A hotbed
of creativity
Creative & Media in Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is one of Europe’s most dynamic creative and media ecosystems – a place where global broadcasters, independent producers, digital studios and cultural institutions sit side by side. From internationally recognised content production to fast-growing creative tech, the city region offers the scale, talent and infrastructure that ambitious creative businesses need to thrive.
Home to BBC North, ITV and Dock10 at MediaCity, Greater Manchester has established itself as the UK’s leading creative cluster outside the capital. But the strength of the sector reaches far beyond broadcasting — spanning film, animation, advertising, publishing, immersive content, music, design and performance.
A Global Production Hub
MediaCity is one of Europe’s largest purpose-built media districts, offering state-of-the-art studios, production facilities and digital infrastructure. Its continued expansion – alongside new production and studio developments across the city region – reflects sustained demand from national and international content creators.
The presence of major commissioners and production partners creates a strong commissioning pipeline and supply chain opportunities for independent producers, post-production specialists and creative service companies.
Film, TV and production
Greater Manchester is where global stories are made.
Manchester Creative Digital Assets, backed by Manchester City Council, manages flagship sites including The Sharp Project and Space Studios Manchester, while also overseeing Screen Manchester, the city’s official film office.
Manchester has hosted productions including Peaky Blinders, The Crown, It’s a Sin, Captain America: The First Avenger and House of Guinness – reinforcing its status as a trusted location for global production.
The Sharp Project
hosts over 60 digital and creative businesses, specialising in animation, gaming, video and mobile technologies.
Space Studios Manchester
offers more than 85,000 sq ft of high-end sound stages, including the new 30,000 sq ft SPACE 06, and is home to international suppliers such as Panavision and Panalux.
dock10 at MediaCityUK
houses the UK’s largest television studio and produces prime-time content for major broadcasters.
Versa Manchester Studios
located in the former Granada Studios, supports TV, film, VR, AR and motion capture, alongside the newly opened Soho House Manchester.
Diverse and Specialist Creative Clusters
Creative activity extends across multiple locations in the city region:
- Manchester City Centre – Advertising, design, publishing, fashion and digital content agencies clustered around world-class cultural assets.
- Salford Quays – Broadcast, production, post-production and immersive media.
- Stockport and Trafford – Studio developments and creative workspace supporting screen and digital production.
- Bolton, Oldham and Rochdale – Emerging creative spaces supporting grassroots production and talent development.
This distributed model allows businesses to scale within the city region — from flexible studio space to large-scale production facilities.
Talent at Every Level
Greater Manchester produces a steady pipeline of creative talent across screen, performance, design and digital media disciplines. Universities including The University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Salford work closely with industry to align courses with employer demand.
Alongside higher education, specialist colleges and training providers support technical production skills, animation, VFX, sound engineering and digital storytelling. This ensures businesses can recruit at graduate, technical and leadership levels.
Infrastructure Built for Content
The combination of physical production infrastructure and digital capability makes the city region well suited to both traditional broadcasting and next-generation immersive and interactive formats.
- Purpose-built studios and sound stages
- High-spec post-production and VFX facilities
- 5G-enabled production testbeds
- Advanced digital and data connectivity
- Flexible co-working and creative incubator space
A Supportive Environment for Growth
Greater Manchester’s devolved governance model enables coordinated support for the creative and media sector. The city region’s growth strategy places culture and creativity at its heart, recognising their role in economic development, regeneration and global positioning.
Through initiatives aligned with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the Mayor’s agenda for inclusive growth, the sector benefits from investment in skills, innovation and place-making.
Invest Manchester supports creative and media companies by providing:
- Market intelligence and sector insight
- Location and property search
- Introductions to production partners and supply chains
- Talent and skills connections
- Guidance on funding and investment networks
Joseph Beaden
Head of Sector, Creative, Digital and Technology
- Experience across the Creative, Digital and Technology sector and inward investment.
- Expert in industrial, social and economic transformation, productivity, skills and innovation, and social mobility.