The Creative Cities Convention has announced that Liverpool will host its eighth annual event on 6-7 May 2026, “bringing the UK’s leading screen-sector conference to one of the country’s most dynamic creative cities”.
The only event dedicated to professionals making film, TV and digital content outside London, the two-day convention travels to a different UK city each year, attracting hundreds of delegates to hear from leading broadcasters, producers and creative innovators.
The 2026 Creative Cities Convention will be staged at Camp and Furnace, located in the heart of the Baltic Triangle – a “thriving creative and digital hub known for its independent studios, production spaces and innovative businesses”.
While hosted in Liverpool, the convention will shine a spotlight on the creative strengths of the wider North West region, from world-class TV and film production to cutting-edge digital, gaming and immersive content.
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.
The convention will kick off with a welcome address from Tony Hall, Lord Hall of Birkenhead CBE, whose former roles include director general of the BBC and deputy chair of Channel 4.
BAFTA-winning journalist and filmmaker Mobeen Azhar returns as host, while new appointments to the team include Sol Papadopoulos, founder of Liverpool’s Hurricane Films, as executive producer and Nina Harrison-Bell as head of partnerships.
Lisa Campbell, executive director of the Creative Cities Convention, said: “Liverpool’s creative spirit is legendary, and the North West is one of the UK’s most exciting regions for screen production and digital innovation.
“With its thriving TV, film and gaming communities, it’s the perfect place to explore how television meets new forms of storytelling. The city’s talent and energy will make 2026 a landmark year for the Creative Cities Convention.”
Natalie Wyatt, managing director, Liverpool City Region Destination Partnership, added: ‘‘We are delighted that Creative Cities Convention has chosen Liverpool as the host city in 2026.
“Liverpool will extend its warmest welcome to delegates, and they will no doubt feel at home here in a city that is synonymous for creative talent where innovative industries flourish especially within the arts and media sectors.
“Not only will it showcase why Liverpool City Region is a fantastic place to visit, it will be the leading meeting place for creative people making or distributing network screen content outside London.’’
