The Royal Shakespeare Company - New Licence Press Release
Brandgenuity Partners West Design Products with the Royal Shakespeare Company to launch the theatre’s first arts and craft licence.
West Design Products are pleased to announce their newest licensed partnership with the Royal Shakespeare Company, following on from their award-winning success partnering with the RHS to produce premium arts and craft kits and essentials. West Design Products - the industry leading, family-owned manufacturer, distributor and innovator of quality art, craft, stationery, and gifting products.
Launching Winter 2025, the brand-new Royal Shakespeare Company collaboration celebrates the words, wisdom and imagery from the works of William Shakespeare. The heart of the range is inspired by iconic quotes taken from Shakespeare’s most beloved plays, spoken by some of his most recognisable characters. This collection, inspired by the Royal Shakespeare Company’s mission and work, reflects how great storytelling connects us, creates opportunities and brings joy.
The premium range initially includes 24 lines across the arts and crafts categories:
• Soft craft kits including embroidery tote bags, cross stitch cushions and bookmarks, as well as the perennially popular embroidery and cross stitch hoop kits.
• Art sets including three painting by numbers sets, as well a range of casebound sketchbooks.
• All products will be available in stores across the UK.
Brandgenuity brokered the agreement between their client, Royal Shakespeare Company, and West Design. The agency is managing the development and rollout of the Royal Shakespeare Company licensing programme.
Jo Bray, Managing Director – Sales and Marketing at West Design Products, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be working with the Royal Shakespeare Company to bring these wonderful products to artists and crafters. Our designers were thrilled to be able to visit the theatres in Stratford-upon-Avon to immerse themselves in the works of William Shakespeare and the costumes and productions of the RSC, to enable them to bring a rich collection of assets to life in a range sure to delight.
A family owned and run business, West Design Products serves the UK, European and global markets with UK-manufactured and imported products that it designs in-house. The company operates out of three sites, with its HQ and distribution centre in Kent, a creative design hub in Dorset and a UK manufacturing site in Devon.
About West Design Products
• West Design Products exclusively distributes some of the finest brands, from art, craft and stationery products to toys and education, from around the world. It also has a strong background in licensed products for a number of leading UK leisure, tourism and heritage brands.
• Both the company’s Devon and Dorset sites use solar panels. Where possible, the company uses paper from sustainable sources and FSC-certified products, recycles cardboard and aims to reduce plastic content in its products and packaging.
About the Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Company’s mission is to inspire deeper human understanding through the power of theatre. Shakespeare’s restless exploration of all of humanity is our inspiration and touchstone, connecting us, creating opportunities and bringing joy.
The Company’s roots lie in the bold vision of a local brewer, Edward Fordham Flower, who in 1879 established a theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon with his son Charles. The RSC as we know it today was formed by Sir Peter Hall, whose ambition was to produce new plays alongside those of Shakespeare and his contemporaries. We continue this today across our three permanent theatres in Stratford – the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, the Swan Theatre and The Other Place – and in communities and schools across the nation, online and around the globe. We believe everybody’s life can be enriched by culture and creativity. Our transformative Creative Learning and Engagement programmes reach over half a million young people and adults each year. We have worked with generations of the very best theatre makers and we continue to nurture the talent of the future.
rsc.org.uk
@thersc
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