Beyond The Music today announces the third edition of its fast-growing global forum and festival, taking over MediaCity, Salford for 2026. Across three days, the event brings together leading voices from music, media, technology and the wider creative industries, with a programme built to connect ideas, open up collaboration and help the sector grow.
A co-operative working where culture, content and new technology meet, Beyond The Music wants to build on Greater Manchester's resoundingly successful year of musical development across the wider region. Anchored in Salford in its centenary year, it aims to cement the region's identity as a home for music, creativity and content; no longer a local market, but the core of a major global shift in the digital industries.
In a year that has seen both The BRIT Awards and the MOBOs and their fringe events highlight Manchester's importance as a creative and cultural hub, the 2026 programme will use the MediaCity campus, including dock10 MediaCity studios and several well-known Salford music venues, to deliver a mix of keynote conversations, industry showcases, networking and cross-sector partnerships, bringing together artists, executives, innovators and policymakers from across the globe.
Beyond The Music's mission is to seize this moment, to come together and drive meaningful and lasting change in the music and content industry. It is undeniable that the impact and importance of music and content is stronger than ever, but this is not reflected in its perceived value. The ethical and economic infrastructure of the music and content industries demand urgent attention and bold reform. We have some of the most pioneering and innovative minds in the world, so when we gather — united, in one place, at one time — we have the power to venture beyond the music and help redefine the future of the creative economy. It is our responsibility to protect creativity in order to ensure it doesn't just survive but thrives. Things may feel difficult, but they are still possible.
Beyond The Music arriving at MediaCity signals something bigger than a change of location — it's a statement about where the future of the creative economy is being built. By bringing music into the conversation with broadcasting, digital innovation and emerging technologies, this moment puts Greater Manchester at the centre of a global shift in how content is created, owned and valued. At a time when AI is redefining the rules, it is so important to protect the authenticity of human performance, whilst unlocking new ways to innovate. Beyond The Music is creating the space, the energy and the leadership to make that happen.
Salford has a rich musical heritage and a thriving network of creatives, so we're thrilled to be welcoming Beyond The Music to the city this year. We're excited by the chance to showcase the city's cultural scene and the range of creative possibilities here in Salford. We're looking forward to hosting attendees from across the region and further afield to what we're certain will be an unmissable event.
The All Content AI Summit
A core element of the 2026 programme is a first-of-its-kind global All Content AI Summit convened by Andy Burnham, MP for Makerfield, former Culture Secretary and founding member of Beyond The Music. The Summit brings together leading practitioners and policymakers from every content industry to agree a shared, rights-and-integrity-first position on AI. Together they will map practical routes to licensing, provenance, attribution and enforcement, so that innovation can grow without eroding trust, livelihoods or lawful commerce.
Taking place on Friday 9th October, the session is grounded in Beyond The Music's core message for 2026, that Art is a Human Right, and in particular the protection of creators' interests: their moral and material claim on the work they make, and their right to be credited and paid for it.
Greater Manchester has always been at the forefront of cultural innovation, and Beyond The Music is a vital opportunity for the sector to come together and address the challenges and opportunities facing music and content creation. That's why I'm proud to host the All Content AI Summit, which will provide a space to consider the ethical questions raised by new technologies and how we can protect creators' rights. Greater Manchester has always been willing to take a stand on the issues that matter — standing up for the people behind the music, making sure they are recognised, rewarded, and able to build sustainable careers. That's what we mean by balancing growth with responsible innovation. With its move to MediaCity and bigger than ever programme, Beyond The Music is helping to cement our city region's place at the centre of the creative economy.
A festival for the talent of the future
By night, Beyond The Music shifts its focus onto the talent of the future, with over 100 emerging artists chosen to perform in front of delegates and festival-goers. The aim is simple: give brand-new artists a real chance to perform and to meet the industry professionals who can help launch their careers.
For those at the earliest stages of their careers, Beyond The Music works to change how the industry operates by inviting new artists and bands to submit their music to a panel of music industry experts. A number of successful applicants are then offered the chance to perform at one of the festival's anchor music venues.
To celebrate the festival's new MediaCity home, Beyond The Music will also rethink what a "grassroots venue" can be, using a range of multi-purpose spaces across the campus, the studios and even the adjoining Quayside shopping centre, with spotlight shows held at some of Salford's most loved existing venues.
Tickets
Tickets for Beyond The Music 2026 are available now, including a Pay It Forward scheme that helps people who want to build a career in the music industry but may not be able to afford the full ticket price.