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The original founders of the Bath Festival of Children’s Literature, Gill and John McLay, are leaving Bath Festivals to run children’s book events in the city independently.
The McLays launched the Bath Festival of Children’s Literature in 2007 but transferred ownership to Bath Festivals, an arts charity, when they started a family in 2010. They have since acted as artistic directors.
Under the new venture, as yet unnamed, the McLays will run events in Bath throughout the year, the highlight of which will be a children’s book festival in October 2020.
“We wanted creative and financial autonomy again and to bring the most amazing authors and illustrators and poets and storytellers to Bath all year round,” John McLay told The Bookseller. “The new autumn event will be able to offer contributors larger fees and we’ll be able to market and advertise more widely to grow our audience. There will also be an increased number of outreach and school events.”
The new business will be funded by box office receipts, commissions from book sales, advertising in our brochures and funding from partnerships with private and local commercial businesses.
The founders have no plans to apply for public funding but have working capital from their own personal reserves, said McLay.
Gill McLay said: “We love putting incredible authors and illustrators centre stage – drawing attention to debut novels and reveling in the success of bestselling authors, celebrating and exhibiting stunning illustrations and their clever creators. We have a lot of experience now with hosting book events for children. Publishers trust us to run efficient, well-marketed events that deliver audience and book sales.”
The Bath Festival of Children’s Literature was one of the first book festivals dedicated solely to children’s books and over the years authors who have taken part include Jacqueline Wilson, Julia Donaldson, David Walliams, Liz Pichon, Michael Morpurgo, Michael Rosen, Lauren Child, Cressida Cowell, Axel Scheffler, Harry Hill and Malorie Blackman.
The McLays will continue to act as hosts of their final programme for the 2019 Bath Children’s Literature Festival (27th September – 6th October), whose line-up will be announced next week.
A Bath Festivals spokesperson said: "It’s an exciting time for John and Gill McLay who have, after 12 years, stepped down as the Bath Children’s Literature Festivals Artistic Directors. John and Gill are heading off to concentrate on their other ventures and we, of course, wish them every success for the future. We have all enjoyed working with them immensely.
"The Bath Children’s Literature Festival will remain as part of the Bath Festivals annual activity alongside the multi-arts The Bath Festival in May, The Bath Festival Finale Weekend and new and will continue to use the stunning buildings and venues of Bath, bringing some of the biggest names in literature, music and combined arts to our city. We are busy making plans for 2020 and beyond. We will miss John and Gill and thank them for all their hard work, dedication to both our festival and our city.