Curve hosts the Federation of Small Businesses annual conference

Wed 20 Mar 2013

Leicester’s Curve theatre will be host to the Federation of Small Business’ (FSB) Annual Conference this week from 21 – 23 March 2013.

The FSB’s Annual Conference, which is the biggest non-governmental SME conference in the UK, is being held in Leicester for the first time and will see over 600 delegates visit Curve each day.

Keynote speakers addressing the conference at Curve will include Business Secretary, Vince Cable MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Owen Paterson MP and Chuka Umunna MP, Shadow Business Secretary.

Curve’s Chief Executive, Fiona Allan, commented:

“The FSB Annual Conference is the biggest corporate event Curve has hosted to date. We’re delighted the FSB has chosen Leicester as host city and that our unique and diverse venue will be playing centre stage. We hope the success of the FSB conference will continue to raise Leicester’s profile as one of the country’s leading business destinations and encourage other high profile national conferences to come and experience what the city and Curve has to offer.”

As well as an award-winning theatre, Curve offers an exceptionally diverse venue suitable for a variety of events and special occasions. The theatre’s stunning glass façade encloses numerous flexible meeting spaces including auditoria, seminar rooms, rehearsal rooms and an open plan foyer and mezzanine. Curve offers an adaptable and accessible space equipped with the latest state-of-the-art technology, an in-house Chef and Catering team and in-house technical support.

Dave Stallon, Conference Chairman, Federation of Small Businesses, said:

“We are delighted to be in Leicester for this year’s Conference. Curve is an impressive venue for our conference as it has a diverse range of rooms for the various sessions we have planned. From the main Theatre which we’ll use for all our speeches, to smaller networking rooms it offers something for each occasion. We will also be hosting a market session in the Foyer which is a welcome addition to the space. Being at the heart of the city it means members can come from all over the UK to our 39th Conference.”

ENDS

For further information please contact

Clair Horwood, Media Officer

c.horwood@curvetheatre.co.uk

0116 242 3574

About The FSB

  • The FSB is the UK’s leading business organisation with around 200,000 members. It exists to protect and promote the interests of the UK’s Real-Life Entrepreneurs who run their own business.
  • The FSB Annual Conference is being held at the Curve Leicester between 21 and 23 March 2013.
  • The FSB’s Annual Conference is the biggest non-governmental SME conference in the UK. Previous conferences have been held in Scarborough, Liverpool, Aberdeen, and Cardiff.

More information is available at www.fsb.org.uk

For the business programme, please go to www.fsb.org.uk/conference2013/friday

About Curve

  • Located in the heart of Leicester’s Cultural Quarter, Curve celebrates its 5th birthday this year as one of Britain’s leading producing theatres. A flagship venue of the city, designed by world-renowned architect Rafael Viñoly, Curve is a spectacular arena for world class theatre, alongside local community arts and education.
  • Leicester Theatre Trust (LTT) is the independent charitable organisation that runs Curve.
  • Recent theatrical successes include extended runs of Piaf starring Frances Ruffelle, Hello, Dolly! and The King and I,premiering Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein’s musical Finding Neverland and opening the national tours of the National Theatre’s award-winning One Man, Two Guvnors and choreographer Matthew Bourne’s Play Without Words. Hit productions during the 2011/12 season include DESH, 42nd Street and Gypsy, whilst other highlights include the Community Production of Oliver! for which over 500 people auditioned to work with Curve’s professional creative team and play to audiences of almost 10,000 people.
  • Over 220,000 people visit Curve each year, from across Leicestershire, the UK and from as far as the USA and Australia to see a performance, take part in a workshop or community production, watch a free foyer show or attend a business meeting or conference.
  • Curve has regularly receives national recognition for both its shows and service and was recently awarded Visit England Access for All Gold Status and named as Leicester and Leicestershire’s Large Visitor Attraction of the Year.
  • Away from Curve’s main stage, the Young Arts Entrepreneurs scheme had a highly successful first year with Curve enabling 10 fledgling new social enterprises to come to fruition.

www.curveonline.co.uk

20 March 2013