Work with Celtic Media Festival
The Celtic Media Festival is seeking expressions of interest for the delivery of a comprehensive PR & Communications programme.
The festival wishes to appoint a company (team, agency, or individual) to provide PR and Digital Media Services at key points across the year and in particular in the run up to, during and immediately following its key annual event.
As well as standard PR services, the festival is seeking to extend its reach, impact and engagement via its social media channels, as well as building profile for the festival among key stakeholders, funders and across the audio-visual industries in all related territories. The successful contractor will have expertise in general and sectoral PR, as well as expertise in the ideation, creation, publication and distribution of tailored, innovative media on social and digital channels.
The successful contractors will have experience in securing significant international and UK and Ireland media coverage (print, broadcast and online) or online engagement and promotion in the field of television, radio, film and digital broadcast.
BRIEF: Digital Communications, Press and PR contractor Celtic Media Festival
Newquay, 3rd to the 5th of June 2025
About Celtic Media Festival
Celtic Media Festival is seeking a Digital Communications, Press and PR Contractor to create, implement, manage, monitor and evaluate Digital Communications, Press and PR campaign for the next three Celtic Media Festival years.
The campaign will raise awareness and achieve a positive media profile about Celtic talent in broadcast media in film, television and radio.
Recognised as one of the most prestigious international awards in broadcast media in Europe, the esteemed international summit for sound and screen will take place from 3 June – 5 June 2025.
The festival is supported by the Celtic Media Festival core funders (S4C, RTÉ, TG4, BBC Wales, BBC Northern Ireland, BBC Scotland, MG ALBA, Television de Galicia, Virgin Television Ireland, Coimisiún na Meán, Screen Scotland, Northern Ireland Screen, Screen Ireland and Screen Cornwall) – continuing to build the strength and reputation of the Celtic nations as an important international voice in television, radio and film.
The festival is peripatetic with the 2025 location being in Cornwall and the 2026 edition’s location announced at the Final Awards on Thursday 5th of June 2025.
The main objectives for Celtic Media Festival are:
- Promote the languages and cultures of the Celtic nations: This includes showcasing films, television programs, radio broadcasts, and new media content that represent the unique heritage and voices of Celtic-speaking communities.
- Recognise and celebrate excellence in media: The festival presents the Torc Awards to honour outstanding achievements in various categories of film, television, and radio production.
- Facilitate networking and collaboration: The festival brings together media professionals from across the Celtic nations to share ideas, build relationships, and explore potential partnerships.
- Provide a platform for industry discussion: The festival features conferences, seminars, and workshops that address key issues and trends in the media industry.
- Increase the visibility and appreciation of Celtic culture: By showcasing the rich and diverse cultural heritage of the Celtic nations, the festival aims to foster a greater understanding and appreciation of these unique traditions.
About the Celtic Media Festival 2025:
The Celtic Media Festival is taking place in Newquay, Cornwall from the 3rd to the 5th of June 2025 in the Lighthouse Cinema, Newquay.
The team will be appointed in late April 2025 and further details will be announced shortly.
About the Digital Communications Requirement
The contractor will be required to create, implement, manage, monitor, and evaluate a coordinated digital communications campaign (including social media), providing opportunities to raise awareness and achieve a positive online profile of the Celtic Media Festival.
This includes developing and executing a comprehensive content strategy, producing engaging and shareable content across various digital platforms, including the festival website, social media channels, and email marketing.
The campaign should highlight the Celtic Media Festival programme, speakers, and events to target audiences through relevant online publications, blogs, social media influencers, and the festival's own digital channels. A key focus is building a strong digital presence for the festival within the Celtic nations and regions, as well as expanding international awareness and online engagement.
About the Press and PR Requirement
The contractor will be required to create, implement, manage, monitor and evaluate a coordinated Press and PR campaign, providing opportunities to raise awareness and achieve a positive profile of the Celtic Media Festival.
The campaigns will need to highlight the Celtic Media Festival programme and speakers to target audiences through recognised UK and international publications and broadcasters, as well as special interest media outlets and online media channels.
There is a focus on building a profile for the festival within the Celtic nations and regions and building the international awareness and engagement.
The successful contractor will be expected to:
Deliver and Re-imagine the Festival’s Digital Communications:
- Create a proactive Digital Communications Plan on behalf of the Celtic Media Festival partnership
- Support the development of messaging and briefing for participants, in collaboration with the Celtic Media Festival communications group and the chosen creative team
- Identify and target online accounts to interact with
- Delivery of on-the-ground, pro-active and reactive Digital comms activity throughout the Festival week
- Create and share relevant festival content including festival photos, videos and quotes
- Collaborate with project partners and their Comms teams, issuing information via multiple promotional channels to drive information to target audiences
Press and PR:
- Create a proactive Press and PR Plan on behalf of the Celtic Media Festival partnership
- Support the development of messaging and briefing for participants, in collaboration with the Celtic Media Festival communications group and the chosen creative team
- Identify and target approaches to international, UK national, national Scottish and local Scottish media (print, broadcast & online)
- Delivery of on-the-ground, pro-active and reactive Press and PR comms activity throughout the Festival week
- Commission and distribute images and press releases relating to the project in general and areas of specific interest
Other:
- Reporting and evaluation
- Ensure that appropriate measures are in place from the start of the project to monitor and evaluate accordingly
- Ensure continued reporting throughout the duration of the project on coverage achieved and demonstrate how success is measured on completion
Key communications objectives for this contract:
- Profile the Celtic nations and regions internationally as a centre of excellence for the development and promotion of film, television and radio
- To achieve a strong impact and high visibility across digital and traditional media channels, and through PR opportunities
- To attract strong critical and professional responses from within the Celtic nations and regions, the rest of the UK and internationally
- Promote the value of the Celtic nations and regions participation in the film, tv and radio industry and the impact this has on building their reputation as a creative minority
- Raise awareness of the wider activities and contributions of the project’s key partners
- Promote Celtic Media Festival’s International Pitching Forum as an established initiative that provides a significant international platform for the presentation of film and television pitches - made possible with development support and funding through S4C, RTÉ, TG4, BBC Wales, BBC Northern Ireland, BBC Scotland, MG ALBA, Television de Galicia, Northern Ireland Screen
- Promote the project’s special events, public programme, screening and touring programme and any other initiatives
Media Targets
The contractor will be required to identify opportunities and achieve extensive preview and review coverage across recognised international, UK national, and local Cornish media (print, broadcast & online).
Focus should be given to the following:
- UK newspapers – news/features/listings/reviews
- Broadcast magazines – news/ features/listings/reviews
- UK and International broadcast – news/reviews/interviews
- National Scottish/Irish/Welsh newspapers – news/features/listings/reviews
- Local Cornish media – news/features/listings/reviews
- International newspapers – news/ features/listings/reviews
- Film, TV and podcast, vloggers and websites with major audience reach
- Consumer magazines – news/features /listings
- Specialist press, bloggers and websites associated with film and tv
Project outputs
Targets and measures of success will be agreed upon in line with our Festival Director.
Key times of activity
We expect that the workload will fluctuate during the run of the project. We will work with the contractor to identify key moments of the campaign. Here are some of the key moments that are relevant to this contract.
- Preparation of a communications strategy (April 2025)
- Identify key press and media opportunities (April 2025)
- Announcement of the programme highlights (May 2025)
- Promotion and profile raising for the festival week (April 2025)
- Regular updates from the project (April to June 2025)
- Event promotion (May 2025)
- Event activity (June 2025)
- Regular reporting (monthly)
About you
Experience and Skills
The successful contractor will have:
- Proven track record of developing and delivering in the field of film/television/radio and/or public sector
- The successful contractor should have knowledge of and ideally experience working with Celtic languages.
- Experience in delivering successful high profile and international and national PR, media and digital campaigns achieving a strong impact and high visibility across digital and traditional media channels, and through PR opportunities
- Strong understanding of how their work can and should translate to a digital context
- Excellent communication skills and working within a team and across multi-partner projects
- Experience of taking a proactive and progressive approach to equalities, diversity and inclusion and sustainability across projects
- Monitoring and evaluation of the impact of Press and PR campaign and maintenance of regular reporting
About the Contract
Tenderers registered for VAT should indicate this in their proposal.
We expect the contractor to be present in Newquay during the week of the festival.
The cost of travel and subsistence will be covered by Celtic Media Festival.
Costs for PR photography will be covered by a separate budget to be agreed with Celtic Media Festival.
If any aspects of this contract will be subcontracted, please make this clear in your proposal.
Contract Period
The contract will commence upon acceptance of the offer subject to the termination clauses herein. Any additional work identified during the implementation of this project that is not within this specification and time frame would be subject to agreed cost and extension of the contract.
- The Press and PR and contract period will run from late April 2025 – June 2025
- The Festival runs from the 3rd to the 5th of June both dates inclusive
CMF Contract Management
The contract will be managed by Celtic Media Festival Ltd who will be responsible for oversight of the contract. The contract will be subject to our standard terms and conditions.
The Celtic Media Festival Director will be the main point of contact for the project and will be responsible for the day-to-day liaison with the contractor.
Project Management
The project is led by the Celtic Media Festival Board of Directors including members from S4C, RTÉ, TG4, BBC Wales, BBC Northern Ireland, BBC Scotland, MG ALBA, Television de Galicia, Virgin Television Ireland, Coimisiún na Meán, Screen Scotland, Northern Ireland Screen, Screen Ireland and Screen Cornwall.
Tenderers will be required to attend a minimum of three steering group meetings.
Tenderers will be required to attend a minimum of five meetings.
The contractor will be expected to:
- Establish regular reporting procedures with the client, identifying the decisions which require client approval and introduce procedures to obtain those approvals
- Work closely with the client, partners and other contracted organisations to ensure consistency of data collection methods and reporting
How to apply for this opportunity
Requirements
Register your interest
If you are interested in tendering for this opportunity you are invited to email info@celticmediafestival.co.uk by 10th of April.
Submit questions
We also invite you to ask any supplementary questions for clarification to help you complete
your proposal. Please submit your questions by 7th of April.
All questions (anonymised) and answers will be added to the website.
Application
If you would like to apply for this opportunity, please submit a proposal to include the following:
Approach
- A high-level recommended creative approach and methodology for the Press and PR contract (max 750 words)
- A rough timetable outlining key activity
- A topline outline of key targets for press and social media and how you will achieve them
About the contractor (experience and credentials)
- Details of previous experience relevant to the current tender including international media (max 750 words)
- Details of previous experience working across a large project team with multiple partners and stakeholders
- A short CV and details of two referees
About the contract
- A full breakdown of costs (incl VAT)
- A statement confirming that the work can be undertaken on time and within the quoted budget
- A statement confirming that there are no known issues in terms of potential conflicts of interest, should there be any and your ability to prioritise this project. If you suspect there may be conflicts of interest issues, these should be made clear
- Arrangements for project management and progress reporting
- If any aspect of the work will be subcontracted, full details must be provided
Selection criteria
Your proposal will be evaluated on the following points:
- Approach 35%
- Experience and credentials 35%
- Value for money 30%
Timescale
The timetable for the tender process is set out below.
Timetable of Events
- Register your interest 14th of April
- Q & A period Submit questions by 7th of April
- Closing Date 15th of April
- Interview date 21st of April
- Assignment start April 25 (to be negotiated)