The Creative Cities Convention has announced that Priya Dogra, the new CEO of Channel 4, will appear on Day One at this year’s event, speaking publicly for the first time since taking up the role last month (March 2026).
Dogra will take part in a fireside chat-style conversation at this year’s convention, taking place in Liverpool on May 6 and 7, offering delegates an early opportunity to hear her thinking on the future of Channel 4, the wider public service broadcasting landscape and the challenges and opportunities facing the UK’s creative sector.
Dogra said: “I am delighted to be joining this year’s Creative Cities Convention in Liverpool. It’s a brilliant opportunity to share my early thoughts on Channel 4 and reinforce our support for creativity across the UK, as well as our vital role as a public service broadcaster in a rapidly changing world.”
She joins a roster of high-profile speakers that already includes: Sir Phil Redmond, Oscar winning director Asif Kapadia, Jimmy McGovern, Quay Street Productions chief exec Nicola Shindler, and Jimmy Mulville of Hat Trick Productions, among others.
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The conversation will be chaired by Hannah Cheers, executive producer at Lime Pictures, part of All3Media, whose strong connection to Liverpool and experience in the industry make her an ideal choice to lead the discussion.
Cheers said: “It’s a privilege to chair the conversation with Priya around the vital role that Channel 4 provides to our region and beyond. Lime Pictures, based in Liverpool, has always focused on championing bold, contemporary storytelling from the regions. Hosting the Creative Cities Convention here this year not only celebrates that but also creates real opportunities to shape the next chapter of regional production and the next generation of creatives.”
The 2026 Creative Cities Convention will be staged at Camp and Furnace, Liverpool’s foremost live events and music venue, located in the heart of the Baltic Triangle, a thriving creative and digital hub known for its independent studios, production spaces and creative 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 the Baltic Triangle.
Founded in 2018 by media executive Ruth Pitt and John McVay (PACT), the CCC is now led by executive director Lisa Campbell, continuing in the role ahead of her newly announced position as BAFTA’s executive director of programmes; advisory chair Pitt; director of operations, Susie Townson, executive producer Sol Papadopoulos; head of partnerships, Nina Harrison-Bell, and head of Skills Summit Sarah Wood. It is backed by BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Paramount and PACT.
Previous host cities include Leeds, Cardiff, Glasgow, Birmingham, Newcastle, Bristol and Bradford.
