News
I’m writing a book: working title How Brands Find Their Voice, to be published April 2027.
It’s a deep-dive into verbal identity: how brands find and define a distinctive voice, how they express it strategically across every touchpoint, and how language and visual identity work in tandem when they’re genuinely at their best. The ambition is to give the verbal side the kind of lavish, design-book treatment that the visual side has long enjoyed – beautiful visuals of the work in action are central to the whole thing.
The publisher is Rockport, the US-based imprint behind titles such as David Airey’s Identity Designed, the School of Visual Arts’ Masters in Branding series, and Mark Kingsley’s Universal Principles of Branding. It’s early days but I’ll need to hit the ground running, with a final manuscript delivery at the end of September – and I’ve been doing loads of outreach. The reception so far has been overwhelmingly positive but I’m keen to build awareness between now and April, and any contributions from the 26 network would be most welcome.
– Nick Carson
I’m running a workshop on the Poetry of Trees. It’s taking place in London on 9 May, as part of the Urban Tree Festival. It’s a creative writing workshop, blending poetry and ecotherapy to explore our connections with trees. Details and booking here: https://urbantreefestival.org/the-poetry-of-trees
I’m also in a short film about listening to trees, made by filmmaker Ian Finch of Walk Wild. You can watch it on Instagram.
– Olivia Sprinkel
Brussels Brontë Group: Brontës, Boggarts & Brogues, 28 April, talk
Brontë Birthplace: Virtual Keighley Walk with Nancy Garrs, 12 May, talk
Two different talks about this most famous family. With a speculative air, I’m taking a bit of a sideways look at their life: folklore that influenced Emily, Ann and Charlotte’s writing; how dialect and brogue can be found in their work. On the Virtual Walk, we’ll follow in their footsteps to the places in the local town they visited for art, music, lectures, book borrowing.
– Irene Lofthouse
Wife Clare and I, mindful of Robert Jackson’s hymn tune “Thorney,” biked from Thorney Street, Westminster, to Thorney Island, Sussex. Southbourne pub patron told us “Thorney Island” was 10 Downing Street’s old name. Did he misremember a district name’s story?
Unrelatedly, I have entered the Hymn Society’s 90th anniversary hymn competition.
– Aidan Baker
Recommendations
My recommendation is Pet by Catherine Chidgey. This has taken me all the way back to my primary days and the jostling of pupils to be in Miss Moore’s good books – but are teachers all what they seem?
‘Best years of your life’ with all their dark hidden secrets – which have a habit of resurfacing in adulthood. Not an author I know, but can thoroughly recommend.
– Irene Lofthouse
Screenings of the National Emergency Briefing film are taking place now around the country. It’s a 50-minute film bringing together highlights from the Briefing that took place in Westminster last year, on how all aspects of our lives are being impacted by the climate and nature crisis, together with reactions from Deborah Mearden, Jennifer Saunders and members of the public. You can find a screening near you at https://www.nebriefing.org
– Olivia Sprinkel