London literary publisher Faber and Faber has launched the Faber Academy, a writing and live events programme, to be sponsored by private bank Coutts & Co.

Patrick Keogh, Faber and Faber new business manager, said: “The programme will have an international as well as a UK focus and is dedicated to delivering high-quality writing courses and events in major metropolitan centres.”

Sarah Deaves, chief executive of Coutts & Co, said: "Coutts has a long association with the creative arts, not least by managing the financial affairs of many great writers and poets, but also with our arts sponsorship programme which has been in place for over eight years now. We're looking forward to entertaining our clients at many of the events that we will be hosting with the Faber Academy, and are sure that we'll discover a few hidden talents on the way."

The Academy will run the first of its creative writing courses this October in Paris and London with plans for courses in metropolitan cities around the world, including Dublin, Edinburgh, Rome, Barcelona and Berlin.

Former Faber and Faber head Lord [Matthew] Evans recently became chairman of EFG Private Bank.