As the BRIT Awards prepare to land in Manchester, organisers have unveiled a major new programme of events taking place across the city ahead of the 2026 ceremony.
For the first time in the awards’ history, organisers have unveiled BRITs Fringe, a city-wide programme of events designed to amplify Greater Manchester’s music ecosystem in the run-up to the 2026 ceremony. Alongside it comes Bring on the BRITs with Mastercard: The 2026 Nominations, a livestream broadcast direct from the city underlining Manchester’s status as the beating heart of British music.
It comes as full nominations drop for the MOBO awards, which are also coming to Manchester in March.
Branded ‘Manchester Seen and Heard’, BRITs Fringe uses the global reach of the BRIT Awards to shine a spotlight on grassroots creativity, emerging artists and the contemporary scenes shaping the future of UK music. It’s a move that positions Manchester not just as a host city, but as a collaborator.
The programme is being delivered by Brighter Sound, working with Manchester Music City, and supported by Manchester City Council, Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the Manchester Accommodation BID.
At the centre of the Fringe is FRINGE LAB, a one-day creative music industry forum, mixer and live showcase at New Century Hall on Friday 27 February — the eve of the awards themselves. The event brings together emerging artists, music professionals and creatives for talks, workshops and masterclasses, before culminating in a public showcase spotlighting four potential future BRIT Award winners from Manchester.
In the days leading up to the ceremony, Brighter Sound will also run BRITs Fringe: First Steps, a series of development events aimed at young people looking to build careers in music. Sessions will take place at Band on the Wall, the School of Digital Arts (SODA) and the Royal Northern College of Music, alongside a wider programme taking BRITs Fringe directly into schools across the city.
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Stacey Tang, Chair of the 2026 BRIT Awards Committee and Co-President of RCA Records at Sony Music UK, said the launch marked a significant shift in how the awards engage with host cities: “We’re excited to launch the first programme of BRITs Fringe events, helping to unlock opportunities and reach the creative communities within Manchester… these events will give local communities a chance to be part of the biggest night in British music, while highlighting the region’s unique culture and talent.”
Kate Lowes, Director at Brighter Sound, added that the city’s history made it the natural home for the first-ever Fringe: “We’re incredibly proud to be delivering the very first BRITs Fringe, and it feels especially fitting that it’s happening in Manchester – known for its long history of being a true ‘city of firsts’… BRITs Fringe is about ensuring that the energy, ideas, and talent coming from the ground up have a real presence and impact around the BRIT Awards.”
For Manchester City Council leader Councillor Bev Craig, the programme reinforces the city’s global reputation. “Manchester is known the world over for music… This year’s first-ever BRITs Fringe looks set to build brilliantly on this by providing some incredible additional opportunities in the run-up to the awards,” she said.
The wider programme also includes the nominations livestream, Bring on the BRITs with Mastercard, broadcast from Co-op Live on Wednesday 21 January across the BRITs’ Instagram and Facebook channels. Presented by DJ and BBC Radio 1 broadcaster Sarah Story and presenter Charley Marlowe, the stream will feature nominee interviews, a performance from the 2026 Critics’ Choice winner and behind-the-scenes access to the BRITs’ new Manchester home.
The move builds on a growing sense that Manchester’s creative moment is not just historic, but contemporary — with major cultural institutions, grassroots organisations and global platforms now converging in the city.
As Dr Jo Twist OBE, Chief Executive of the BPI, put it: “The BRIT Awards are as much about the lasting cultural and economic impact they help to create as they are presenting a compelling global platform… we want the fans to know this is as much their event.”
The BRIT Awards 2026 with Mastercard take place on Saturday 28 February at Co-op Live — but with BRITs Fringe, Manchester’s moment begins long before the first trophy is handed out.
