Professional Writing graduate uncovers 26 Treasures at the Victoria & Albert Museum

A graduate of University College Falmouth's MA Professional Writing course, Rob Self-Pierson, is the moving spirit behind an exciting new show at the Victoria & Albert (V&A) Museum in September.

The poets Andrew Motion and Maura Dooley are among the 26 writers taking part in 26 Treasures, a unique collaboration between the writers' collective 26 and the V&A, as part of this year's London Design Festival. Through personal and poetic responses, the writers aim to encourage visitors to take a different, non-scholarly look at precious objects in the V&A's collection.

The project sees 26 writers paired with 26 objects in the V&A's British Galleries, with each writer writing exactly 62 words in response. The written pieces will be on display next to the objects during the London Design Festival, from 18 - 26 September.

26 Treasures is the brainchild of Rob Self-Pierson, who graduated from UCF's prestigious MA Professional Writing course in 2008. Rob said: "I loved the idea of telling the stories behind the objects, inspiring visitors to see the treasures in a new light. It's also an amazing opportunity to showcase writing in the V&A. We hope people will follow the trail and feel inspired."

Writers were paired with objects at random. Andrew Motion was paired with a bust of Homer, and Maura Dooley with an ornate mirror. Other objects range from a Rococo candle stand to James II's wedding suit.

Rob Self-Pierson found himself matched with the famous Great Bed of Ware, which he visited several times in the museum: "I watched as tourists wandered up - without exception, they approached the bed with a smile, posed for a photo then left. No thought for the life it once held, the stories it could tell." By giving the bed a unique voice of its own, Rob hopes his piece will help breathe fresh life into this extraordinary object.

Sophie Reynolds, London Design Festival Officer at the V&A, said: "The V&A has a long history of inspiring artists, and every day we see people sketching in the galleries. So what a brilliant idea to ask writers to respond in words. The responses are wonderful - from the personal and serious to the laugh-out-loud funny. The 26 Treasures trail will give visitors a new, rewarding and insightful way to view the 26 objects. It also promises to be a lot of fun."

Tom Scott, who lectures in writing creatively for business on the Professional Writing course and is also an active member of 26, said: "This project is a superb demonstration of the power of good writing to enrich every aspect of our lives, whether it's visiting a museum, browsing a website or even reading a product catalogue. On the MA course at Falmouth we encourage students to apply creative thinking across many different types of writing, often working in collaboration with external partners. So it's great to see Rob pulling together such an ambitious and inspiring project as 26 Treasures."

Tom himself has contributed a piece to the 26 Treasures project website, and two of the 26 writers at the V&A have given lectures or workshops for MA Professional Writing students: John Simmons - perhaps the UK's most respected authority on writing for business - and the leading copywriter and brand language expert Sarah McCartney.

The project will continue after the London Design Festival, with members of the public invited to submit 62 words on an object of their choosing via the 26 Treasures website at www.26treasures.com.

UCF's MA in Professional Writing offers people who want to start making a living from writing an intensely practical, commercially focused experience. The course can be undertaken in two ways: as a full-time, campus-based student over one year, or as a part-time home-based student over two years.

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

Notes to editors:

1. 26 Treasures is a project created for and run by members of the writers' collective 26. The visual identity for the project was designed by Pearlfisher; Domenic Lippa at Pentagram designed the exhibition materials; and Dan Oparison designed and built the 26 Treasures website.

2. Contact Rob Self-Pierson by phone 07754808899 or email rob.selfpierson@gmail.com.

3. Contact Sophie Reynolds, V&A, by email s.reynolds@vam.ac.uk.

4. The 26 Treasures website is at www.26treasures.com, Twitter @26Treasures.

5. Other websites: 26 www.26.org.uk/, V&A www.vam.ac.uk, LDF www.londondesignfestival.com.

6. Photos are available on request.

University College Falmouth is the only independent Higher Education institution in Cornwall with the right to award degrees in its own name.  UCF has two campuses - at Woodlane in Falmouth and Tremough in Penryn (which it owns and jointly manages with the University of Exeter).

UCF's merger with Dartington College of Arts in 2008 created a new institution focusing on the expansion of Falmouth's expertise in Art, Design and Media and Dartington's expertise in Dance, Music, Theatre, Art and Writing.  The Dartington-based courses are relocating to Cornwall this summer to a high-specification £15.4M Performance Centre at the Tremough Campus that will launch in September 2010, paving the way for the creation of a new specialist Arts University in Cornwall by 2013/2014 that will be unique to the South West.

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

Ends

For further information about University College Falmouth, please contact Jilly Easterby Dip CIPR MCIPR, Head of Public Affairs, Telephone: 01326 213792, or email:  jilly.easterby@falmouth.ac.uk

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