TORONTO — Audible, Inc., the world’s largest seller and producer of audiobooks and other spoken-word entertainment, and FCAD, Ryerson University’s Faculty of Communication and Design, today announced the establishment of a multifaceted initiative dedicated to audio entertainment at FCAD’s renowned school of performance. Audible’s investment will provide Ryerson students in the performance acting program with a state-of-the-art performance training facility, companion sound studio and an annual scholarship fund.

When Audible.ca launched in September 2017, Audible committed $12M CAD over a three-year period to invest in resources and programs to develop, amplify, and celebrate Canadian writers and voices in both English and French. Audible is committed to supporting the growth of Canada’s creative economy and promoting Canadian stories both within and beyond its borders. The new Ryerson program and facilities, which are funded as part of this larger commitment, include:

The Audible Acting Studio and Audible Sound Studio

The “Audible Acting Studio,” a 1,400-square-foot, acoustically-treated performance training facility will provide Ryerson School of Performance with a flexible rehearsal space that uses integrated technology to allow for professional-quality audio recording of individual and ensemble voice acting. Additionally, an existing audio production studio in the Rogers Communications Centre will be upgraded to the “Audible Sound Studio,” providing specialized technology for aspiring audiobook producers from across FCAD’s nine schools, including students in media production, documentary media, and creative industries. Both studios will open in Spring 2019.

Audio-Related Course Work

Audible and Ryerson are working together to evolve the performance acting curriculum to allow students to develop their skills in the fast-growing medium of spoken-word performance and production. The course work will include skills-based and academic training in the performance and production aspects of spoken-word entertainment, with a goal of inspiring and training future generations of Canadian creative talent.

The Audible Scholarship

To further empower FCAD students to pursue their creative ambitions in a variety of media, Audible will create an endowment for the Audible Scholarship — an annual award for a performance acting student who demonstrates exceptional talent in voice acting. The first of the Audible Scholarships will be awarded to a School of Performance student in 2019.

“As we emphasized when we launched audible.ca, we recognize Canada’s rich heritage of storytelling and oral culture, and are placing a stake in future narrative storytellers, actors and producers of original Canadian content,” said Jon Fleming, Audible’s Country Head for Canada. “Ryerson is a leading interdisciplinary educator of diverse talent for the creative era, and we share a common desire to offer the best creative and economic opportunities for Canadian performers and creators, for the enjoyment of Canadian listeners, and to grow the Canadian creative economy.”

“For seven decades, our schools have been at the forefront of the evolution of the cultural industries in Canada, and as a global market leader, Audible has a valuable perspective on the future of audiobooks and audio entertainment,” noted Charles Falzon, Dean of FCAD. “With our focus on developing strengths as an educator in audiobook production, we are excited to work with Audible now and in the years ahead to leverage their insight and connections in this flourishing multi-billion-dollar business for the benefit of our students. With Audible’s support, we will provide high-quality facilities to match a career-relevant education that offers unparalleled industry-connected learning opportunities for students.”

Audible.ca, which celebrates its one-year anniversary this month, provides listeners with access to a catalogue of more than 300,000 audiobooks and other original audio content—all curated by and for Canadians.

ABOUT FCAD

The Faculty of Communication and Design is the cultural and creative hub at Ryerson University. With its nine prestigious schools in media and creative industries, FCAD’s interdisciplinary innovation and education are shaping the future of the creative industries.

ABOUT AUDIBLE, INC.

Audible, Inc., an Amazon.com, Inc. subsidiary (NASDAQ: AMZN), is the leading provider of premium digital spoken audio content, offering customers a new way to enhance and enrich their lives every day. Audible was created to unleash the emotive music in language and the habituating power and utility of verbal expression. Audible content includes more than 450,000 audio programs from leading audiobook publishers, broadcasters, entertainers, magazine and newspaper publishers, and business information providers.

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Contacts

Ryerson University

Dasha Pasiy, 416-979-5000 x 2126

Media Relations Officer

dasha1.pasiy@ryerson.ca

or

Audible

Sam Neuman

Director, Corporate Communications

samneum@audible.com