The Bay Tales model is unusual but simple: publishers pay to sponsor a panel (cost of sponsorship is available on request) and then are given control over which of their authors they choose to invite. 

Bay Tales encourages diversity and inclusivity but, ultimately, the decision regarding participating authors lies with the sponsoring publisher. 

As Bay Tales increases in popularity, we have found that we are in the very fortunate position of having more sponsorship offers than we can accommodate at the one day festival. 

With this in mind, we ask publishers to pitch their panels to us between 1/4 and 31/5. 

Panels are then chosen on their originality, diversity and audience appeal. 

BAY TALES

Our audience have told us that they may come for the big names but they are thrilled to discover “new-to-them” authors (these could be debut authors or ones they simply haven’t come across before). 

We also consider panel sponsors on their strength of any added extras they can offer the festival. Some suggestions include: 

• an exclusive short story based in Whitley Bay or at the festival itself
• a celebrity guest 
• a fringe event 
• an incredible prize for our charity raffle 

To help you with your pitch, we’d say that a big name, a debut and a mid-lister plus one other would stand you in good stead.