Featured image: Brighter Sound
The BRIT Awards will be held in Manchester for the first time this month, with a new citywide fringe festival set to run alongside the ceremony.
The 49th annual awards will take place on 28 February, marking the first time the event has been staged outside London since its inception.
Alongside the ceremony, organisers have announced the launch of the first-ever BRITs Fringe Festival, designed to engage local artists, industry professionals and music communities across the region.
Manchester City Council Leader Bev Craig said: “The BRITs and Manchester are such a perfect fit for each other.
“Our independent music scene is legendary and continues to grow.”
The Fringe Festival will take place during the week commencing 23 February and will feature a series of events aimed at supporting emerging artists and opening up access to the music industry.
The programme includes three specialist workshops focused on songwriting, building an audience and selling music. Organisers say the sessions are intended to equip participants with practical knowledge about developing and sustaining a career in music.
Jo Twist, Chief Executive of the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), said the wider programme of events would allow the BRITs to “turn up the dial and engage communities across the city and region”.
The workshops will culminate in an event titled FRINGE LAB on the eve of the awards. The event will feature panel talks, masterclasses, discussions and a showcase highlighting new and emerging talent.
The fringe programme is a collaboration between Manchester City Council, Manchester Metropolitan University’s School of Digital Arts (SODA) and Manchester-based music development company Brighter Sound.
Kate Lowes, Director of Brighter Sound, said: “It feels especially fitting that it’s happening in Manchester – known for its long history of being a true ‘city of firsts.’”
She added: “By creating space for emerging artists, young people, and new voices, we’re helping to shape the next generation of creative talent.”
Attend events within the BRITs FRINGE Festival and tune in to the BRITs on the 28 February for the biggest night of British music hosted right here in Manchester.
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