Greater Manchester delegation attends in Austin and SXSW:

Greater Manchester has taken a historic step forward in international collaboration, forming a Friendship Cities Agreement with Austin, Texas. This new partnership aims to boost trade, economic development, innovation, and cultural exchange between the two fast-growing cities, over an action-packed weekend at SXSW, Mayor Andy Burnham, Cllr Bev Craig, MIDAS Managing Director Joe Manning, MIDAS Head of Advanced Manufacturing Rachel Eyre and  MIDAS Business Development Manager Alexander Jones the Manchester delegation engaged in discussions, roundtables, and events to solidify this exciting relationship.

Day 1:

The day began at the City of Austin SXSW International Welcome Breakfast, where Mayor Andy Burnham, María González, MIDAS Managing Director Joe Manning, and MIDAS Head of Advanced Manufacturing Rachel Eyre joined other international delegations. Hosted by the City of Austin’s Economic Development Department and Austin Sister Cities International, the event featured speeches from Austin Mayor Kirk Watson and Mayor Burnham, both of whom highlighted the economic opportunities in their respective cities.

Following the breakfast, the delegation participated in a roundtable discussion at AECOM, where they engaged with stakeholders from the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce. The discussions focused on shared challenges and opportunities in areas such as skills development, transport, and infrastructure. The day concluded with the signing of the historic Friendship Cities Agreement between Greater Manchester and Austin. Mayor Burnham and Cllr Bev Craig joined Austin Mayor Kirk Watson in this momentous occasion, marking the first such partnership between a UK city-region and Texas since the UK Government's landmark cooperation statement.

To commemorate this new relationship, Mayor Watson officially declared 7 March as ‘Greater Manchester Day’ in Austin and committed to visiting Greater Manchester in June 2026. Mayor Burnham summed up the spirit of the agreement, stating:

"Austin and Manchester have so much in common. We are the fastest-growing cities in the UK and US, but we’re also places with a real focus on people, music, culture, and everything that makes life great. We don't just adapt to change – we lead it."

Day 2:

On Saturday, the Greater Manchester delegation engaged with leading companies such as Dell Technologies and Cloud Imperium Games, learning more about their innovations and exploring opportunities to support their growth in the UK. The delegation also visited Austin Community College, gaining insight into their technical education facilities and discussing potential collaborations in cross-sector training. This visit highlighted the importance of skills development in building sustainable economic links between the two regions.

The day concluded at the British Music Embassy at SXSW, where Greater Manchester’s delegation celebrated UK artists showcasing their talent on an international stage. This event reinforced the deep cultural ties between Manchester and Austin, who are both known for their thriving music scenes.

Day 3:

Sunday saw the arrival of Greater Manchester Business Growth Hub team and a selection of creative businesses, including Scoop, Opulence Pictures, Play XD, GAS™ Music, and NALA Creative. They were warmly welcomed by Mayor Burnham, Cllr Craig, and Joe Manning, ready to present the best of Greater Manchester’s creative, digital, and tech industries to the global audience at SXSW.

The day’s highlight was the SXSW panel discussion, "2 Cities, 5,000 Miles Apart: The Tale of Austin & Manchester", featuring Mayor Burnham, Cllr Craig, and Mayor Watson. The discussion covered shared challenges such as affordability, transport, education, and culture, with a strong focus on creating opportunities for young people and retaining talent in both cities. Manchester hip-hop artist OneDa represented Manchester on stage at SXSW showcasing the region’s vibrant music scene and cultural influence. She can be seen along with DJ Rebecca Swarray in the picture below with the Business Growth Hub. 

Closing the panel, Mayor Burnham reinforced the significance of the Friendship Cities Agreement, stating:

"This partnership between us is more than just a piece of paper."

Day 4

As most of the Manchester delegation depart and wrap up activity in Austin and SXSW to head to MIPIM, the final day for Mayor Andy Burnham, Cllr Bev Craig and Joe Manning ended on a high and a major music & culture announcement for Greater Manchester.

To start the day, MIDAS joined Mayor Burnham, Cllr Craig and Deputy Trade Commissioner, Alan Gogbashian for a roundtable hosted by the Texas Association of Business, to discuss how Greater Manchester can work with the state of Texas to strengthen trade and investment links.

Mayor Burnham and Cllr Craig then met with Representative Claudia Ordaz, Co-Chair of the UK-Texas Caucus to build on the roundtable conversations around deepening economic and cultural ties between the regions.

Mayor Burnham sat down with Steven W. Pedigo for a conversation at the LBJ School of Public Affairs on the role of Mayors in devolved UK regions and contrasts between policy making in Greater Manchester and Texas; before joining colleagues from the University of Manchester to witness the signing of an MoU between UoM and the University of Texas.

Ending the day was a Northern cities collaboration as Manchester joined forces with other Northern UK cities at UK House under the theme 'North: Different by Design.' The showcase kicked off with a true Texan BBQ, setting the stage for an afternoon of collaboration and creativity with multiple interactive zones, each highlighting different sides of Northern excellence.

It features live performances from emerging Northern artists, including Manchester's own hip-hop talent OneDa, who is also set to perform on Wednesday’s Northern Sound Showcase at UK House, and a DJ set from Rebecca Swarray. The music and culture team at the Greater Manchester Combined Authority will be around until the end of the week at SXSW to showcase Greater Manchester’s thriving music and culture scene.

Before departing, Mayor Andy Burnham and Cllr Bev Craig announced the launch of the Greater Manchester Music Export Office, the UK’s first dedicated initiative to help local artists, businesses, and professionals break into international markets.

Backed by £300,000 from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, this office will build on the city’s rich musical legacy, delivering strategic partnerships, talent development programs, and global outreach initiatives to ensure our music scene continues to thrive on the world stage.

The activity in Austin and at SXSW is just the beginning of a long-term collaboration between Greater Manchester and Austin. With plans for continued engagement, as Mayor Watson confirmed plans to visit Manchester in June. Austin has now declared March 7th as an official “Manchester Day” commemorating the signing of the MOU.  This Friendship Cities Agreement represents a significant milestone in international cooperation.