Greater Manchester is set to welcome an international audience of creative, technology and innovation leaders this November, as BEYOND Conference returns to MediaCity, Salford.
Running from 23-25 November, BEYOND 2026 will bring three days of activity to the region, with its free Festival taking place alongside the main conference programme.
This will also be the third consecutive year that BEYOND has chosen MediaCity as its home, following previous editions in Greater Manchester in 2024 and 2025.
That continued commitment to the region is an important part of BEYOND’s story.
The conference has an international outlook, bringing together researchers, academics, industry leaders, policymakers, investors and founders from across the world. More than 35 countries were represented at last year’s event, with the British Council supporting its international delegate programme.
Bringing that audience into Greater Manchester creates opportunities beyond the conference itself, giving local businesses the chance to build international relationships, meet potential partners and showcase the work being produced across the region.
That international focus is reflected in the 2026 speaker line-up.
Veronika Liebl, Managing Director of Ars Electronica, will be among the international voices at this year’s event, alongside Octavio Kulesz of the Global Creative Economy Council, who will explore responsible AI from UK and international perspectives.
Gidon Freeman, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Universal Destinations and Experiences, will also be at BEYOND to discuss the Universal UK Resort and its wider investment potential.
There will also be a British Council-led session looking towards Japan and Korea as new frontiers in experience, bringing further international perspectives into the programme.
At the same time, BEYOND has a strong Greater Manchester presence.
Alice Webb, CEO of MediaCity, is among the speakers at this year’s event, while Andy Miah, Chair of Science Communication and Future Media at the University of Salford, will open the Experience programme with a look at the new experience economy.
Garry Crawford, Professor of Cultural Sociology at the University of Salford, will also explore gaming, culture and community, drawing on research involving organisations including Ubisoft and City Football Group.
The region’s wider business ecosystem is also built into the event, with the GM Business Growth Hub co-hosting the Good Growth Breakfast. The session will look at practical support available to businesses, including grants, seed investment, venture capital, debt and accelerator support.
BEYOND is being delivered with support from Greater Manchester partners MediaCity, Salford City Council, the University of Salford and GM Business Growth Hub, further connecting the conference with the wider regional creative economy.
For businesses across Greater Manchester, that local and international mix is particularly relevant.
The programme includes conversations around major investment and development, with the Universal UK Resort session looking at its potential impact on transport, infrastructure and skills.
For creative businesses, projects of that scale can create opportunities across areas including design, production, technology, experiences and talent. BEYOND provides a place to understand where those opportunities could emerge.
There is also a wider story about how Greater Manchester is positioning itself within the international creative economy.
BEYOND’s return to MediaCity gives the region another opportunity to put its businesses, universities, researchers and creative talent in front of an international audience, while giving visitors the chance to experience the work happening here.
That local connection is set to continue beyond the conference programme too.
The free BEYOND Festival will run across all three days, bringing performances, workshops and other events into MediaCity, giving a wider audience the chance to take part.
The organisers are also putting a greater focus on access this year. Alongside concession tickets, BEYOND has launched a Pay It Forward scheme offering fully funded conference tickets to people who would otherwise be unable to afford to attend.
For an event that brings together creativity, technology, research and business, that wider access is another part of the picture.
BEYOND is ultimately about bringing different groups into the same conversation, from international creative leaders and researchers to investors, founders, freelancers, students and the small businesses working across Greater Manchester.
After two years at MediaCity, its return for a third consecutive year underlines the strength of that relationship.
For the region, it means a creative international audience coming through its doors. For those attending from elsewhere, it is a chance to see what Greater Manchester’s creative and technology economy has to offer.
BEYOND 2026 takes place from 23-25 November at MediaCity, Salford.
Find out more about BEYOND 2026 and explore the full programme.
