Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham will deliver the keynote address at Mythos Manchester, a “landmark” new film, television, culture and commerce industry event taking place on Thursday 11 June 2026 at ABC Buildings, St John’s District – “the creative home of Northern production talent”.
“Mythos Manchester will bring together producers, directors, financiers, creative entrepreneurs and senior leaders actively developing projects, building slates and seeking finance for content and creative businesses, positioning Manchester and MediaCity at the centre of conversations shaping the future of the UK screen industries,” organisers revealed.
The keynote from Andy Burnham will reinforce the Mayor’s recent confirmation of a £10.5 million Screen Production Fund to support TV and film projects across the region as part of the Good Growth Fund, focusing on projects that spend locally, use regional crew and facilities, and create training and skills opportunities.
The initiative forms part of Greater Manchester’s Creative Industries Sector Development Plan, which aims to establish the region as the strongest screen industry cluster outside London by 2028.
The GM Mayor will “share his vision for the North’s creative economy and the case for regional media investment and how Greater Manchester is uniquely placed to lead the next chapter of UK screen growth”.
Mythos Manchester will convene around 300 senior figures from across film, television, gaming, finance, tech and media, creating a “high-value environment for collaboration, networking and investment conversations”.
The event will connect creatives with capital through a programme of panels, roundtables, investor meetings and discussions exploring co-production, international partnerships, funding opportunities and the future of regional screen production.
Alongside Burnham, confirmed speakers include Caroline Simpson from GMCA; Emily Feller, chief creative officer at Warp Films and executive behind Adolescence; Phil Hunt, founder of Head Gear Films and Bankside Films; Richard Fee of Quay Street Productions; Rob Page from Screen Manchester and Space Studios; Caroline Cooper Charles from Screen Yorkshire; BBC iPlayer’s Dan McGolpin; Isabel Davis from Screen Scotland; and screenwriter Paul Fraser.
Additional speakers include Marcus Ryder from The Film and TV Charity; Noel Hedges, former EVP at Lionsgate; Carol Bell OBE from Creative UK; plus finance and investment specialists including Peter Touche of Allegro Finance, Karim Palent from UK Private Capital, John Glencross and Mariyah Dosani from Calculus Finance, Victoria Fäh from IPC.VC and Nick Donaghy from Creative UK.
The event will also spotlight emerging and independent voices shaping the future of the industry, including Upstream founder Charlie Read and independent producer Neil Chordia.
Rachel McClelland, co-founder of Mythos Manchester, said: “Mythos has been created to connect the incredible creative talent in the North with the people, partnerships and investment needed to bring stories to life.
“We want to create meaningful conversations between filmmakers, producers, investors, broadcasters and brands, while opening up opportunities for the next generation of regional storytellers.”
More information is available on the Mythos Manchester website.
