Manchester is hosting the Brit Awards for the first time this weekend, marking the event's first venture outside London in its five-decade history. The ceremony will take place at the Co-op Live arena, with the city embracing the occasion through tributes such as a temporary sign renaming Deansgate station to 'Olivia Deansgate' in honour of nominee Olivia Dean.
Stacey Tang, the Brit Awards chair, said the move recognises the geographical diversity of UK music talent. 'Creativity doesn't happen in one postcode in the UK ... so the idea that the biggest night in music should always be in London, I think, is ageing out,' she said. Tang praised the local authority and Mayor Andy Burnham for opening up the city, adding that Manchester's 'kinetic energy is really palpable'.
The awards organisers have been running fringe events in Manchester, including intimate shows by Robbie Williams and Olivia Dean, who is nominated in five categories, in aid of War Child. The move follows a trend of major music ceremonies heading north, with the Mobo awards celebrating their 30th anniversary in Manchester later this month and the MTV European music awards held at Co-op Live in 2024.
Jo Twist, chief executive of the BPI, noted that Manchester has consistently been the UK's top location for producing chart-toppers. She said the industry has recognised the need to support talent outside London, citing the Mercury Prize's move to Newcastle last year. Scott Lewis, label manager at EMI North, added that northern artists are 'storytellers' and that events like the Brits help inspire aspiring musicians.
