AI, immersive art and the future of Greater Manchester’s creative economy took centre stage at BEYOND 2025’s Creative Mixer in MediaCity this week.
Industry leaders stressed that the real challenge for creatives isn’t simply adopting new tools, but understanding the ethical, emotional and practical implications that come with them.
Held on Monday at Hot House in the heart of MediaCity, the mixer formed part of the wider BEYOND 2025 conference, a three-day gathering of more than 100 speakers exploring the creator economy, CreaTech, and innovation across the UK.
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The MediaCity creative mixer brought together creatives, technologists, academics and business leaders for an afternoon of talks and demos, followed by an evening hosted by broadcaster Nihal Arthanayake filled with immersive performances and installations.
From prompt to production: Practical AI for creatives
The afternoon opened with a series of lightning talks showcasing how AI is transforming text, video, audio and virtual production.
Richard Wormwell, head of innovation at Dock10 in MediaCity, described AI’s rise as “phenomenal,” surpassing even the growth of the internet and social media. Handling roughly 2.5 billion prompts daily, he predicts AI could “overtake Google” in presence within the next few years.
For creatives, the message was clear: AI is not a tool to ignore and businesses need to start rethinking AI strategies now. He urged the sector to explore “AI as augmenting what we do as a creative industry,” while keeping humans in focus, stressing the importance of upskilling teams and recruiting for capability rather than geography.
The mood in the industry has shifted too: “The fear isn’t there any longer, it’s about how we can use it, adapt it and work with it,” he said, pointing to AI’s “huge impact” on skills, jobs, and business strategy.
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Pete Woodbridge, R&D Innovation Manager at Music Futures, urged creatives to treat AI as a craft rather than a shortcut. As new technologies emerge, people have always had to adapt, just as painters once feared the camera would kill their craft, musicians worried the phonograph would destroy music, and filmmakers warned that CGI would sound the death knell of cinema.
He likened AI models to “colours on a palette,” stressing that they only produce compelling work when guided by skilful prompting and structured workflows. “AI won’t do the interesting stuff unless you push it,” he said, positioning AI as a craft requiring skill, experimentation, and curiosity.
Jocelyn Burnham, independent AI Communicator at AI for Culture, highlighted the emotional impact of working with AI. From creating and selling AI-generated art to witnessing a young user grieve the loss of their robot companion “Moxie,” she argued that AI impacts more than output — it shapes experiences and human response, and experimentation is key to understanding AI.
Florian Block, R&D Lead for AI & Immersive at Dock10 and University of York, demonstrated a fascinating glimpse into how AI is transforming live virtual production. Through a groundbreaking project between dock10, The University of York and TV production company 2LE Media, AI-driven tools are now being developed that can power realistic light interactions for programmes filmed in virtual studios.
AI can now automate lighting, shadows, and reflections, enabling “cinematic-grade virtual production” that would be impossible for humans to achieve “in real-time,” while reducing costs and opening up access to green screen technology.
The impact AI can have on creativity presents an “amazing opportunity” for those working in research and can “enable something that so far couldn’t be done but critically, with humans at the core.”
Guy Gadney, CEO of Charismatic AI, revealed how generative AI can now power interactive storytelling, from “microdramas” to full-length episodes, producing machine-readable scripts for AI-assisted video production while preserving creative integrity.
Made in Manchester: Building a thriving creative economy
After a session on the impact of creative health and createch in Greater Manchester, a panel discussion on building a thriving creative economy in Greater Manchester followed, exploring how public and private sectors, alongside freelancers and SMEs, can work together to retain talent and investment locally.
The top five takeaways included:
Collaboration is everything
From public and private sectors to freelancers, connecting talent and businesses is key, said Sally Gilford, Culture Programme Manager at Salford City Council. Platforms like Salford’s creative digital hub and in-person mixers are helping artists and creatives access opportunities and collaborate across the region.
Creatives in Manchester need to celebrate their success more
Gary Hilton, CEO at GAS Music, urged creatives to start shouting about the great projects already happening. Visibility and pride are essential to building a strong creative ecosystem: “Stop looking down the street and start embracing the great work we’re already doing… let’s just do things differently.”
The “ingredients” are already here
With world-class universities, global brands like the BBC and ITV, and a thriving community of micro-businesses and SMEs, Karl Stones from Zeal Creative said Greater Manchester has all the “raw ingredients” for a thriving creative economy but the continuing challenge is connecting the pieces.
Empowerment matters
Alisha Kadri, founder of creative skills and talent agency One Giant Leap, highlighted the need to give creatives hope and tools to navigate change, from AI to economic shifts. Supporting freelancers, students, and SMEs ensures existing and emerging talent can grow.
Innovation and technology are part of the creative mix
Initiatives like the CreaTech Artist CoLab show how emerging artists can experiment with new technologies, keeping Manchester at the epicentre of innovation while fostering collaboration and skills development.
Hosted by renowned broadcaster Nihal Arthanayake, the evening wrapped up with a celebration of creativity through live performances, immersive events and installations.
There was a special set from BBC Radio 6 Music DJ Sophia Hadji-Michael, followed by Noelle Nurdin, whose spatial audio and AV performance pushed the boundaries of what live immersive electronic sets can be.
Manchester-based writer and performer Tamsin Middleton, who has toured with the likes of Pixies, Sleaford Mods and Red Hot Chili Peppers, unveiled her new solo project VICE VERSA. Her piece Expanded Emotion featured a prototype garment embedded with addressable LEDs that responded in real-time to her voice, offering a glimpse into the future of wearable performance tech.
Across the venue, interactive installations invited leaders in the room to explore emerging forms of digital creativity, from sculptural works by Isabella So and Hattie Kongaunruan, visual and sound installations by Joe O’Rourke and Kirsty Barlow, and planetary lightning-inspired audio-visual art by Mishka Henner.
All photos credited to @AuzKendo / Austin Kendrick.
