Next year’s prestigious Brit Awards are to be held in the Capital of the North, Manchester, as the awards ceremony vacates its long-standing London home for the very first time. Having been held in London since the awards began in 1977, this bold move to the vibrant Northern city reaffirms the major spotlight Manchester has been in recently.
Dr Jo Twist, CEO of the BPI, said: “We’ve had a fantastic history in London for nearly 50 years, and we just feel that now is the time to make a bold leap into other parts of the UK to the fans. Manchester has such a rich musical heritage and it has a fantastic ecosystem of support there on the ground, including lots of amazing grassroots venues.”
Sony Music UK & Ireland CEO Jason Iley, echoed Manchester’s music heritage, saying:
“Moving to Manchester, the home of some of the most iconic and defining artists of our lifetime, will invigorate the show and build on the BRITs legacy of celebrating and reinvesting in world-class music.”
Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, welcomed the move as a “massive coup” for the city. He said: “For The BRIT Awards to move out of London is a massive coup for Greater Manchester. After 48 years, it is great that this prestigious global event is about to arrive in the UK capital of music and culture.”
The two-year contract will see Manchester host the Brits in both 2026 and 2027, with the awards’ iconic 50 year celebrations being held in the North.
Both ceremonies will be held at Co-op Live, a new, state-of-the-art indoor arena designed to be the UK’s largest music venue, seating over 23,000 people. With a fan-centric design, and a focus on sustainability, Co-op Live hosts major music concerts, sports events, and soon, the renowned Brit Awards.
