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A NORTHERN SOUL – MANCHESTER ’ S NEW LANDMARK
Stephanie Williams , head of events at Factory International , details how Manchester is becoming a cultural hub for event planners
n the last 25 years , Manchester has been through something of a metamorphosis . Transforming from a struggling post-industrial city with a declining population to the UK ’ s fastest growing city – rich in culture , sport and business – Manchester now plays a confident and crucial role on the international stage .
City leaders have long recognised the powerful role that culture can play in regeneration and place making , creating jobs and other opportunities , and adding to the mix of what makes Manchester a place where people and business want to be .
However , when planning major events , big brands still narrow their view on London , ignoring the enormous potential of cities outside the capital .
A global city with a local feel Manchester was the world ’ s first industrial city . Time and again the inventions and innovations here have had a global impact . In every corner of the city , you will find organisations , venues , and businesses with huge goals . Here you ’ ll find Unilever , Siemens , Kellogg ’ s , Booking . com , ITV , the BBC and some of the world ’ s biggest and most successful sports clubs .
While our reputation may be founded on our industrial past , Manchester has simultaneously cemented itself as a place for the arts . In 2019 , Manchester was recognised by the CBI as the second largest creative city in Europe after London , with a GVA to the city ’ s economy of £ 1.4bn .
Key projects range from Bridgewater Hall , a concert hall , to the National Football Museum , housing the FIFA collection , to Band on the Wall , a cornerstone of Manchester ’ s live music scene .
In 2007 , Manchester International
Festival launched as the world ’ s first festival of original new commissions . Working collaboratively with artists , musicians , theatre makers and writers , from around the world as well as local people , the city-wide festival takes place every two years and truly represents Manchester ’ s global yet local spirit . Commissions that started in Manchester have toured all over the world and our approach to community participation is looked to by various arts organisations .
History unfolding Now , Manchester has a new cultural landmark . Sat on the River Irwell , Aviva Studios is impossible to miss . Designed by the Office for Metropolitan Architecture ( OMA ) and the new permanent home of Factory International , Aviva Studios is the UK ’ s largest investment in a national cultural project since the opening of the Tate Modern in 2000 .
Our vision is for Aviva Studios to be Manchester ’ s next success story , standing on the shoulders of the Manchester International Festival and all it has achieved . We ’ re already seeing a glimmer of what ’ s to come as official opening show , Danny Boyle ’ s mind-altering retelling of The Matrix , Free Your Mind , made waves around the world .
Endless possibilities As we open and begin welcoming people into our space , the magnitude of the opportunity is becoming clearer . This is a space www . conference-news . co . uk