. She highlighted the joy of working on her own terms, and how her collaboration with Whitefox has allowed her to take charge of her publishing journey. Her latest book, A Year of Nothing, charts her experience of stepping back after chronic burnout, which in turn helped her reclaim her creative autonomy and rediscover the joy of writing for pleasure.
