The Creative Cities Convention (CCC) has announced the first raft of names taking part in this year’s conference in Liverpool, and it’s shaping up to be a stellar line up with big local names including legendary Liverpudlian writer Jimmy McGovern (pictured), the creative powerhouse behind series such as Cracker, Hillsborough and Time; Nicola Shindler, chief executive of leading drama producer, Quay Street Productions; Rebecca Hodgson of Left Bank Pictures, executive producer of Liverpool-based crime drama, This City Is Ours; The Responder creator and writer Tony Schumacher, and Jimmy Mulville, managing director of Mastermind and Of People and Place producer Hat Trick Productions all set to appear.
Other industry figures at the eighth annual event on May 6–7 will include Andrea Arnold, Oscar-winning film-maker; Wayne Garvie, president of international production at Sony Pictures Television; Asif Kapadia, Oscar and BAFTA-winning director of record-breaking docs Senna and Amy, and BAFTA-winning journalist and filmmaker, Mobeen Azhar, who returns as host.
Billed as “the only event dedicated to professionals making film, TV and digital content outside London,” the two-day convention attracts hundreds of delegates to hear from leading broadcasters, producers and creative innovators.
CCC executive director, Lisa Campbell, who will continue to lead in the role for 2026 ahead of her newly announced position as BAFTA’s executive director of programmes, said: “Liverpool’s maverick spirit and outward-looking creative scene make it the perfect home for CCC 2026 — and that energy is reflected in our first wave of speakers. They’re bold voices who don’t shy away from challenging the industry and rethinking how audiences are reached. With this year’s theme, Where TV Meets Digital, we’ll dig into what disruption and convergence really mean for UK production — from AI and new production technologies to cross-platform storytelling across TV, film, immersive content and shortform. We’ll also lean into Liverpool’s UNESCO City of Music pedigree at Camp & Furnace — pairing the conference programme with live music to create a delegate experience that goes beyond the panels.”
The 2026 Creative Cities Convention will be staged at Camp and Furnace, the live events and music venue located in the heart of the Baltic Triangle and a creative and digital hub known for its independent studios, production spaces and innovative businesses.
This year’s theme, “Where TV Meets Digital,” will explore how traditional storytelling and emerging technologies are converging to shape the future of the UK’s screen industries – with artificial intelligence, new production technologies, and cross-platform storytelling all on the agenda.
Last year’s convention in Bradford coincided with the city’s UK City of Culture celebrations. It featured record delegate numbers, a debut Skills Summit, public screenings, commissioner meetings and a buzzing YouTube Creators Collective networking event.
The Skills Summit will return in Liverpool in 2026 targeting both freelancers and emerging creatives with a programme of practical sessions and workshops led by leading industry names. The venue for the 2026 Skills Summit is Boxpark, a fully integrated all-day dining and events space located in the historic Canning Hall as part of the Cains Brewery Village in Liverpool’s cultural and creative hub the Baltic Triangle.
Founded in 2018 by media executive Ruth Pitt and John McVay (PACT), the convention is backed by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Paramount and PACT. Previous host cities include Leeds, Cardiff, Glasgow, Birmingham, Newcastle, Bristol and Bradford.
