Creative and Media

Manchester is recognised as one of Europe’s largest creative, digital and technology clusters and is home to a fast-growing £5 billion digital ecosystem.

Home to Europe’s largest purpose-built digital hub, MediaCityUK, and with a heritage of broadcast and media production, marketing and advertising as well as specialist skills in service design, animation, gaming, augmented and virtual realities; Manchester is a place where creativity and technology are jointly driving the next wave of innovation in the creative and media industries.

Manchester’s thriving creative, digital and technology community of more than 10,000 businesses including the BBC, Brown Bag Films, Mediacom and Dentsu Aegis.

“You have got the most incredible talent pool bring in Manchester, whilst also having some of the most creative brands that you can work with”

— Katy Leeson, Media Expert

The ecosystem comprises companies at all stages, from start-ups and SMEs to global brands and homegrown unicorns that IPO above $1 billion; all of which converge and collaborate in the city’s creative, digital and media hubs.

Manchester is a city region rich in specialist talent and skills that creative and media businesses thrive off. The existing 86,000-strong industry workforce is supplemented by a sustainable flow of graduates from the city region’s five universities, where almost 25,000 students are enrolled in creative, digital and technology courses, as well as industry-led apprenticeships and training programmes; providing businesses with access to a wealth of specialist skills.

Kate Temperley Head of Inward Investment – Creative, Digital & Tech

kate.temperley@midas.org.uk

Animation

Manchester is home to one of Europe’s largest creative, digital and tech clusters and has been leading the way in animation for more than 40 years.

CDT Factsheet

Manchester- The UK's Top Digital Tech City

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Digital and Technology

2 minutes

Manchester has been named the ‘creative capital’ of the UK

New research by Adobe Express has named Manchester the ‘creative capital’ of the UK, or the UK’s most creative city. By analysing a variety of factors including the number of jobs…

Create and Media

5 minutes

English National Opera to move to Manchester

The English National Opera (ENO) is to move to Manchester under plans announced by Arts Council England (ACE) which made the organisation’s future funding contingent on establishing its main…

Create and Media

6 minutes

Manchester wins bid to host WOMEX international music convention in October 2024

International music convention WOMEX will be coming to Manchester next year after the city won its bid to host the prestigious global event on behalf of the UK and Ireland next autumn, 23-27…

Production Futures

30, Apr 2024

Production Futures will stage its largest event to date at the AO Arena on April 30th. Production Futures exists to create opportunities for young people to learn, train, network and develop real careers in production across every area of the live event, music, touring, theatre, TV, broadcast and film industries. The organisation’s forthcoming ON TOUR event will take place at the AO Arena, Manchester, one of the most cutting-edge facilities (and the largest) of its kind in the UK, on Tuesday April 30th. As its first Arena outing, this will be Production Futures’ largest and most ambitious ON TOUR event to date. The free-of-charge event will promote employability, transferable skills, diversity, free training, networking, and will present paid work opportunities to newcomers across the live event and broadcast production industry. Visitors to the show will enjoy a packed schedule, which includes special guests, talks and panels, while industry workshops will offer young visitors the chance to engage in a wide range of activities, from preparing to be job-ready with industry-oriented CVs, to hands on exploration of lighting programming, CAD, audio engineering, as well as getting under the skin of music production, virtual production and event production planning.