Liverpool To Host Creative Cities Convention 2026

The Creative Cities Convention (CCC) has confirmed 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 established creative hubs.

The two-day convention — the only national event dedicated to film, TV and digital content creators working outside London — rotates between UK cities each year and attracts hundreds of industry delegates. Attendees hear from senior broadcasters, producers and innovators shaping the future of the screen industries.

Next year's event will take place at Camp and Furnace, one of Liverpool's most prominent live events and music venues, located in the heart of the Baltic Triangle. The district has become a thriving centre for digital creativity, independent studios, production spaces and tech-led media businesses.

While Liverpool will host the event, CCC 2026 will highlight creative excellence across the wider North West, showcasing strengths in TV and film production, gaming, immersive content and emerging digital technologies.

The theme for 2026 — 'Where TV Meets Digital' — will examine how traditional storytelling is merging with new technology, including artificial intelligence, cutting-edge production techniques and cross-platform creative strategies.

The convention will open with a welcome from Tony Hall, Lord Hall of Birkenhead CBE, former BBC Director-General and Deputy Chair of Channel 4.

BAFTA-winning journalist and filmmaker Mobeen Azhar will return as host following his popular appearance at CCC 2025. New faces on the team include Sol Papadopoulos, founder of Liverpool’s Hurricane Films, as Executive Producer, and Nina Harrison-Bell as Head of Partnerships.

Last year's event in Bradford, held during its UK City of Culture celebrations, drew record attendance and launched CCC’s first Skills Summit, alongside commissioner briefings, public screenings and a lively YouTube Creators Collective networking event. High-profile speakers included outgoing BBC Director-General Tim Davie, YouTube UK Managing Director Alison Lomax, cast members from Hollyoaks and Coronation Street, and the Warp Films team behind internationally acclaimed dramas Adolescence and Reunion. The Skills Summit will return for 2026.

Natalie Wyatt, Managing Director of the Liverpool City Region Destination Partnership, said: "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."